Sunday morning witnessed Chase Kalisz putting Team USA on the scoresheet. This was the first Olympics in the last 25 years where Michael Phelps was not a participant. However, it was befitting that the first gold for the country was delivered through the talents of his protégé.
Chase Kalisz was the winner of the 400-meter men’s finals. It was the first final for swimming to be held in the Aquatics Center in Tokyo. Jay Litherland, a fellow American was the winner of the silver medal. Kalisz is just 9 years younger than Michael Phelps and lives a mere 45 minutes from his place. Both the gold and silver medals for swimming were lifted by the USA, and this concludes the happy journey ahead for the country in this competition.
Chase Kalisz And Michael Phelps
Chase Kalisz claimed the gold by a superior breaststroke. He managed to switch the dead heat to a lead by a full-body. He was ahead by 2.47 seconds before he flipped in order to attack the final. The freestyle by Chase allowed him to claim the right to the gold medal, 0.86 seconds before Litherland crossed the line.
Phelps was impressed with the win and showed no signs of holding back. He exclaimed his fondness for Chase and how he can come so far.
Chase Kalisz and Michael Phelps met each other when the former was a 6-year-old. They started swimming and training together when Chase was a teenager. However, Phelps was already a gold medalist in the Olympics by then. Phelps was responsible for breaking the 400 IM record in the world’s most grueling race.
Chase Kalisz is the first man to have put the USA into the limelight. Although his time is nowhere close to that of Phelps, he is still the top man on the team
