MLike many of us, Michael Klim spent a lot of time watching the Olympic Games in Paris over the past month. But unlike most viewers, the two-time gold medalist was able to relate to how the athletes on screen were feeling.
“There are great moments when you’re just excited and you feel joy, and it’s a euphoric feeling. But then there are also moments when things don’t go according to plan,” says Klim. “There can be a lot of heartache and tough emotions to deal with. I went to the Olympics a few times as the favorite and either missed the final or didn’t win a medal. It’s a place where you can’t hide – from the cameras.”
The swimming star, now 47, has spent a lot of time reflecting on his athletic career recently. His new memoir, titled Klim, offers an in-depth look at his life, from his years as an athlete to his recent diagnosis of the autoimmune disease chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which has affected the movement of his legs.
Two decades later, Klim still considers his gold medals to be his most prized possession. Here, the freestyle swimmer tells us about these precious souvenirs from Sydney 2000 and tells the story of two other important personal items.
What I would save from my house in the event of a fire
It’s pretty obvious at this time of year: it has to be my Olympic medals. They symbolise an incredible time in my life. The whole time in Sydney was phenomenal. But they also represent the journey of my sporting career. Sport has given me so much and taught me a lot. It has shaped me as a person. And these medals have opened up possibilities for my life after sport.
I’m cheating a little when I choose these because I don’t actually keep them in my house – I live in Bali now and moving overseas has forced me to be less attached to my stuff. Instead, they’re on display at the Australian Institute of Sport. I trained there for the Sydney Games for over eight years and I pretty much owe my career as a senior swimmer to this place, so it felt right to keep them there. Plus, they’re less likely to get lost there – or at least it’s not my fault if they do happen. But if times get really tough, I can always sell them.
My most useful item
My AFO stands for ankle-foot orthosis. It is an orthosis for my leg.
Because of my condition, I have lost a lot of muscle functionality from my knees down. My calf muscles have virtually disappeared, which can cause me to stumble or have an uncomfortable, awkward gait. The AFO helps correct that.
There are many different types of AFOs and I found this one through a lot of trial and error. It has really changed my life and functionality. Without it I had trouble walking around and going out in public.
It’s probably not the sexiest or most exciting choice. But it’s a life-fulfilling item that I can’t live without at the moment.
The item I most regret losing
An Omega Seamaster, a famous watch. It was given to me after I won the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne by a friend who was also the head of the company at the time. It was a limited edition watch and I treasured it very much. I didn’t really wear it that often, but it was more of a reminder of a time in my life.
But through my travels and moving overseas, it got lost – either someone pocketed it or I lost it. My mistake.
