At this point during our COVID-19 shutdown, I’m looking forward to the Olympic Games whether they are in 2020 or 2021. For World champion and World record holder Regan Smith it does not matter. Her star is rising fast, and I don’t see the momentum slowing down. Regan had a stellar showing at the Des Moines Pro Swim, dropping 58.1 and 2:06.1 in the 100m and 200m backstroke, and she swam personal best times in the 100m and 200m butterfly.
DES MOINES PRO SWIM – REGAN SMITH BUTTERFLY:
- 100 FLY – 57.34
- 200 FLY – 2:06.39
Most swim nerds know this, but Regan trains yards all year long. Unless she’s at the OTC, she does not train meters, and she has a tough dryland schedule she says has made the difference in the butterfly, helping her build upper body strength.
PREDICTIONS
Whether the Olympic Games are in 2020 or 2021, Regan makes the U.S. Olympic Team in the 100 fly, dropping a 56.5, provided she swims it. She makes the team in 200 fly, ripping a 2:05.1, provided she swims it. But who cares what I think…what do you think?
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RECENT EPISODES
This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
Would have predicted almost exactly the times you did. 56 mid/2:05 low seems right in line with what she’s capable of.
Yes, but the question is, is it worth it? 56.5 won’t medal. Dare we say that it takes 56 flat to even medal? Not sure she is there yet. I think working on that 200 free is more money in the bank, though that will be tough too.
I support the postponement of the Olympic Games, but I was looking for her to dominate the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 fly in Tokyo. She will have a big decision to make regarding going to Stanford or staying with Mike to prep for the Games.
Coughlin used to pull the 100 back/fly double, so it is doable, but I don’t think she ever did it at the Olympics. Only Worlds and Pan Pacs.
At ‘07 Worlds she set the American record in the 100 fly (bronze) and then turned around to set a world record in the 100 back (gold) the next day and set an American record leading off the 4×200 relay.
Heavy schedule opens up tired swims . In the medley relay relay she lost to a 14 year old Emily Seebohm & the title.
…………….yes, the schedule works for RS.
I made a prediction earlier this year, and I have regan smith going 56 flat in the 100 fly at trials then at the Olympics I have her winning gold in 55.6 ahead of Tori’s huskies and sjorstrom (1-2 for American women)
If dryland has changed her fly already, I’m gonna say that after 5 years of college (one redshirt) she will graduate as a flyer and not a backstroker. It’s not all that uncommon. Lifting changes and athletes body. Anecdotally I’ve seen half a dozen college swimmers/teammates make the transition from back to fly once they started lifting. In the real world, the best example I can think of is Jack Conger. Went into college as a backstroker (yes he was fast at fly too) and came out with an American record in the 200 fly.
Unfortunately with Conger, with his 1:55 LCM 200 back before entering college, he should’ve stuck with backstroke.
I wonder if we would even think about feeling this way if he had gone his 1:54 in 2016 instead of 2015.
Well, her fly’s going to be phenomenal now, since dryland’s about it.
Her underwaters are on par w Dahlia already…will be nice to see her work toward extending those walls!
Elephant in the room? If the OGs are pushed back a year, I see Regan’s fly developing even more. Time is on her side.
Great point. With a now older cohort trying to qualify a second time, a third time, etc., any yearlong delays in Olympic selection and competition absolutely favor the young.
Same topic, different question: if the OGs are pushed back a year, and Regan presumably gets a year of college next year, does that change her plan for going pro before the Olympics? Maybe a year of the college will be enough for her to say she’s loved it but it’s time to answer those phone calls.