The race was billed as an engrossing showdown between Kyle Chalmers, an Olympic gold medallist, and world record holder David Popovici.
Yet in a remarkable twist in the men’s 100m freestyle at the World Short Course Championships in Melbourne on Thursday night, Popovici failed to land on the podium.
Chalmers, on the contrary, clinched gold and broke the championship record.
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Chalmers backed up his triumph in the 100m freestyle with an otherworldly swim in the men’s 4x50m freestyle, powering Australia to the gold medal as the team’s anchor.
Australia was placed fifth when Chalmers entered the water, but the 24-year-old rocketed through his leg in 20.34 seconds.
He mowed down a 0.62-second lead held by Italy with 50 metres remaining and lifted Australia to victory in 1:23.44, just 0.4 seconds quicker than the Italians.
“Absolute wowzas,” said Australian swimming great Giaan Rooney on Nine’s coverage.
“The Italians with a lead that you did not think could be threatened.
“Kyle, over the last 25 metres, he had an incredible turn, used that under water off the wall, head down, they were stroke for stroke with five metres to go.”
In the 100m freestyle, Chalmers clocked 45.16 as Frenchman Maxime Grousset (45.41) and Italian Alessandro Miressi (45.57) rounded out the podium.
Romania’s Popovici, who in August broke the 100m freestyle world record that had stood for 13 years, collected fourth in 45.64.
Chalmers executed a superb final turn and hurtled home over the final 25 metres in 11.86 seconds.
“Kyle won this by 0.25 of a second, which isn’t very much time when we think about it, but when it comes to an event like this that is actually a significant distance,” said Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe on the Nine broadcast.
“Kyle placed himself in the right position that he needed for that 25 to be able to come home in, and there was no other way that he’d be able to get through, be able to perform, be able to return the gold medal for Australia.
“He’s going to be rapt with that swim.”
Moments after touching the wall, Chalmers perched himself on a lane rope, raised his left arm, clenched his fist and slapped the water.
Strangely, Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands reached the 75-metre mark in the lead, 0.9 of a second before Chalmers, but faded and finished in equal sixth.
“It’s very, very special to do it in front of friends and family,” he told Nine in a pool-side interview.
‘Absolute wowzas’: Epic Chalmers leg seizes gold
“Obviously spend a lot of time racing internationally overseas, but to have my grandparents (here) who very rarely get to watch me swim live, my brother (here) who hasn’t been able to watch me for a very, very long time and all the support back home of my friends and family is always special.
“If I can inspire my friends and family but most importantly inspire the next generation to swim and perform, I’ve done my job.”
Chalmers relived his blistering final 25 metres.
“For me, I swim with my eyes closed,” he said.
“I knew exactly how to execute the race and it was about doing that for me. If I close my eyes, I swim the big moments and not get carried on by the rest of how the other guys are doing things … for me I close my eyes and try and get my hand on the wall as fast as I can.”
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