12-year old Regan Smith, taking advantage of a Minnesota rule allowing 7th-graders to swim with their zoned high schools, has broken two National Age Group Records early at the Minnesota AA State Championship meet.
The first came in an event where we don’t see many National Age Group Records at high school meets: the 50 backstroke. She led off Lakeville North’s 7th-place 200 medley relay in 25.69, which broke the 11-12 mark of 25.76 that Janet Hu did back in 2008. Smith came close to that record in prelims (25.79) and now nabbed it in finals.
Then, in her second swim of the night, Smith took 2nd in the girls’ 100 yard fly in 54.73. That improves upon the 55.22 that she swam in the state finals, which in turn bettered the 55.42 that she swam in the regional championship a week earlier.
Comparative Splits:
- Smith Regionals – 25.93/29.49 = 55.42
- Smith State Prelims – 25.44/29.78 = 55.22
- Smith State Finals – 25.57/29.16 = 54.73
On Thursday, in prelims, Smith’s improvements came from attacking the front-half of her race. Here in finals, she did the same thing, but was able to do much, much better in finals to take half-a-second off of her old mark.
In that race, Minnesota commit Zoe Avestruz was a 53.36 to defend her state title.
Smith still has the 100 backstroke and 400 free relay to swim; in prelims, she broke the National Age Group Record in that 100 back, and anchored the 400 free relay. Even if the Lakeville North order was changed to allow her to lead off the 400 free relay, it’s unlikely that she would break Missy Franklin’s 50.27 NAG Record in the 100 free.
A full recap of the meet will follow the completion of finals.
And 2 more in the pocket.
Impressive 100 fly record!
Congrats!