The TYR Pro Series has been home to exceptional talent on the road to Paris 2024. Among Caeleb Dressel’s return for the year and Bobby Finke and Ahmed Hafnaoui’s much-awaited rivalry at the 2nd stop of the season, celebrated and emerging names have risen to present an interesting watch for the spectators. One of these scenarios between the 2020 Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz and the rising Spanish name, Hugo González, couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

The final day of the California Tyro Pro Series took to the stages on the 9th of March at the FMC Natatorium indoor swimming pool. In the proceedings of the day, the 200 IM stood to witness a tie between Chase Kalisz, who has been training with Michael Phelps since age 13, and the 2016 Olympian Hugo González. The two recorded a close match to clock the time at 1:57.76 reports USA Swimming. 

Chase Kalisz had positioned fourth with a time of 2:02.72 while Hugo touched the wall second going, 2:02.58 at the TYR pro series prelims. Having established the standings, it was no surprise that the event presented a close call between the two. More so, with Kalisz’s prominence in 200 IM over the past couple of years. In 2022, the 2-time Olympian recorded 1:56.52 in the event to secure a gold at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships. The very next year, Kalisz posted 1:57.43 seconds to retain his title.

In the process of each, the 30-year-old bested Michael Phelps’ 1:59.70. “I’m the luckiest kid in the world that got that experience,”  Kalisz had previously remarked, speaking of his journey with Phelps. For, not only was Phelps a role model to the young Chase Kalisz but also a light through the darkness.

Through adversities to the TYR Pro Series podium

When Chase Kalisz was about 8 years old, the swimming champion revealed that he was diagnosed with a neurological condition. The situation entailed a coma, a battle for life, and a whole path of uncertainty. The process set the young swimmer on adorning goals and working toward them. It was here that Chase Kalisz sought Michael Phelps’ help, who happened to share the same pool. “I had the greatest athlete of all time as my mentor and my older brother, pretty much,” he recalls.

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Running ideas past him and taking in every knowledge possible, Chase bested quite a few of Phelps’ records. Now he eyes one more record in the upcoming Paris Olympics. It is of becoming the only man in his thirties to win an Olympic medal. After having climbed the TYR Pro Series podium, Kalisz will look to walk the momentum on the road to Paris 2024. If he persists, the champion will add another feather to his hat as a 30-year-old in the Olympic chase.

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