Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Southam Denies Chalmers Another Slice Of Wenden History

Flynn Southam has promised an upset with super-speedy split in relays this week, and today in Glasgow he delivered with a 47.13 victory in the blue-ribband final, ensuring that legend Mike Wenden (winner in 1966, 70 and 74) remains the only man ever to retain the title

by Craig Lord

published July 28, 2026

Until Flynn Southam's flight tonight into the ranks of Commonwealth 100m freestyle champions, no Australian had defeated fellow Dolphin Sprint King Kyle Chalmers in intentional competition since he claimed an historic win as a teenager at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

One has now: Southam, a 100m free champion who in 47.13 joins the likes of legends Jon Henricks, John Devitt, Mike Wenden and Ian Thorpe as the 14th Australian since 1930 to take the blue-ribband title.

In Rio, a decade ago, victory made 18-year-old Chalmers the first Australian winner of the Olympic 100m freestyle title since 1968, when Wenden lifted the 100-200m titles in Mexico City.

Southam rose to his blocks in Glasgow tonight a serious risk to Chalmers' undefeated Dolphin reign, his Olympic silvers at the two Games after his victory claimed behind American Caeleb Dressel and China's Pan Zhanle as premier Aussie challenger.

A 47.09 relay lead-off to Aussie gold in the 4x100 free on day 1 at the Tollcross International Pool last Friday fired the first warning shot from Southam, who punched from go to gold this evening as the fastest man out, and the fastest man home, the podium completed by Welshman Matt Richards, who took silver 0.51sec back from the new champion, Chalmers confined to bronze 0.1sec further adrift:

The splits:

22.62 - 24.51 - Flynn Southam AUS
23.03 - 24.61 - Matt Richards WAL
23.02 - 24.72 - Kyle Chalmers AUS

That means Wenden remains the only man ever to retain the Commonwealth 100m crown. And he achieved that feat not once but twice, after his debut victory in 1966 was backed top in 1970 and at Wenden's swan song competition in 1974.

Coached by at Bond University in Gold Coast, Queensland, under the guidance of head coach Chris Mooney, Southam said after his victory:

"Me and Kyle have utmost respect for one another. But it's my time to shine, and I know that. I've been due for this, and this is my breakout meet. Four years ago, I came here as a little boy - but now I'm a man, and I belong here."

For Chalmers, though, cheered on by his wife, Norwegian international swimmer Ingeborg Loyning and baby daughter Astrid, there was frustration that he couldn't land the 10th gold and 12th medal in all that would have taken him past legend Ian Thorpe as Australia's most successful men's swimmer ever at the Commonwealth Games. A file on that is on its way...

Admitting that he knew the passing-of-the-baton moment was inevitably coming at some point soon, Chalmers had hoped he could delay the moment but was happy to tip his hat to the young gun.

"If I am to be beaten, it's good to be beaten by someone I consider a good mate of mine who I speak to pretty well every single day," Chalmers had said before the race.

Southam is still only 21 but has been a great prospect for a long time.

At the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, he won gold in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle., That same year, he made his senior debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealths and claimed gold with teammate in the 4x100m free and the 4x200 free.

Not unfair to say he then plateaued somewhat. The work clearly continued, however, and this season Southam has started to show just why LA2028 might just come round precisely at the right time in his career.

Here's a podcast at Effortless Swimming in which Southam talks about mindset, achieving flow state in racing, the art of racing, mastering body position and front catch and more, including his favourite training set: