Chase Tyler Kalisz, born on March 7, 1994, in Bel Air, Maryland, is a renowned American competitive swimmer specializing in individual medley events, with additional prowess in breaststroke and butterfly.
Known affectionately as “Killer Kalisz” for his relentless drive in the pool, he has risen to prominence as one of the United States’ most decorated swimmers, overcoming significant personal challenges to achieve global success.
At the age of eight, Kalisz was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that left him paralyzed and confined to the ICU for nearly a year.
He had to relearn fundamental movements like walking and swimming, a testament to his resilience that would later define his career.
Kalisz trained under legendary coach Bob Bowman at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, the same program that nurtured swimming icon Michael Phelps.
Siblings
Chase grew up in a tight-knit family immersed in the world of competitive swimming, with three siblings who shared his affinity for the water.
His older sister, Courtney Kalisz, was a trailblazer in the family, displaying prodigious talent from a young age and challenging state records by grade school, though her promising career was unfortunately curtailed by injury.
The younger siblings, brother Connor Kalisz and sister Cassidy Kalisz, followed suit, each qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials in their respective events—Connor in freestyle and Cassidy in backstroke—demonstrating the family’s collective dedication to the sport.
All four Kalisz children trained at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, turning family gatherings into informal competitions and fostering a supportive yet fiercely competitive dynamic.
Their parents, Mike Kalisz, an athletic director at Hereford High School, and Cathy Kalisz, a dedicated volunteer and government worker, played pivotal roles in nurturing this swimming dynasty.
Career
Kalisz’s swimming career began at age five under the guidance of Bob Bowman at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, where he quickly distinguished himself among peers, including training alongside Michael Phelps during his early teens.
After graduating from Fallston High School in 2012, where he dominated local and regional meets, Kalisz committed to the University of Georgia, swimming for the Bulldogs under coach Jack Bauerle.
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His collegiate tenure was marked by explosive performances, including a breakout freshman year in 2013 when he claimed his first NCAA title in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 3:38.05, establishing himself as the sixth fastest performer in event history at that point.
Over four seasons, he amassed seven Southeastern Conference titles and three individual NCAA championships in the 400 IM, solidifying his reputation as a medley maestro.
Transitioning to the professional ranks post-graduation, Kalisz joined the International Swimming League’s LA Current in 2019 and continued training with Bowman, focusing on refining his technique amid injuries like a nagging shoulder issue in 2019.
His international breakthrough came at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he became the first American to qualify for the Rio Games by winning the 400-meter IM.
In Rio, he secured silver, marking the United States’ first swimming medal of the Games.
Kalisz’s career peaked at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the pandemic), where he captured gold in the same event, overcoming a field that included his friendly rival Daiya Seto.
He also competed in the 200-meter IM at Tokyo, finishing sixth in the semifinals.
Subsequent years saw him defend his world titles, including golds at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, and he represented Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, competing in his signature 400 IM while mentoring emerging talents.
Throughout, Kalisz balanced competition with endorsements, including a partnership with Michael Phelps’ MP swimwear brand, and pursued studies in business and sports marketing, embodying a holistic approach to his athletic life.
Accolades
Kalisz’s trophy cabinet gleams with an array of prestigious honors that underscore his dominance in the pool.
At the collegiate level, he secured three NCAA Division I titles in the 400-yard individual medley across 2013, 2015, and 2017, becoming only the sixth swimmer in history to win the event three or more times and the third Georgia Bulldog male to claim three individual NCAA crowns.
His seven Southeastern Conference titles tie him for second in school history.
On the junior international circuit, Kalisz swept gold in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys at the 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Honolulu, shattering championships records with times of 1:59.51 and 4:12.59, respectively, while earning silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Professionally, he has twice claimed world championship gold in the 400-meter IM—at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan and the 2019 edition in Gwangju—along with a silver in the event at the 2013 Worlds in Barcelona and bronzes in the 200 IM at both 2015 and 2019.
His Olympic haul includes silver in the 400-meter IM at the 2016 Rio Games and the crowning achievement of gold in the same event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where his 4:09.42 victory not only marked the first U.S. medal of the Games but also came after battling back from a 2019 shoulder injury.
At the Pan Pacific Championships, he added golds in the 200-meter and 400-meter IM in 2018, plus a bronze in the 400 IM from 2014.
Beyond medals, Kalisz has been feted with the 2013 Golden Goggles Male Swimmer of the Year award, multiple SwimSwam Top 100 rankings, and Swimming World Magazine’s American Swimmer of the Year honors, recognizing not just his swims but his inspirational journey from paralysis to podium supremacy.
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