U.S. Olympic Trials Day 4: Regan Smith Answers Back with a Top Seed in 200 Butterfly

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Olympic Trials Day 4: Smith Answers Back with a Top Seed

In what has shaped up to be a Texas showdown for Thursday night’s final, American record holder Regan Smith was in clear control of her heat of the semifinals Wednesday night. She was out in a 59.01, right on pace with her American record on the way to a win in 2:04.91.

Emma Sticklen stuck with her for the first 100 meters but settled into the second position in the back half of the first semifinal heat. Smith ultimately touched almost a body length ahead with a time of 2:04.91, about a second over her American record. Smith is hot off a world record in the 100 backstroke on Tuesday night, and chances are she’s setting herself up for quite the performance Thursday.

Not to be outdone, Alex Shackell responded to Smith’s swim in the second heat with a time of 2:06.10 – a 17-18-year-old national age-group record, which happened to be owned by Smith at 2:06.39 from 2020. The Carmel product dominated her heat and has positioned herself to battle Smith head-to-head in the final.

Sticklen touched the wall second in her heat, with a time of 2:07.44, improving on her morning swim by over a second. Her swim will register the fourth seed going into Thursday night.

Seeds three through seven will all have their work cut out their work for them after registering times in the 2:08s. Lindsay Looney, who swam the event at Worlds in 2023, was fourth in 2:08.36. Dakota Luther was next in 2:08.69, holding the fourth seed. She was followed by Tess Howley and Lucy Bell. They held close with times of 2:08.79 and 2:08.90, which will seed them sixth and seventh respectively. Charlotte Hook will round out the top eight with a time of 2:09.50.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use