U.S. Olympic Trials: Carson Foster Dominates 400 IM For Olympic Spot, World No. 1 Time

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S. Olympic Trials: Carson Foster Dominates 400 IM For Olympic Spot, World No. 1 Time

Three years ago, Carson Foster knew the exquisite pain that was third place at Olympic Trials. He knew what it felt like to be first at 250 meters, to be second at 350 meters but to see the Olympic berths go to someone else.

The exuberance he showed on deck Sunday, and the tears he shed before an embrace with Jay Litherland, illustrated how the dark times sharpened the light.

Foster delivered an authoritative performance in the men’s 400 individual medley at U.S. Olympic Trials Sunday night at Lucas Oil Stadium to get to his first Olympics with the fastest time in the world.

Foster went 4:07.64. He was first at every wall, holding off a charge by Chase Kalisz to win. The more pressing pursuer, though, was Litherland, who scraped by him in the final 50 meters in Omaha three summers ago.

“I think even coming here this week, as much as I’ve grown, I think there was still fear because of what happened three years ago coming to this meet,” Foster said. “Tonight, being behind the blocks and feeling a new sense of confidence about it. It takes years of practice and years of work to feel good about that.”

This time, Foster would make no such bobble, undeniable in his claim for a Paris place. The time is the fastest in the world this year, passing the 4:09.14 of Max Litchfield. Kalisz’s 4:09.39 slots into third.

Foster knew he had a spot in Paris preserved as he turned for home, admitting he was smiling the last 25 meters home.

Litherland and Kalisz have been at the vanguard of the American 400 IM crowd since Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte ruled the pool. Kalisz won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, with Litherland fifth. Kalisz would win it five years later in Tokyo, Litherland getting silver. Sometimes, 400 IMers can age like fine win, and for that duo, that’s been the case. An American IMer has medaled at each Olympics since 1988.

Foster felt that disappointment acutely in 2021. He went 4:08.46 at an Austin Sectional meet in the summer of 2021, a time that would’ve won gold in Tokyo had he only gotten there.

Kalisz declared himself all but done with the 400 IM after Tokyo, but it hasn’t let him go. It’s a young man’s game, the 30-year-old admits. But he’s still in that game and flourishing.

“I’ve kind of come full circle with swimming,” Kalisz said. “And that race has been with me for so long. This will be my 11th year doing it internationally. And I don’t really know how to feel about that. I’m proud of myself for doing that. It’s an incredibly tough event to be doing it for that long, and I definitely didn’t foresee myself here where I am. But I’m excited to go through it. I’m excited to go to Paris.”

Litchfield entered the weekend with the top time in the world in 2024 in 4:09.14. He, Ilia Borodin and Lewis Clareburt have all broken 4:10 this year, with Tomoyuki Matsushita at 4:10.04. (Borodin, from Russia, is not expected to be at the Olympics in Paris this summer.)

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