Michael Klim
Michael George Klim,OAM(born 13 August 1977) is aPolish-born Australianswimmer,Olympic gold medallist, world champion, and former world record-holder of the 1990s and 2000s. He is known as the creator of straight arm freestyle.
Early years[edit]
Klim was born inGdynia,Poland. He was educated at theUniversity High School, MelbourneandWesley College, Melbournewhere he was later employed as the college's elite head coach of swimming. Klim began swimming after falling out of a window, when it was suggested to him that a low impact exercise would aid his recovery.
Career[edit]
Klim was first selected to represent Australia in the1994 Commonwealth Gamesin Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, while still a student atWesley College,Melbourne.[citation needed]For his achievements he was named theMale Swimmer of the YearbySwimming World Magazinein 1997.
In 1999, he set a world record in the 100 mbutterflytwice, in aFINA-sanctioned time trial (51.81 s). It was broken at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona by the UkrainianAndriy Serdinovin the first semifinal of the 100 m butterfly, and then broken another time in the next semifinal byMichael Phelps.Phelps's record was bested byIan Crockerin the final the following day.
Klim wasAustralian Institute of SportAthlete of the Year in 1998 and 1999 and was inducted into the AIS ' Best of the Best' in 2001.[1]Klim was the only Australian to win a gold medal at both the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
On 26 June 2007 Klim retired from competitive swimming; he finished the year ranked 94 in the 100 freestyle with the Olympics 14 months away. However on 14 February 2011 Klim announced his return to competitive swimming, hoping to compete in the London 2012 Olympics.[2]Ultimately Klim failed to qualify for the team and he retired from competitive swimming for a second time.
Medal achievements[edit]
In 1996, he arrived at theAtlanta Olympicsranked first in the world for the 200 mfreestyle,but was surprisingly eliminated in the heats. He rebounded to qualify for a finals in the 100m butterfly, and swam the freestyle leg in the 4×100 m medley relay, in which Australia claimed a bronze medal.
- Atlanta Olympics(USA):
1998 was Michael Klim's year in the sun. In January, the World Aquatics Championships were held in Perth, Western Australia, and in front of a boisterous home crowd, he was the leading swimmer of the meet. He triumphed in the 200 m freestyle and the 100 m butterfly, and added silver in the 100 m freestyle, and bronze in the 50 m freestyle. He was a member of each of Australia's three relay teams, winning gold in the 4×200 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay, and a silver in the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
- FINA World Championships 1998in Perth, Australia:
At the2000 Summer Olympics,Klim set a world record (48.18) leading off the 4×100 m freestyle relay, which paved the way for a world record (3:13.67). Three days later, he was part of the 4×200 m freestyle relay, which set another world record (7:07.05), which left the opposition over 5 seconds in arrears on its way to victory. His 100m freestyle world record bested byPieter van den Hoogenbandin the semi's, in the final he finished with a bitter 4th place, he turned first at the wall but he claimed his legs gave away in the second half. In the 100 m butterfly, he was the world record holder, again turning first at the wall heavily under world record pace, but was cut down in the closing stages bySweden'sLars Frölander,finishing second. On the final night he claimed silver as part of the 4×100 m medley relay team.
- 2000 Summer Olympicsin Sydney, Australia:
In 2001, hampered by an ankle injury Klim was restricted to relay duties, and contributed to another world record, winning gold in the 4×200 m relay (7:04.66). He also collected a gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
- FINA World Championships 2001in Fukuoka, Japan:
In 2002 and 2003, due to chronic back and shoulder problems, Michael Klim was inactive throughout these years.
Klim failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but was later selected as part of the relay team, which came second behind USA in the 4×200m, race. The relay team did not win a medal in the 4x100m and failed to qualify for the medley relay final.
- 2004 Summer Olympicsin Athens, Greece:
In 2005, Klim swam at the World Aquatics in Montreal, returning to individual action, but failed to progress to the finals in the 50m & 100m Freestyle. He won bronze as part of the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
- FINA World Championships 2005in Montreal, Canada:
In 2007, he swam as part of the B team in the Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay, in the final the Australian team won the gold medal.
- 2007 World Aquatics Championshipsin Melbourne, Australia:
Personal life[edit]
Klim marriedLindy Rama,a former model and fashion entrepreneur, in April 2006. The couple have two daughters,[3]and a son.[4]Klim and Rama announced their separation in February 2016.[5]Michael Klim shares custody of his children with his ex-wife and continues to live inBaliwith his current partner Michelle Owen.[6]
After his second retirement from swimming Klim became founder and CEO of a skin care company named "Milk and Co". He has since stepped away from that business to establish his swim school in Bali, Klim Swim.[7]Klim supports theSt Kilda Saintsin theAustralian Football League.[8]
In July 2022, Klim revealed that he had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorderchronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathyin 2020, which has affected his legs and feet and left him struggling to walk unassisted.[9][10]
See also[edit]
- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- World record progression 50 metres butterfly
- World record progression 100 metres butterfly
- World record progression 100 metres freestyle
- World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
- World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
References[edit]
- ^Australian Institute of Sport AwardsArchived21 July 2008 at theWayback Machine[
- ^Klim to return to competitive swimming with no expectations
- ^Klims welcome a new baby girl
- ^"Klims welcome baby boy Rocco".Herald Sun.15 May 2008.
- ^"Michael and Lindy Klim announce split".Retrieved30 October2016.
- ^"Michael Klim's partner in beautiful act after courageous reveal".Retrieved17 July2022.
- ^"Michael Klim gearing up for Swim the Gold Coast".Retrieved10 July2022.
- ^Beveridge, Riley."Your AFL club's most famous supporters, from Barack Obama to Cam Newton".Fox Sports.Retrieved29 January2016.
- ^"Olympic gold medallist Michael Klim's devastating health battle".Retrieved10 July2022.
- ^"Michael Klim speaks about living with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy".Retrieved30 October2022.
External links[edit]
- Michael KlimatWorld Aquatics
- Michael Klimat SwimRankings.net
- Michael KlimatOlympics.com
- Michael KlimatOlympedia
- Michael Klimat theAustralian Olympic Committee
- Michael KlimonInstagram
- 1977 births
- Living people
- Australian male butterfly swimmers
- Australian male freestyle swimmers
- Olympic swimmers for Australia
- Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
- Australian people of Polish descent
- World record setters in swimming
- Olympic gold medalists for Australia
- Olympic silver medalists for Australia
- Olympic bronze medalists for Australia
- Australian Swimmers of the Year
- Swimmers from Melbourne
- Sportspeople from Gdynia
- Australian Institute of Sport swimmers
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia
- People educated at Wesley College (Victoria)
- Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)
- Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists in swimming
- Olympic silver medalists in swimming
- Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming
- Goodwill Games medalists in swimming
- Swimmers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games
- Polish emigrants to Australia
- Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games