U.S. International Team Trials: Chase Kalisz Leads Loaded 400 IM
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U.S. International Team Trials: Chase Kalisz Leads Loaded 400 IM
As events at U.S. International Team Trials go, the men’s 400 individual medley qualified as stacked.
The field in Greensboro Thursday morning included a pair of Tokyo Olympic medalists, the fastest swimmer in the event in the world in 2021 and two swimmers who’ve already booked tickets to Budapest in other events.
That set the stage for an eventful morning, where many of the big names will be there to duke it out in finals.
Chase Kalisz set the pace in prelims, the reigning Tokyo gold medalist going 4:13.24 to grab the top seed and middle lane in tonight’s final.
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Kalisz set the time in the third heat of four, pulling away from his chasers with a stellar breaststroke leg. He’s looking to get back to Worlds, where he won the 400 IM in 2017, finished second in 2013 and third in 2015. (In 2019, he finished 10th in prelims to miss the A final.)
Joining the Olympic gold medalist is the man with the fastest time in the world in 2021, Carson Foster. He grabbed the second seed in 4:15.10, shutting it down and coasting home in the last 50 meters. Foster has already sealed a Worlds berth on the 800 free relay, finishing third in the 200 free.
A who’s who joins the top two seeds. Bobby Finke is the third seed in 4:15.90, finishing second in the penultimate heat to Kalisz. Finke is bound for Worlds in the 1,500 free.
Joining them in the A final are Jake Foster (4:16.55) and David Johnston (4:16.58), for three Texas swimmers in the top five. Jay Litherland grabbed the sixth seed in 4:16.66. The silver medalist from Tokyo is also the reigning Worlds silver medalist in the event. Charlie Swanson, the co-champ of the men’s 200 breaststroke, and Sean Greishop round out the final eight.