SMU/Empire KC’s Andy Baklanov Rips 1:58.02 200 BK at Columbia Sectionals – #5 American this Season

2026 Speedo Summer Sectionals – Central Zone South

• July 15-18, 2026
• Mizzou Aquatics Center, Columbia, MO
• LCM (50m)
• Results on MeetMobile (“Speedo Summer Sectionals – Central Zone South”)

The Speedo Sectional meet in Columbia, MO kicked off yesterday at the Mizzou Aquatics Center. Day 1 was a full day of racing, featuring the 50 fly, 200 back, 50 free, 200 breast, women’s 800 free, and men’s 1500 free.

In the men’s 200 back, Andy Baklanov, a rising sophomore at SMU who is competing for Empire KC Swim Club, clocked a 1:59.04 en route to victory. That performance came after Baklanov swam a 1:58.02 in prelims. His prelims performance marked a huge career best and his 1st time under 2:00 in the event. Moreover, that swim makes Baklanov the #5 American in the event this season.

US Men’s 200 Backstroke Rankings:

1. Keaton Jones – 1:57.11
2. David King – 1:57.54
3. Daniel Diehl – 1:57.92
4. Tommy Hagar – 1:58.01
5. Andy Baklanov – 1:58.02

Whitaker Steward, one of the top-ranked swimmers in the class of 2026, took the men’s 1500 last night, swimming a 15:37.88. While that time is off Steward’s career best of 15:26.92, it does mark his season best in the event by 10 seconds. Steward is a rising freshman at Tennessee. He was dialed in for the race yesterday, taking it out in 58.59 on the opening 100, then splitting 31-point for 27 straight 50’s, before coming home in 29.71 on the final 50.

Nebraska standout Gena Jorgenson won the women’s 800 free in 8:38.64, touching 1st by 10 seconds. Jorgenson set her career best of 8:32.01 last month at the Indy Pro Series. Jorgenson also won the women’s 200 back, where she clocked a 2:14.18 after swimming a 2:14.13 in prelims.

In the women’s 50 fly, another class of 2026 standout, Zoe Smith, clocked a 27.18 to claim victory. Smith, a rising freshman at NC State who currently trains at Arkansas Dolphins, crushed her best time with the performance last night. Her previous best was 27.94, which she swam just 3 weeks ago at the TNAQ June LC Invitational.

Another huge performance came in the women’s 50 free, where Swim Omaha’s Leah Inman, 16, won in 25.98. The swim marks Inman’s 1st time under 26 seconds in the event. Her previous best was 26.36, which she swam at last summer’s Columbia Sectional.

Mizzou’s Luke Nebrich, 20, was a double event winner yesterday. Nebrich took the men’s 50 fly in 24.12, touching a hair off his career best of 23.91, which he swam in a time trial at US Nationals last year. He then went on to take the 50 free in 22.63, which was again just off his career best of 22.55, which he posted in April of this year.

Southern Illinois’ Maddax Thompson won the men’s 200 breast in 2:15.82. That swim was a massive career best for the 19-year-old, who just posted his previous best of 2:19.93 at the Indy Pro Series last month.

University of Arkansas’ Rachel McAlpin won the women’s 200 breast in 2:35.96. The performance marked a personal best for McAlpin, who had tied her previous best of 2:37.21 in prelims yesterday.