The 400m hurdler crossed the line fourth in his heat to bag the final automatic qualification spot for Wednesday’s semis, which go off early afternoon UK time.
The Sarnian was steady out of the blocks but came alive in the second half of the race to join teammate Tyri Donovan in the next round.
Chalmers, who won Guernsey’s first-ever Commonwealth Games track and field medal when he took bronze in Birmingham three years ago, was pleased – but knows there is more to come.
‘I think when I’m on that line in semi-final it’s all or nothing really,’ he said.
‘I know I can do it, so I have got to get the body primed and ready and I usually feel better after rounds so this is really good.
‘It was a great race. I feel like I’ve just been in the ocean I am that wet with sweat. It’s a beautiful atmosphere – wow it’s hot and humid.
‘It didn’t feel like sharp, sharp, so I think come the semi-final I’ll be feeling much better.’
Chalmers is at the end of the best season of his career, having clocked a new personal best 48.30s in June.
He has also competed across the world in a number of Diamond Leagues, including a late call-up to the final in Zurich last month.
Now regularly rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best, like Olympic champion Rai Benjamin, Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, Chalmers said he felt like he belongs on the world’s biggest stages.
‘It’s just awesome to be here,’ he said.
‘I have run in hot conditions but nothing this humid before, so that is a factor, but it is a pleasure to be here.
‘And look at Warholm, I think he came third or fourth in his heat, Rai was all the way around.
‘It doesn’t matter, I’m through and that’s the goal.’
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