Sports psychologist says Kyle Chalmers is under ‘immense’ pressure

Australian swimmer Kyle Chalmers yesterday revealed he’s ready to fly home from Birmingham, and a sports psychologist says he’s under “immense” pressure.

The swimmer said he was feeling “terrible” on Sunday.

It comes after he on Saturday took aim at the media over reports of a fractured Australian swimming team.

After swimming in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, where Australia took out a gold medal and a Games record, Chalmers wasn’t asked a single question about the race and was instead pressed about suggestions he refused to congratulate Emma McKeon, who he has previously dated, for her role in a mixed relay.

The swimmer said  suggestions of a rift between him, McKeon and Cody Simpson were false and the past few days have been the toughest in his sporting career.

Sports psychologist Gavin Freeman says Chalmers is under “immense” pressure.

“Swimmers, every two or four years they really find themselves in the spotlight but they’re not usually in the spotlight,” he told Ross and Russel.

“There are some additional challenges that require a significant different type of mental toughness than the normal mental toughness required to just hit the pool and swim fast.”

Press PLAY below to hear about the mental challenges facing elite sportspeople

Image: Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images