The Future is Here! Chase Kalisz Captures 400 IM Title

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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, June 27. WITH the door wide open with Michael Phelps retirement as well as Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer's scratches, NBAC's Chase Kalisz arrived in grand style with a triumphant time in the 400-meter IM at the U.S. Nationals and World Championship Trials.

Keyed by a remarkable breaststroke, where he overhauled 200 back Olympic champ Tyler Clary for the lead, Kalisz captured his first national championship with a time of 4:11.83. That clipped Kalisz's sixth-ranked season best of 4:11.85 from Santa Clara, and he likely has more in the tank considering head coach Bob Bowman's ability to get people to be on point for the big meet. Last year, Kalisz was heralded as the Future of the 400 IM in the U.S., well the Future is Now.

1 Kalisz, Chase 19 North Baltimore- 4:16.28 4:11.83 907 20
r:+0.76 27.21 57.94 (30.73)
1:30.41 (32.47) 2:03.11 (32.70)
2:36.71 (33.60) 3:11.92 (35.21)
3:42.34 (30.42) 4:11.83 (29.49)
2 Clary, Tyler 24 Club Wolverine-M 4:17.67 4:14.62 878 17
r:+0.67 26.59 56.48 (29.89)
1:28.17 (31.69) 1:58.72 (30.55)
2:35.60 (36.88) 3:13.55 (37.95)
3:43.63 (30.08) 4:14.62 (30.99)

Clary still managed to get another potential spot heading to Barcelona after focusing his auto-racing career for the bulk of the past season. Clary's 4:14.62 was good enough to clear the FINA A cut. Clary already took second in the 200 back behind Lochte last night, and is looking at two swims thus far at Worlds.

Wisconsin's Michael Weiss (4:15.75), California's Josh Prenot (4:16.42), Indiana's Stephen Schmuhl (4:16.55), Metro's Carlos Omana (4:18.59), California's Adam Hinshaw (4:19.41) and Michigan's Kyle Whitaker (4:19.56) comprised the rest of the championship heat.

In an incredibly close race, Dynamo's Gunnar Bentz touched out NCAP's Andrew Gemmell, 4:17.52 to 4:17.87, to win the B final of the 400 IM. That's nearly a personal best for Bentz, just off his 4:17.43 from the 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. Gemmell, the open water champion, had his fourth-best career 400 IM with that swim.

Northern Kentucky Clipper coach Jason Roberts may have another Cory Chitwood-level swimmer on his hands as Maxwell Williamson dropped a second on his lifetime best to win the C final with a 4:21.92. That swim beat the 4:22.29 Williamson clocked at the 2012 U.S. Open.

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