Seeing someone you idolize in person is a wild experience. It's hard to believe they're real. You want to introduce yourself, but you're nervous.
That's what it was like for Kyle Chalmers, an Australian swimmer, when he bumped into Kevin Durant at the Olympic Games yesterday. Chalmers is a huge Durant fan.
“Last night I was walking over to my semi-finals and Kevin Durant walked in front of me,” Chalmers told the Sydney Morning Herald. “To be honest with you I almost vomited. My jaw dropped. I was that excited and nervous.”
Chalmers said he watches Durant's 2014 "you the real MVP" speech before every race. Australia's team manager even got Durant to record a special message for Chalmers prior to his 100-meter freestyle final. Imagine how psyched this dude was.
“They actually had to show it to me this morning because they knew I wouldn’t be able to focus if I saw it tonight before my race – I’m a big fan,” Chalmers said.
Chalmers won the race, marking his country's first 100-meter freestyle gold medal since 1968, according to The Big Lead.
The U.S. beat Australia in men's basketball that same night, 98-88, in by far the group's toughest game to date. You have to wonder: who was Chalmers rooting for?
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