Michael Klim is a swimmer who has competed for Australia. He competed at the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
In 1996, Klim arrived at his first Olympics as a medal favorite in the 200 metres freestyle, but he surprisingly missed the top eight final from the heats. He rebounded from his shocking exit to finish sixth in the 100 metres butterfly and swim through the freestyle leg in the men's 4x100 metres medley relay where his team claimed the bronze with a new Oceanian record (3:39.56).
When Sydney hosted his second Games in 2000, Klim and his teammates upset the undefeated Americans to solidify their gold medal triumph in the men's 4x100 metres freestyle relay for the first time in 36 years. Leading off the race, he set a new global mark (48.18) to shave 0.03 seconds off the record set by Alexander Popov in 1994. His world record lasted for three days until Pieter van den Hoogenband lowered it in the semifinal round of the 100 metres freestyle. He missed out the podium in a close race against Gary Hall by a hundredth of a second (0.01) after turning first at the initial lap of the final. Klim also entered as the country's top medal favorite in the 100 metres butterfly but he lost the final race for the gold to Sweden's Lars Frölander by 0.18 of a second. He added another gold to his haul as part of the 4x200 metres freestyle relay team with a new world record and a silver in the 4x100 metres medley relay.
Klim missed the cut in his individual races at the Australian trials for Athens 2004 but he was soon selected as part of the men's relay teams. Klim and his teammates finished second behind the Americans in the 4x200 metres freestyle relay.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Men's 200m freestyle | 10th |
| Men's 100m butterfly | 6th | |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 6th | |
| Men's 4x200m freestyle relay | 4th | |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay | 
| |
| 2000 | Men's 100m freestyle | 4th |
| Men's 100m butterfly | 
| |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 
| |
| Men's 4x200m freestyle relay |
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay |
| |
| 2004 | Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 6th |
| Men's 4x200m freestyle relay |
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay | 9th |
1996[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 metres freestyle | Heats | 1:49.17 | |
| B Final | 1:49.50 | ||
| 100 metres butterfly | Heats | 53.42 | |
| A Final | 53.30 | ||
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:20.88 (50.09 split) |
|
| Final | 3:20.13 (49.87 split) |
||
| 4x200 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 7:23.24 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 7:18.47 (1:48.04 split) |
||
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:41.30 (49.87 split) |
|
| Final | 3:39.56 (49.16 split) |
AR |
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.09 | |
| Semifinal | 48.80 | ||
| Final | 48.74 | ||
| 100 metres butterfly | Heats | 52.73 | |
| Semifinal | 52.63 | ||
| Final | 52.18 | ||
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:17.37 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:13.67 (48.18 split, WR) |
WR | |
| 4x200 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 7:14.27 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 7:07.05 (1:46.40 split) |
WR | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:39.38 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:35.27 (48.17 split) |
AR |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:17.64 (Reserve) |
| Final | 3:15.77 (49.37 split) | |
| 4x200 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 7:14.85 (Reserve) |
| Final | 7:07.46 (1:47.62 split) | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:39.14 (48.66 split) |
| Final | Did not advance |