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Chase Kalisz gets Team USA first gold medal of 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

By Thomas Albano

TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 25: Chase Kalisz of United States celebrates winning the Men's 400m IM on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 25: Chase Kalisz of United States celebrates winning the Men's 400m IM on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) /
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Team USA picks up its first medal of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo — and it’s a gold medal for Chase Kalisz

Swimmer Chase Kalisz gets the honor of picking up the first Olympic medal — both gold and overall — for the United States at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, becoming champion in the men’s 400-meter individual medley.

Kalisz completed the final of the event in 4:09.42.

Chase Kalisz picks up first medal, a gold, for Team USA at Tokyo 2020 Olympics with win in men’s 400-meter individual medley

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1419117734290407429

Kalisz’s teammate, Jay Litherland, added on to the success by finishing right after, with a time of 4:10.28, and taking the silver.

Brendon Smith of Australia finished one-tenth of a second following Litherland to claim the bronze.

Prior to Tokyo 2020, Kalisz took silver in the same event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Kalisz attended the University of Georgia from 2012 to 2017, becoming a three-time NCAA champion and setting a U.S. record for the 400-yard individual medley.

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