With a gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley, former Bulldog swimmer Chase Kalisz secured the individual medley sweep at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday at the Tokyo International Swimming Center.
The fastest time in the world this year in the 200-meter IM, Kalisz’s 1:55.40 was a lifetime best. Kalisz’s sweep comes only a couple weeks after a similar sweep at the Phillips 66 Nationals in the 200-meter and 400-meter IMs.
“I’m just happy to go a best time,” Kalisz said. “I didn’t really know what to expect coming into today after my [200] fly. Yesterday, I was some of the most sore I’ve ever been. I didn’t really recover … I needed a lot of sleep, needed a day to recover and fortunately things worked out in my favor today.”
Kalisz’s win marks the fifth 200-meter IM gold medal in the last six years for the American team at the Pan Pacific Championships. The United States’ medal count totals at 28 after three days of competition: 11 gold medals, nine silver and eight bronze.
The Pan Pacific Championships began in 1985, and the event has adhered to a four-year system since 2002. Locations have cycled between Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States, with this year hosted by the Japan Swimming Federation.
The two Americans with the fastest times in the races at the Pan Pacific Championships and Phillips 66 Nationals will claim the spots in the individual events at the 2019 World Championships.