Backstrokers Smith and Seidt Break Through in Women’s 200 Fly

2018 U.S. National Championships

Regan Smith of Riptide and Asia Seidt of Kentucky Aquatics put up monster swims in the morning heats of the women’s 200 fly, earning berths in tonight’s A final ahead of some big names in women’s butterfly.

Smith cracked a blistering 2:08.87 to qualify third in the 200 fly, besting her previous top time (2:10.47) by 1.6 seconds. Smith was the 11th seed in this event, coming in with a time of 2:10.47 which she earned at TYR Pro Swim Series Santa Clara in June. Earlier this year she had posted a best time of 2:11.66 at PSS Austin. Prior to that her fastest 200 fly was a 2:12.90 from 2016 Junior Nationals.

Smith is known worldwide as a backstroker. She burst onto the international scene with a monster 200 back last summer at World Championships in Budapest, breaking the World Junior Record in semifinals with 2:07.19. A few weeks later at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Indianapolis, she won the 100 back with a World Junior Record (59.11) and captured gold in the 200 back (2:07.45).

Seidt had an even more meteoric rise to tonight’s A final in the 200 fly. Seeded with 2:13.14, the 32nd-seeded Seidt sliced an impressive 3.24 seconds off her entry time to qualify 7th in 2:09.90. Like Smith, Seidt is known more for her backstroke prowess. She was runner-up in the 200 back at 2018 NCAAs and came to Irvine seeded 5th in that event.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Hali Flickinger (UGA)- 2:05.87
  2. Katie Drabot (Stanford)- 2:07.30
  3. Regan Smith (Riptide)- 2:08.87
  4. Dakota Luther (Unattached)- 2:09.25
  5. Sarah Gibson (Texas A&M)- 2:09.54
  6. Olivia Carter (Enfinity)- 2:09.80
  7. Asia Seidt (Kentucky)- 2:09.90
  8. Taylor Pike (AGS)- 2:10.30

 

 

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Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel
5 years ago

Go Riptide Rocket Go!

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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