Michael Klim

Michael George Klim, OAM (born 13 August 1977) is a Polish-born Australian swimmer, Olympic gold medallist, world champion, and former world record-holder.

Michael Klim

Personal information
Full name	Michael George Klim
National team	Australia
Born	(1977-08-13) 13 August 1977 Gdynia, Poland
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Melbourne Vicentre, Australian Institute of Sport
Medal record Men's swimming Representing Australia Olympic Games 2000 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle 2000 Sydney 4×200 m freestyle 2000 Sydney 100 m butterfly 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley 2004 Athens 4×200 m freestyle 1996 Atlanta 4×100 m medley World Championships (LC) 1998 Perth 200 m freestyle 1998 Perth 100 m butterfly 1998 Perth 4×200 m freestyle 1998 Perth 4×100 m medley 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m freestyle 2001 Fukuoka 4×200 m freestyle 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley 1998 Perth 100 m freestyle 1998 Perth 4×100 m freestyle 1998 Perth 50 m freestyle 2005 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (SC) 1995 Rio de Janeiro 4×200 m freestyle 1997 Gothenburg 4×200 m freestyle 1997 Gothenburg 4×100 m medley 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m freestyle 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m medley 1995 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m freestyle 1995 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m medley 1999 Hong Kong 100 m freestyle 1999 Hong Kong 200 m freestyle 1999 Hong Kong 100 m butterfly 1995 Rio de Janeiro 200 m freestyle 1997 Gothenburg 100 m freestyle 1997 Gothenburg 100 m butterfly 1997 Gothenburg 4×100 m freestyle Goodwill Games 2001 Brisbane 100 m freestyle 2001 Brisbane 100 m butterfly 2001 Brisbane 4×100 m freestyle 2001 Brisbane 50 m butterfly Pan Pacific Championships 1997 Fukuoka 100 m freestyle 1997 Fukuoka 200 m freestyle 1999 Sydney 100 m freestyle 1999 Sydney 100 m butterfly 1999 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle 1999 Sydney 4×200 m freestyle 1995 Atlanta 4×100 m freestyle 1997 Fukuoka 100 m butterfly 1997 Fukuoka 4×100 m freestyle 1997 Fukuoka 4×200 m freestyle 1997 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley 1999 Sydney 200 m freestyle Commonwealth Games 1998 Kuala Lumpur 100 m freestyle 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×100 m freestyle 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×200 m freestyle 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×100 m medley 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m medley 1998 Kuala Lumpur 200 m freestyle 2006 Melbourne 100 m butterfly 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m freestyle 1998 Kuala Lumpur 50 m freestyle 1998 Kuala Lumpur 100 m butterfly 2006 Melbourne 50 m butterfly

Early years

He was born in Gdynia, Poland. He was educated at the University High School, Melbourne and Wesley College, Melbourne where he is currently employed as the college's elite head coach of swimming. Michael 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

Klim was first selected to represent Australia in the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, while still a student at Wesley College, Melbourne. For his achievements he was named the Male Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine in 1997.

In 1999, he set a world record in the 100 m butterfly twice, in a FINA-sanctioned time trial (51.81 s). It was broken at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona by the Ukrainian Andriy Serdinov in the first semifinal of the 100 m butterfly, and then broken another time in the next semifinal by Michael Phelps. Phelps's record was bested by Ian Crocker in the final the following day.

Klim was Australian Institute of Sport Athlete 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.

Medal achievements

In 1996, he arrived at the Atlanta Olympics ranked first in the world for the 200 m freestyle, 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) :
  • Men's 4×100m Medley Relay.

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 1998 in Perth, Australia:
  • 200m Freestyle.
  • 100m Freestyle.
  • 50m Freestyle.
  • 100m Butterfly.
  • 4×100m Freestyle Relay.
  • 4×200m Freestyle Relay.
  • 4×100m Medley Relay.

At the 2000 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 by Pieter van den Hoogenband in 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 by Sweden's Lars Frölander, finishing second. On the final night he claimed silver as part of the 4×100 m medley relay team.

• 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia:
  • 100m Butterfly.
  • 4×100m Freestyle Relay.
  • 4×200m Freestyle Relay.
  • 4×100m Medley Relay.

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 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan:
  • 4×100m Freestyle Relay.
  • 4×200m Freestyle Relay.

2002–2007

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 Olympics in Athens, Greece:
  • 4×200m Freestyle Relay.

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 2005 in Montreal, Canada:
  • 4×100m Freestyle Relay.

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 Championships in Melbourne, Australia:
  • 4×100m Medley Relay.

Retirement

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.

Return to competitive swimming

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.

Second retirement

After failing to compete at the London Olympics, Klim retired from competitive swimming and became founder and CEO of a skin care company "Milk and Co" .

Personal life

Klim married Lindy Rama, a former model and fashion entrepreneur, in April 2006. Rama (known in Bali as Anak Agung] is a Balinese princess, being the niece of Ida Cokorde Pamecutan XI, the king of Denpasar.[3] The couple have two daughters[4] and a son.[5] Klim supports the St Kilda Saints in the Australian Football League.[6] Klim and Lindy announced their separation in February 2016.[7] A little known fact about Michael Klim is that his last name spelt backwards is Milk.

See also

• 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

1. Australian Institute of Sport Awards Archived 21 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine [
2. Klim to return to competitive swimming with no expectations
3. Indonesia Pusaka. Retrieved 14 September 2009
4. Klims welcome a new baby girl
5. "Klims welcome baby boy Rocco". Herald Sun. 15 May 2008.
6. Beveridge, Riley. "Your AFL club's most famous supporters, from Barack Obama to Cam Newton". Fox Sports. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
7. "Michael and Lindy Klim announce split". Retrieved 30 October 2016.

External links

• Michael Klim on Facebook
• Michael Klim on Twitter
• Michael Klim on Instagram

Records
Preceded by Alexander Popov	Men's 100 metre freestyle world record holder (long course) 16 September 2000–19 September 2000	Succeeded by Pieter van den Hoogenband
Preceded by Denis Pankratov	Men's 100 metre butterfly world record holder (long course) 9 October 1997 – 25 July 2003	Succeeded by Andriy Serdinov
Preceded by Denis Pankratov	Men's 100 metre butterfly world record holder (short course) 22 January 1998 – 14 December 1998	Succeeded by James Hickman
Preceded by James Hickman	Men's 100 metre butterfly world record holder (short course) 2 September 1999 – 16 March 2000	Succeeded by Lars Frölander
Awards
Preceded by Denis Pankratov	Swimming World Swimmer of the Year 1997	Succeeded by Ian Thorpe
Preceded by Danyon Loader	Swimming World Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year 1996	Succeeded by Ian Thorpe
Preceded by Megan Marcks and Kate Slatter	Australian Athlete of the Year 1998, 1999	Succeeded by Simon Fairweather