Florida Southern's most recent NCAA national champion will have his shot at an Olympic gold as
Kyle Micallef is bound for Paris to represent the country of Malta at the 2024 Olympics.
"My dad and his entire family are from Malta," said Kyle, an Australian native, on his connection to the small Mediterranean island nestled between Sicily and the North African coast. "The Maltese national team reached out to me four years ago, and I started competing for the country last year during my summer break from Florida Southern."
Kyle joined the Moccasins in the 2020-21 season, beginning a decorated four-year career at Florida Southern that culminated in the school's 28
th NCAA Individual National Championship, and first 50 freestyle title for the program at the 2024 NCAA Finals.
An NCAA qualifier each of his four years at FSC, Kyle dominated in the sprint events at the institution, conference, and national stage. He finished with several FSC records, 22 All-American honors, four Sunshine State Conference individual championships, and was a three-time All-SSC winner.
It was the level of competition at FSC that helped propel Kyle in the pool to compete at a national stage for Malta.
"Florida Southern allowed me to learn about myself and what I needed to compete at a high level," shared Kyle on the impact of his time at FSC. Through the help of
Andy Robins, head coach of FSC swimming, Kyle had a specialized training routine designed to get faster and train his muscles to produce higher speeds.
"Every training session and weights session had the goal to win nationals." The hard work paid off for Kyle with an NCAA national championship and the opportunity of a lifetime as an Olympian.
He first raced for Malta in the summer of 2023, competing in The Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), winning the country's first gold medal in swimming in the last 19 years. Kyle finished the 50m free in a time of 22.68 and built off a great summer to have his best athletic season to date in the 2023-24 season.
Kyle Micallef and Georgia Bohl gold medals at 2023 GSSE - credit Matthew Mirabelli
NCAA National Champion, SSC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, SSC Individual Champion, College Sports Communicators Team Member of the Year, and All-SSC awards were just a few gathered throughout the year and an incredible finish to his time at Florida Southern. Kyle's busy season did not end at the NCAA Finals as a quick trip to Malta in April continued his Olympic pursuit.
"I competed at the Maltese National Championships a couple of months ago and won five of the six races." More specifically, Kyle won the 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly, 100 fly, and the 50 back at the 31
st Easter Meet and National Championships in Malta. His sixth race of the championships, the 50 back, he finished second.
Last month Kyle competed at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, setting a Maltese national record in the 50 free, and garnering enough FINA points (World Aquatics Federation) to be the highest-ranked male swimmer for Malta and a chance at an Olympic dream.
"I am so grateful to the Malta ASA for the opportunity to represent the country at the Olympics. I know my family is proud and this is an amazing honor to represent Malta and those in my family who have passed on a world stage."
As for his next steps, Kyle says that he will continue the training routine that he has mastered over the last year in preparation. "I will continue to keep my high-intensity sessions in the pool and the gym, while focusing on recovery before traveling to Paris."
Kyle will compete in the 50m freestyle with the heats taking place on Thursday, August 1 and the finals on August 2.
The process has been taxing and a long journey, but the chance of a lifetime.
