Chase Kalisz: “I was really proud of how I put that together” (Video)

^{Reported by Jared Anderson.}

400 IM – FINALS

• NCAA record: 3:34.50 Chase Kalisz (Georgia) 3-28-2014
• American record: 3:34.50 Chase Kalisz (Georgia) 3-28-2014
• U.S. Open record: 3:34.50 Chase Kalisz (Georgia) 3-28-2014
• 2016 NCAA Champion: Josh Prenot (Cal) – 3:35.82

Top 3:

1. Chase Kalisz, Georgia – 3:33.42 AR
2. Andrew Seliskar, Cal – 3:36.18
3. Mark Szaranek, Florida – 3:36.31

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz emphatically announced his return to the NCAA, jumping back to the top of the 400 IM with a new American, NCAA and U.S. Open record of 3:33.42. Kalisz was patient, letting Texas’s Jon Roberts push the pace through fly and back. But a massive breaststroke split of 58.61 put Kalisz way out front, and he rode the clean water home with a 51.13 anchor to become the fastest man all-time by 2.4 seconds.

Cal’s Andrew Seliskar played roughly the same game, staying with the pack on fly and back and dropping a 59.92 on breaststroke and a 50.86 on freestyle to nab second place and move all the way up to 4th all-time in the event at 3:36.18. Seliskar passes up legend Michael Phelps for that #4 spot.

Bronze went to Florida’s Mark Szaranek, who tied for the 200 IM win last night. Szaranek was 3:36.31 and sits five hundredths back of Phelps in 6th all-time.

Georgia’s Gunnar Bentz finished fourth in 3:36.60, 8th all-time. Georgia’s other A finalist was Jay Litherland, who blasted a field-best 50.26 on the anchor leg, but was too far out of contention to jump back into the top of the heat. He finished 7th in 3:38.66.

In between was Stanford’s Abrahm DeVine (3:37.73), followed by Roberts, who fell off the pace on breaststroke but still finished 6th in 3:38.66.

Virginia Tech’s Robert Owen took 8th in 3:41.21.

South Carolina’s Tom Peribonio came through for a huge B final win in 3:40.24, holding off a late charge from 10th-place Joe Patching of Auburn (3:41.19).