Kyle Chalmers backflips on retirement and hints he could race until Brisbane 2032

The freshly crowned world champion, Chalmers is at the absolute peak of his powers right now, having just clinched the last major title to elude him during his incredible career with a barnstorming victory in the 100m freestyle at last month’s world championships in Japan.

King Kyle has already been to two Olympics, winning the 100m freestyle gold in Rio in 2016 then winning silver in Tokyo in 2021 - and will be one of the strong favourites in Paris next year, when he will be 26, an age when a lot of swimmers hang up their goggles.

During a radio interview with SEN, Chalmers did say Paris might possibly be his last Olympics - but his message got lost in translation and was later reported that he was quitting altogether.

But in a text message to this masthead, he confirmed Paris was definitely not going to be the end: “I am not retiring!! The quote was ‘It will be my last Olympics.

“There are many competitions after the Olympics that still give me the opportunity to represent my country at the highest level.

“We have a world championships short course in 2024, world championship long course in 2025, Commonwealth Games in 2026 and plenty of world cups in there also.

“I’ll be busy, I have plenty of titles that need defending.”

The confirmation from Chalmers that he’s planning to keep going will come as a huge relief to Australian swim fans - and his teammates - because the Big Tuna has become the heartbeat of the team since he burst on the world stage as a schoolboy at Rio.

Not only is he a phenomenal performer in his individual events but he’s even better in the relays, helping the Dolphins win dozens of medals at all the major international competitions in the sport.

There have been times when he’s thought about giving it away and trying something else but he’s rediscovered his love of the sport through other ways - including getting a part-time on a construction site.

Although he has nothing left to prove, the temptation to go on is tantalising.

No Australian male swimmer has ever competed at four Olympics so for Chalmers to get to four, he would have to swim on until Los Angeles 2028, when he’ll be 30.

He said that seems unlikely right now, but if ever he needed inspiration to keep going, he got it from his older team mate Cam McEvoy, who won the 50m freestyle world title last month aged 29.

“Yes, Paris will be my third and most likely last Olympic Games. 2028 is a very long way away,” Chalmers said.

“But who knows, if the body and the mind hold up, maybe I’ll even be in Brisbane in 2032.

“For now it’s time to lock in and give my absolute all to having success in Paris. Hungrier than ever.”