Australian swimming unearthed a superstar in 2016 when 18-year-old Kyle broke a 48-year drought to win gold in the blue riband 100-metre freestyle at the Rio Olympics.

His performance won him Swimming Australia’s Golden Moment of the Year Award and the Olympic program Swimmer of the Year award. On the way to that victory he broke the world junior record in the heat, semi-final and final. He then backed up to help Australia to bronze in the 4 x 100-metre freestyle and 4 x 100-metre medley relays. Kyle’s maturity and modesty throughout the Olympics defied his young age.