Former UGA swimmers take home first gold, silver medals for Team USA

TOKYO — Two former UGA bulldogs took home Team USA’s first gold and silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Swimmers Chase Kalisz won the 400-meter individual medley.

Jay Litherland — who was born in Osaka — made it a 1-2 finish for the Americans by rallying on the freestyle leg to claim the silver.

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Kalisz is a protégé and former training partner of Michael Phelps. He was the silver medalist in the grueling event at the Rio Games five years ago. Now, at age 27, he’s the best in the world at using all four strokes.

“That one was the most special type of pain,” Kalisz said. “I had vowed that I was going to make that hurt as much as possible and give my absolute best to accomplish this.”

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After his win, Kalisz flexed his muscles and then climbed atop the lane rope, splashing the water while a contingent of his teammates cheered him from the stands at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

“U-S-A! U-S-A!” they chanted.

Litherland came over to give the winner a hug.

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“To come back and do this with Chase means a lot,” said Litherland, who finished fifth in the 400 IM at Rio.

After putting on their medals during a masked-up victory ceremony, Kalisz and Litherland walked around the deck arm-in-arm.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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