Klim, Michael (1977-…), was a record-breaking Australian swimmer. Klim specialized in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly races. During the second half of 1999, Klim broke the world records for the long-course 100-meter butterfly and the short-course 50-meter and 100-meter butterfly. Long-course races are held in pools 50 meters long. Short-course races are held in pools 25 meters long. At the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Klim won gold medals as a member of Australia’s 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle relay teams. He also won silver medals in the 100-meter butterfly and as a member of the 400-meter medley relay team. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, Klim won a silver medal as part of the Australian 800-meter freestyle relay team.
Klim won the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly at the 1998 world championships and swam on the winning Australian medley and freestyle teams. He was a member of the world record-breaking 800-meter freestyle relay team at the Commonwealth Games in 1998. Klim also won three other gold medals, a silver medal, and a bronze medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
In 1997, Klim won 13 gold medals at World Cup competitions. He also broke the long-course world record for the 100-meter butterfly at the world championship trials in Sydney.
Klim was born on Aug. 13, 1977, in Gdynia, Poland. He moved to Australia with his family in 1989. Klim announced his retirement from competitive swimming in 2007.
