US wins first medals at Tokyo Olympics with one-two finish in men’s swimming race

The U.S. Olympic team on Sunday captured its first medals of the 2020 Tokyo Games as swimmers Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland finished first and second in the Men’s 400-meter Individual Medley.

Kalisz won gold with a time of 4:09.42, while Litherland finished just a second behind him with a time of 4:10:28. Australia’s Brendon Smith won the bronze.

Kalisz previously won silver in the same event in 2016. It was the first Olympic medal for Litherland.

A few hours later,  swimmer Kieran Smith grabbed another medal for the American men with bronze in the 400 freestyle.

Host Japan scored gold when Yui Ohashi won gold in the women’s 400 IM with a dynamic breaststroke leg, but Americans Emma Weyant and Hali Flickinger finished second and third to give the U.S. five medals on the day.