Olivia Smoliga on Having a Home Pro Swim: “Illinois is the best”

2022 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

Reported by Ben Dornan.

Women’s 200 Backstroke

  • World Record: Regan Smith (USA): 2:03.35
  • American Record: Regan Smith: 2:03.35
  • US Open Record: Missy Franklin (USA): 2:05.68
  • World Junior Record: Regan Smith (USA): 2:03.35
  • Pro Swim Record: Regan Smith (USA): 2:05.94

Top 3:

  1. Claire Curzan: 2:07.31
  2. Olivia Smoliga: 2:09.35
  3. Tegan O’Dell: 2:14.52

Claire Curzan swam her way to a 2:07.31 200 backstroke here, becoming the 5th fastest 18&U American in the event all-time. Curzan, who is known for her sprint freestyle and butterfly, shared in a post-race interview that she’s been training more backstroke in practice. Curzan came into the meet with a 2:10.16, hit a 2:09.95 in the prelims, and got down to a 2:07 in the final.

Curzan is now the second-fastest woman in the world in 2022 behind Olympic gold medalist Kaylee McKeown who swam a 2:04.64 in February.

Olivia Smoliga put up a near-PB here to take the silver medal with a 2:09.35. Her fastest swim ever came in 2018 at US National Championships when she swam a 2:08.58. With that swim, Smoliga becomes the 3rd-fastest in the world for 2022.

Tegan O’Dell and Quinlan Hinerfeld touched in 3rd with a 2:14.52 and 4th in a 2:18.03, respectively, while Vera Conic was disqualified in the final.

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About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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