2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
- Omega Results
- Pick ’em Contest
- Event-by-Event Previews
Following in the footsteps of all-time greats Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, American Chase Kalisz delivered a big swim in the final of the men’s 200 IM.
Heading into the meet, the U.S. had won seven consecutive World titles in the event, with three coming from Phelps and four from Lochte. On top of that, Phelps has won the past four Olympic titles, making the Americans undefeated on the world’s biggest stage ever since 2001.
Kalisz was anticipated to be a medal contender, but the gold was expected to come from either Kosuke Hagino, who is the 3rd fastest performer in history at 1:55.07, or German Philip Heintz, who unloaded a 1:55.76 earlier in the year.
However, Kalisz asserted himself in the semis, taking the top seed in 1:55.88, and held his position at the top in the final.
Sitting 3rd after 100m, Kalisz demolished the field with a 32.63 breaststroke split, holding a seven tenths lead over Hagino heading home. Kalisz managed to hold him off, splitting 28.47 to Hagino’s 28.18, winning gold in a time of 1:55.56. Hagino took silver in 1:56.04, and China’s Wang Shun won a third consecutive World/Olympic bronze in 1:56.28.
Being primarily a 400 IMer all his life, this was Kalisz’s first time swimming this event on the international stage, with Phelps and Lochte finally out of his way in qualifying. He came through big for the Americans, and is now the big favorite to win the 400 IM.
He collects his third World Championship medal, and first gold.
Consecutive U.S. Olympic / World Titles In 200 IM
- Phelps, 2003 Worlds, 1:56.04 WR
- Phelps, 2004 Olympics, 1:57.14
- Phelps, 2005 Worlds, 1:56.68
- Phelps, 2007 Worlds, 1:54.98 WR
- Phelps, 2008 Olympics, 1:54.23 WR
- Lochte, 2009 Worlds, 1:54.10 WR
- Lochte, 2011 Worlds, 1:54.00 WR
- Phelps, 2012 Olympics, 1:54.27
- Lochte, 2013 Worlds, 1:54.98
- Lochte, 2015 Worlds, 1:55.81
- Phelps, 2016 Olympics, 1:54.66
- Kalisz, 2017 Worlds, 1:55.56
Crazy that Kalisz’s backstroke split was third fastest of the field. Last year his backstroke was terrible, this year its strong and looks effortless.
interesting that Phelps was only 1:57 at Athens
Relative to the 2003 world record, that swim certainly looked like he was just doing what was required to win, with the 100 fly semi coming up later in the session.
If you look at his times as a whole at the olympics in 2004 nothing was that impressive compared to 2003. He was just so much better than the rest of the world that he still won golds