Paris Olympics, Day 5 Prelims: Zhang Yufei Looking for Back-to-Back Golds in 200 Butterfly; Regan Smith and Summer McIntosh Hovering

chinese-ZHANG Yufei CHN Women's 200m butterfly heats Swimming Men's 4x100m freestyle final Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates 17/12/21 Etihad Arena FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Photo Giorgio Perottino / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Paris Olympics, Day 5 Prelims: Zhang Yufei Looking for Back-to-Back Golds in 200 Butterfly

The 200-meter butterfly has been an up-in-the-air proposition for Zhang Yufei over the past few years. The reigning Olympic champion followed up her Tokyo triumph by picking up the bronze medal in the event at the 2022 World Championships. But at the 2023 World Champs, Zhang opted to skip the fly, and there was no guarantee it would return to her program for the Olympic Games in Paris.

However, on Wednesday morning at La Défense Arena, there was the Chinese star, ready to defend her title.

Racing in the third of three prelims, Zhang was one of two swimmers to break the 2:07 barrier during the morning session, as she posted a time of 2:06.55. That effort enabled Zhang to earn the top seed for the semifinals, ahead of the United States’ Regan Smith (2:06.99). Smith went to work about 14 hours after winning the silver medal in the 100 backstroke.

World Record: Liu Zige, China – 2:01.81 (2009)
Olympic Record: Zhang Yufei, China – 2:03.86
Tokyo Olympic Champion: Zhang Yufei, China – 2:03.86

Only 19 women entered the 200 fly, so there was plenty of room to coast through the opening round. Australia’s Abbey Connor (2:07.13) and Denmark’s Helena Bach (2:07.34) registered the third- and fourth-fastest swims of the morning, with American teenager Alex Shackell going 2:07.49 for the fifth seed.

The swim was Shackell’s first at the Olympics, and she became the second member of her family to debut in Paris after older brother Aaron qualified for the final in the 400 freestyle on day one.

“It was good. Definitely a little crazy taking it in and diving in and it actually hitting me that I’m officially an Olympian, so that was great. The race itself was pretty good. Just trying to learn from each race that I do,” Shackell said.

“I’ve learned so much, especially from the veterans and a lot from Regan Smith, who I’m doing this race with. I feel like we’re always in the same heat together, which is funny, and about the whole experience, it has been so crazy, realizing that I’m here but also realizing that I have a job to do. I can’t just be here to come along on the trip but having fun and not wasting the experience.”

Already the gold medalist in the 400 individual medley and silver medalist in the 400 freestyle, Canadian Summer McIntosh cruised to the No. 6 time, an effort of 2:07.70. McIntosh is one of the favorites for gold, having won world championships in 2022 and 2023. The teenager still has the 200 individual medley ahead, and could leave the Paris Games with four individual medals.

“Going into this morning, I wanted to come into the 400 IM having that day off, trying to feel as fresh as possible, treat it like a new meet. For this morning, I was just trying to make semis and conserve as much energy as possible heading into tomorrow’s final,” McIntosh said.

On what will be required to win the event, McIntosh said. “I don’t really know yet. There’s been a lot of unpredictable swims overall so far. Right now, I’ m really focused on making the final, and then I’ll start worrying about that. For me, racing the 200 fly, I’m always just trying to focus on myself and know that I can put down a good last 50 to touch the wall first.”

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