Chase Kalisz: “I feel like I’m 16 again” (Video)

Reported by James Sutherland.

Chase Kalisz: “I’m happy…this is the fastest I’ve ever been at this point with my first rest. I’m more excited that Gunnar [Bentz] and Jay [Litherland] had two really great swims. I get to race those guys every single day, and to see them go two really good times was more fulfilling than anything tonight.”

MEN’S 400 IM FINALS

• American Record: Michael Phelps, 4:03.84, 2008
• U.S. Open Record: Michael Phelps, 4:05.25, 2008
• LC National Meet Record: Michael Phelps, 4:05.25, 2008
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 4:17.90

1. Chase Kalisz, NBAC, 4:06.99
2. Jay Litherland, ABSC, 4:09.31
3. Gunnar Bentz, ABSC, 4:11.66

Chase Kalisz put on a dominant display in the men’s 400 IM, leading teammate Jay Litherland by three tenths at the halfway mark before powering away on the breast leg, splitting 1:08.66 to turn at the 300 within a second of world record pace. He came home solid, clocking 4:06.99, the top time in the world for the year, and only two tenths off his best from the Olympics last summer where he won silver.

Both Litherland and Gunnar Bentz clocked best times for 2nd and 3rd, with Litherland under 4:10 for the first time in 4:09.31 for 2nd and a spot on his first World Championship team. He closed in a dazzling 57.13. Bentz was back in 5th at the 200, but had a great back half, including a 27.9 last 50 to take 3rd in 4:11.66, two seconds better than his best from the Olympic Trials.

From lane 8, Jonathan Roberts took almost five seconds off from prelims to take 4th in 4:15.50, and Nitro’s Sean Grieshop was 5th in 4:17.49. The men’s A-final was the first heat since the women’s C-final that someone wasn’t disqualified for the ‘Lochte rule’.

Sam McHugh (4:18.66) and Jake Foster (4:20.69) got it done to win the ‘B’ and ‘C’ finals respectively.