Australia’s Flynn Southam has officially declared his arrival on the international scene, causing a major upset on the fifth night of finals at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre – winning his first major individual gold medal in the 100m freestyle -declaring he is here to stay.
The 21-year-old from Queensland’s Gold Coast stole a march on the field – splitting 22.62 at the 50m turn and was never headed as he powered down the second lap to narrowly miss his own Games record to clock his second fastest time ever, 47.13 to win a very impressive final.
Taking the gold from fast finishing Welshman Matt Richards in 47.64, with his Dolphins teammate defending champion and 2016 Olympic champion and his mentor, Kyle Chalmers just 0.10 behind in third in 47.74.
Southam had signaled his intentions here in Glasgow with a sizzling Games record lead off in Australia’s Games record winning 4x100m freestyle relay with his 47.09 on the opening night and he has been in the zone ever since – finishing second to world record holder Cam McEvoy in the 50m freestyle two nights ago.
Declaring he is here to stay, telling Australia’s Olympic golden girl Ariarne Titmus on the Channel 7 Broadcast that some people had doubted him.
“But I have I never doubted myself…at the end of the day I back myself in a race….and that was a bloody good one,” said Southam.
“I can believe how far I’ve come, I’ve worked hard to get here with my team, my sports team, my family..they know how hard it was….four years ago (in Birmingham) I was a little boy…now I’m a man….I belong here and I’m here to stay.”
A youngster, originally from Northern NSW, who started his career at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast before honing his skills as one of Australia’s most likely stars under coaches Kyle Samuelson and now Chris Mooney in the Bond University program – Samuelson now the Director of Swimming, who has watched Southam grow as a teen machine into a major arrival in the senior ranks.
It could well be the changing of the guard in Australian sprinting with Chalmers “The King” of the sprint pool since bursting onto the scene with his Olympic gold in Rio as a 17-year-old, quick to recognize Southam tonight, tapping him on the head as to annoint Australia’s new prince of the pool.
It gives Chalmers a full set of medals, silver to Duncan Scott in 2018, gold in 2022 and bronze here in Glasgow.
Chalmers has already won two gold here, anchoring the Dolphins to victiories in the 400m freestyle and mixed freestyle relays – adding bronze to his overall total of Games medals since he kick-started his Games tenure on the Gold Coast – taking his total to nine gold, two silver and one bronze – with the 50m butterfly final to come.
And for the first time in his stellar career sharing the medal podium with another Australian in an individual event and still hearing the Australian National Anthem, Advance Australia Fair,
For Richards, the two-time Olympic 800m freestyle relay gold medallist with Great Britain in Tokyo and Paris, it is the first medal won by Wales win the blue ribband 100m freestyle – joining the likes of dual Olympic medallist David Davies who won gold in the 1500m freestyle at the Melbourne Games in 2006.
Chalmers later qualifying equal first for the 50m butterfly final with fellow Australian Ben Armstruster – both winning their semi-finals in 22.82, and reflecting on his night, saying he was super proud of that bronze medal (in the 100m freestyle).
“Getting a bronze medal at a Commonwealth level is an amazing achievement and to be able to do it 10 years after standing on the podium in Rio (as well),” said Chalmers.
“And I’m only 0.18 slower than what I was 10 years ago so I have been super proud of the longevity I’ve been able to have in my sport,
“To be able to do after having a baby 11 months ago…well, not me personally having the baby…. but obviously my wife and being able to navigate that as well has really been challenging.
“It’s kind of a celebration of what we’ve been able to do…as a family and I guess before the 50m butterfly being able to see them in the front row wave and smile ,..its so much bigger than swimming for me now.”