Chase Kalisz Takes Down Hagino Again in 200 IM; Mitch Larkin Steals Silver With Australian Record

Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA

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Chase Kalisz won his second gold medal of the meet on Saturday night at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo. Kalisz added to his 400 IM gold on Thursday with a gold in the 200 IM with a 1:55.40, the number one time in the world in 2018.

Kalisz took down his Japanese rival Kosuke Hagino (1:56.66) again as he settled for bronze. The big surprise of the race was Australia’s Mitch Larkin dropping over a full second off his Commonwealth Games time with a 1:56.21 for the silver medal. Larkin took down the Australian Record of 1:56.69 by Leith Brodie from 2009.

Larkin moved up to second in the world rankings with that swim.

This is a huge swim for Larkin, who is showing he is back on form after a lackluster 2017. Larkin was a 1:57.67 earlier in the year at the Commonwealth Games and dropped a world class time with that 1:56. Australia has not had a world class IM’er since the days of Matthew Dunn in the late 90’s. The 200 IM and 200 back usually clash at international meets so it is yet to be seen if Larkin will pursue an international career in the 200 IM, but for now a 1:56 is nothing to sneeze at.

Japan’s Daiya Seto (1:57.36) finished fourth ahead of American Abrahm DeVine (1:57.81), who will join Kalisz in Gwangju next year in that event.

Clyde Lewis (1:58.17), Leonardo Santos (1:58.83) and Lewis Clareburt (1:59.31) also competed in the A-Final.

2018 World Rankings:

Chase Kalisz, USA, 1:55.40
Mitch Larkin, AUS, 1:56.21
Kosuke Hagino, JPN, 1:56.37
Wang Shun, CHN, 1:56.57
Philip Heintz, GER, 1:56.67
Daiya Seto, JPN, 1:56.85
Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 1:57.04
Abrahm DeVine, USA, 1:57.41

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Thomas A. Small

5 years ago

Congratulations