Chase Kalisz, a 30-year-old swimmer, as soon as questioned “if I was going to be alive ” to pursue his desires. Now, he stands as a two-time Olympian with aspirations of competing within the Paris Olympics. Kalisz’s journey started in his childhood on the age of 5, when he adopted his older sister, Courtney, to the famend North Baltimore Aquatic Membership. He would solely dive into the pool, famously identified for producing Michael Phelps, when folks threw cash into the water. The previous College of Georgia NCAA champion fondly remembers the joy of often surfacing with greater than a greenback.
As Chase Kalisz desires of the Paris Olympics, the primary step is to qualify for the trials. In a current trial race within the males’s 400m particular person medley, he secured second place, with Carson Foster taking the highest spot within the finals. However Kalisz’s journey to date has been filled with ups and downs, drawing parallels with Amy Van Dyken, as each athletes have overcome life-threatening illnesses to succeed in their present standings.
Chase Kalisz’s journey from paralysis to pursuing Olympic desires
Chase Kalisz’s journey appeared virtually unattainable from the beginning. At simply eight years outdated, he was recognized with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a uncommon neurological illness that left him absolutely paralyzed. “I had no control over my body,” Kalisz remembers in a dialog with Olympics.com, “I was on a ventilator and a feeding tube and in an induced coma for about a month.” The restoration course of was lengthy and arduous, taking almost two years for Kalisz to relearn primary features like strolling.
Chase Kalisz started swimming on the age of 5 underneath the supervision of Bob Bowman as a result of he had a deep love for the water. Regardless of dealing with sickness and going by means of a restoration, Kalisz stayed dedicated to his desires, all the time waiting for what got here in his path. This vital chapter in his life drastically influenced Kalisz’s outlook. At the same time as a toddler who confronted a life-threatening scenario, he found the right way to stay resolute and centered on attaining his objectives.
Reflecting on his expertise, he says, “You learn a lot about yourself; you learn about what’s really inside you.” His deep involvement in swimming from a younger age not solely ignited his love for the game but in addition gave him a way of route as he recovered. As Chase Kalisz strives to attain his aim of competing in Paris, he embarks on a journey that mirrors Amy Van Dyken’s combat towards an sickness.
Can Amy Van Dyken’s journey to Olympic triumph encourage others?
Amy Van Dyken, a swimmer, gained fame within the sports activities world after being honored as Swimming World’s American Swimmer of the 12 months in each 1995 and 1996. She made historical past by capturing 4 gold medals on the Atlanta Summer time Olympics in 1996, changing into the girl to perform this outstanding feat.
Regardless of dealing with accidents, she participated within the 2000 Summer time Olympics in Sydney. Including two extra gold medals to her assortment, introduced her complete to 6—all of them gold. This excellent accomplishment locations her among the many group of Olympians who’ve achieved solely gold medals.
Van Dyken skilled a life change after retiring from swimming. In June 2014, she suffered an ATV accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Regardless of the setback, she maintains positivity and stays energetic, viewing the damage as extra of a slowdown than a limitation. When reflecting on her journey, she emphasised the importance of successful gold within the 100m butterfly occasion on the 1996 Atlanta Video games.
Though it wasn’t her self-discipline, she devoted herself to enchancment. She was overjoyed by her victory, marking a historic second as the primary American lady to attain 4 gold medals in a single Olympics. As Chase Kalisz seems ahead to Paris, all consideration might be on him to see if he can contribute additional to the legacy of the flag.
