How many Olympic medals does Chase Kalisz have?
Chase Kalisz, a professional American swimmer, has come into his own as a prominent athlete in the world of swimming. With the sport mainly being dominated by names such as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte until 2016, Kalisz has largely been in the shadows.
Only recently has he begun showcasing his capabilities on the world stage. He has won two Olympic medals so far, one silver and one gold.
Chase Kalisz's Olympic career so far
Having already participated in the Olympic trials in 2012, Chase Kalisz made the decision in 2016 to take a break from collegiate swimming and focus on the upcoming Olympic trials. With this in mind, he began training under legendary coach Bob Bowman, alongside the world's greatest Olympian Michael Phelps.
Silver at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio
At the 2016 trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Kalisz competed in the 200-meter butterfly, the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys. He finished 5th in the 200-meter butterfly and was disqualified while swimming in the 200-meter IM. However, the young athlete won the 400-meter IM, stopping the clock at 4:09.54. He finished ahead of Jay Litherland and veteran Ryan Lochte.
Coming to the Olympics in Rio, Kalisz won the silver medal in the 400-meter IM, finishing behind Kosuke Hagino and ahead of Daiya Seto, two Japanese swimmers. He posted a time of 4:06.75, becoming the first male swimmer in the history of the University of Georgia to win an Olympic medal.
Silver turns to Gold in 2021
At the US trials for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the then 27-year-old qualified for the 200-meter and 400-meter IMs.
At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Kalisz fulfilled his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. On the second day of the competition, he competed in the finals of the 400-meter IM and won with a time of 4:09.42.
This medal was the first of many for the USA at the 2020 Olympics. The last American to win gold in the competition was Ryan Lochte in 2012. Kalisz's teammate Jay Litherland finished the race in second place.
Kalisz missed out on a spot in the 200-meter IM finals after failing to qualify in the semis. With one silver turned gold, the swimmer has two Olympic medals so far.
Chase Kalisz' career outside of the Olympics
In 2013, Kalisz won his first NCAA Division-1 title in men's swimming and became the fastest swimmer of his age in the 400-yard medley. He also managed to qualify for the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona by becoming the US national champion in the 400-meter IM.
In Barcelona, Kalisz won silver, being six-tenths of a second behind Daiya Seito of Japan. Although he won a medal, he finished two seconds behind his own time at the National Championships.
Chase Kalisz went on to defend his NCAA D-1 title by winning the 400-yard medley and setting a new American record for the same. He went on to win bronze in Russia at the 2015 World Championships.
In 2017, he won the 400-yard medley for a third time at the NCAA Championships. The same year, at the World Championships in Hungary, Chase won two golds in the 200- and 400-meter IMs. He also broke Michael Phelps' record in the 400-meter IM. His latest medal is a bronze that he won at the 2022 World Championships in Hungary.