The invention provides a preparation method of optically pure 2-chloromandelic acid, which comprises the following steps: A) adding a chiral resolving agent, 2-chloromandelic acid and metallic compound into a solvent, dissolving by heating, cooling while stirring, carrying out vacuum filtration after a solid precipitates, drying and collecting the solid, wherein the mol ratio of chiral resolving agent to 2-chloromandelic acid is 1:4-2:1, and the mol ratio of metallic ion to 2-chloromandelic acid in the metallic compound is 1:4-2:1; and B) after recrystallizing the solid obtained in the step A), regulating the pH value to 1-2 with an acid solution, carrying out vacuum filtration to recycle the undissolved substance, extracting the mother solution with an organic solvent, drying, and carrying out spin drying to obtain the optically pure 2-chloromandelic acid product. The technique is simple and convenient, the raw materials and the resolving agent are innoxious and accessible, and the resolving agent can be recycled, thereby lowering the preparation cost and being green and economical. Meanwhile, the method is beneficial to implementing industrial mass production, and can satisfy the demands of people.