Regan Smith: “Butterfly has always been the fun one”

2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

Reported by James Sutherland.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINAL

  • World Record: Liu Zige (CHN) – 2:01.81 (2009)
  • American Record: Mary Descenza – 2:04.14 (2009)
  • US Open Record: Hali Flickinger (USA) – 2:05.87 (2018)
  • World Junior Record: Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN) – 2:06.29 (2017)
  • 2016 Olympic Champion: Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) – 2:04.85
  • 2016 US Olympic Trials Champion: Cammile Adams – 2:06.80
  • Wave I Cut: 2:14.59
  • Wave II Cut: 2:12.56
  • FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:08.43
  1. Hali Flickinger (SUN), 2:05.85 US
  2. Regan Smith (RIPT), 2:06.99
  3. Charlotte Hook (TAC), 2:07.92

As we’ve seen numerous times over the past few years, Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith locked horns once again in the women’s 200 fly final, with Smith, as usual, jumping on the early lead.

Flickinger didn’t let her get away, however, and the two turned almost dead-even at the 100, just under 1:00. Flickinger pulled away on the last 50, out-splitting Smith by almost a full second in 33.12, as she earns the right to represent the U.S. in this event at a second straight Olympics.

Flickinger took one back for the veterans, in a sense, as we’ve seen the youngsters come out on top in a lot of the events recently, especially on the women’s side.

Oh, and Flickinger’s time was pretty good too.

Her 2:05.85 improves on her personal best by .02, set in 2018, lowering her own U.S. Open Record. The UGA grad notably changed training bases, joining Bob Bowman at ASU, after winning silver at the 2019 Worlds in this event.

Smith held on for second in 2:06.99, six-tenths off her PB, to add a second event in Tokyo.

In This Story

17
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

17 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Yeslie
3 years ago

Interesting how the 400 IM to flick is equal to the 200 fly to Regan…less stress. But they are both gnarly.

IRO
3 years ago

Ah yes, the 200 fly, the “fun” one!

ZH
3 years ago

Pull up the race and look at the last 15-20 meters for Regan vs Hali. Regan has no legs, she’s all arms, Hali kept her form until the touch. Now pull up Mary T’s swim at Brown Deer in 1981. It’s worth it totally. No tech suit just a standard lycra suit from that era. Start is fine but she pops up right away. No underwaters. The entire race with one exception she breathes every other stroke, only on her race finish does she keep her head down 2 consecutive strokes to the touch. Her head is up with mouth wide open the whole race. She went a 2:05.96. She was 16, a month away from her Jr year in… Read more »

N P
Reply to  ZH
3 years ago

Also the fact that Meagher’s last 50 was a full 8 tenths faster than Flickinger’s is… crazy to think about especially with how well Flickinger closed on the rest of the field. I’m imagining her in that final, reeling in Flickinger even as she reels in Regan.

ZH
Reply to  N P
3 years ago

Maybe someone can find who was the second fastest 2Fly in her time. No goggles, her head up mouth wide open, nobody close to push, no underwaters to the extent she is up BEFORE the flags on every turn, did I miss anything? Oh yeah, 16 and still went 2:05.9……….then again in those days we did 30,000 yards a day

The Weez
Reply to  ZH
3 years ago

In 1978, Caulkins held/tied the record of East German Andrea Pollack, who had lowered the record from 2:11 to 2:09.87 (from another East German Rosemarie Kother/Gabriel). In 1979, Mary T. broke that by a tenth (2:09.7x) iand then went on to lower it twice more that year, to 2:08, 2:07.01. Then 1980 MTM lowered it again to 2:06.37 in the Summer Nats (I think that served as the Trials for the Games we were boycotting). Finally, Mary T. set the transcendental 2:05.96 in 1981. That would last until Susie O’Neil in 2000…

Last edited 3 years ago by The Weez
Joris Bohnson
3 years ago

Flickinger is the new hosszu

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Joris Bohnson
3 years ago

No

JCO
3 years ago

It’s still wild to me that Mary T would have made the Olympic team this year with her time from the 70s

FraserThorpe
Reply to  JCO
3 years ago

Mary T was not human. I refuse to hear otherwise. 57 and 2:05 are forever immortalised numbers to me, even more than 4:03 and 8:16

Jaguar
Reply to  JCO
3 years ago

Were there even tech suits back in the 70s.

BillyBob
Reply to  Jaguar
3 years ago

I think they were made of wool back then actually

N P
Reply to  Jaguar
3 years ago

Mary T didn’t even wear goggles when she went 2:05. xD
And here’s the race video of Meagher, which y’all should check out if you haven’t seen it before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lmCEjE0if0

Hswimmer
Reply to  N P
3 years ago

Would’ve definitely broke 2:00 with a tech suit and goggles back in her day.

FraserThorpe
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

1:58 in a jacked for sure. Super human.

Linds
Reply to  N P
3 years ago

Wow, thanks for sharing!

Little Mermaid
Reply to  JCO
3 years ago

She was the hulk during that time

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 …

Read More »