TOKYO — The first Summer Olympics without Michael Phelps in 25 years sped into a full gear on Saturday without an American medal. On Sunday morning, fittingly, a Phelps protege got Team USA on the board.
And he didn’t just win any medal. Chase Kalisz won gold.
Kalisz, who grew up nine years behind Phelps and 45 minutes away from him in Maryland, won the men’s 400-meter individual medley. Fellow American Jay Litherland took the silver.
These are the first of dozens of swimming medals that the U.S. will win over the next eight days.