Chalmers' swim future up in air

No longer burdened by a "toxic culture", Australian head coach Jacco Verhaeren is confident sprint sensation Kyle Chalmers' 2015 world titles experience will convince him to ignore AFL's lure.

With dual world champion James Magnussen mis-firing, Chalmers was the revelation of the eight-day national titles in Sydney when he became the world's fastest 16-year-old in water.

He is the youngest member of Australia's 38-strong team headed by comeback king Grant Hackett to contest July's world titles in Kazan, Russia.

Incredibly he was not born when the 34-year-old Hackett attended his first world titles in 1998.

Chalmers' swimming future is bright - but also potentially short-lived.

He is the son of former AFL player Brett.

The world titles loom as a crossroads for the teenager who will be eligible for next year's AFL Draft.

He even kicks a Sherrin around before racing.

But in a sign of how far the Australian team has come since the London Olympic debacle, Verhaeren hopes the Kazan trip will ensure AFL is not a consideration for the youngster.

"We want to make it such a positive experience that he ultimately doesn't have to make that choice," he said of a team that has been further invigorated by ex-captain Hackett.

"From last year I can see there is a really positive feeling with being on the team."

Verhaeren has eased a youngster into a senior team before - triple Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband in the Dutch team 20 years ago.

Not that Verhaeren was making comparisons.

"You don't want to load a 16-year-old up with too much expectation," he said.

"When you are such a young athlete you need time to find your place in the national team - we need to manage it well."

Chalmers was just trying to keep a level head after being one of six rookies named on the team.

"Leading in for me, I had no idea I would even make the (100m) final so I was really happy to make the team," said Chalmers who was fourth in the 100m final in a new 16 years age record.

"I was just trying to stay calm and take it all in."

The Australian team features three defending world champions - Magnussen, Cate Campbell (100m freestyle) and Christian Sprenger (100m breaststroke).

Sprenger benefited from selectors' discretionary powers after struggling at the nationals following shoulder surgery.

However, five-time London Olympic medallist Alicia Coutts may retire after missing the cut following a battle with injury and motivation.

Verhaeren dipped his hat to sprint sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell after the meet.

Cate Campbell is unbeaten over 100m since late 2013 but her sister finally turned the tables to claim her maiden 50m title on Friday night.

His other national titles standouts were Mack Horton (1,500m freestyle), backstroker Madison Wilson and butterflyer Madeline Groves.