2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS
WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – BY THE NUMBERS
- World File: 2:03.14, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023 NSW Championships
- American File: 2:03.35, Regan Smith – 2019 World Championships
- U.S. Open File: 2:03.80, Regan Smith (USA) – 2023 U.S. Nationwide Championships
- World Junior File: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2:04.68
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Rhyan White, 2:05.73
- 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Minimize: 2:13.59
- 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time (‘A’ Minimize): 2:10.39
All through this previous Olympic cycle, little has modified within the ladies’s 200 backstroke because it stays one of the vital crowded occasions of the meet. In truth, final yr, the time to ultimate on the 2023 US Nationwide Championships was quicker then the time required to qualify for the ultimate on the 2023 World Championships. With a number of Olympic, World, and NCAA Champions this occasion might see some main surprises, mirroring the outcomes of the 2021 Olympic Trials meet.
Regan Smith On the lookout for Redemption
Once I previewed this very same race 3 years in the past forward of the 2021 Olympic Trials meet, Regan Smith was the clear-cut favourite on this occasion. Because the reigning World Champion and world document holder on this occasion on the time, Smith was seemingly legions forward of the sector along with her private finest of two:03.35.
Regan Smith (picture: Jack Spitser)
Come Olympic Trials, Smith seemed extraordinarily relaxed by means of the primary two rounds of motion, taking the highest seed out of each the heats and semifinals. Within the ultimate, Smith took the race out onerous, showing to be chasing her personal World File. Nonetheless, she severely light over the closing 100 meters, being handed by Rhyan White who went on to win the occasion in a time of two:05.73. Phoebe Bacon then managed to win a decent race for the second and ultimate Olympic spot over Smith, touching with a time of two:06.46 to Smith’s 2:06.79. White and Bacon then went on to complete 4th and fifth, in Tokyo, respectively, leaving Smith with out the possibility to race for an Olympic medal.
In 2022, it was an identical story as Bacon and White topped Smith on the 2022 Worldwide Group Trials, leaving her off of the roster for the 2022 World Championships on this occasion.
Shortly after her defeat on the Worldwide Group Trials, Smith switched up her coaching, shifting to Arizona to coach beneath Bob Bowman. In early 2023, it appeared that the transfer paid dividends for Smith as she broke Bacon’s US Open File within the 200 Backstroke with a 2:04.76, a time that may have gained the world title in 2022. Smith’s drops continued to return all through 2023, culminating with a time of two:03.80 on the US Nationwide Championships, a efficiency that once-again set the US Open File and despatched Smith again to the World Championships on this occasion for the primary time since 2019.
Since then, it has grow to be obvious that Smith has solely grow to be extra assured in herself and her likelihood to qualify for her second Olympic group. Just a few days in the past, she posted a time of 57.51 to interrupt her personal American File within the 100 backstroke on the Speedo Grand Problem meet. Although she didn’t contest the 200 backstroke at that competitors, she definitely made the case that she would be the one to beat in Indianapolis later this month.
White and Bacon Seeking to Repeat
Behind Smith, the race for second will probably be top-of-the-line races of all the meet. As beforehand talked about, Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White had been the 2 representatives for the US on this occasion at each the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships. At present, the pair rank because the 2nd and third quickest Individuals on this occasion through the Olympic Trials qualification interval with their occasions of two:05.08 and a couple of:05.13, respectively, from the 2022 Worldwide Group Trials, making themselves the highest contenders for that remaining spot.
Rhyan White (picture: Jack Spitser)
After profitable a silver medal on this occasion on the 2022 World Championships, Bacon did not qualify for the 2023 World Championships group, ending fifth within the occasion on the US Nationwide Championships with a time of two:06.59, removed from her finest time. She not too long ago wrapped up one other NCAA season at Wisconsin, claiming the NCAA title within the 200 backstroke in a brand new private better of 1:48.23. As a result of NCAA season, the 2022 World Championships silver medalist hasn’t competed in lots of lengthy course races this season. Nonetheless, she posted her season-best of two:07.24 on the Professional Swim Collection cease in San Antonio in early April, rating third within the nation for the 2024 season.
Final spring, following her commencement from the College of Alabama, White introduced that she can be becoming a member of the professional group at NC State. Regardless of struggling early within the season whereas adjusting to the swap, White managed to assert a spot within the 2023 World Championships group by posting a runner-up end at Nationals with a time of two:05.77. Although she added a while from her Nationals time at Worlds, she managed to complete Sixth with a 2:08.43. White has solely competed a couple of occasions since then, along with her finest time this season sitting at a 2:07.38 from the Professional Swim Collection in Westmont, rating because the 4th-fastest American this season.
Gamers Seeking to Interrupt the Celebration
Claire Curzan has been one of many prime US performers within the 100 backstroke for a number of years now, however she only recently added the 200 backstroke to her repertoire of occasions. On the 2023 US Nationwide Championships, regardless of sickness clouding her competitors, Curzan touched third with an enormous private finest of two:06.35, narrowly lacking an opportunity to contest this occasion on the 2023 World Championships. Curzan was later named to the 2024 World Championships group in all three backstroke occasions, the place she swept the gold medals, which included a private finest 2:05.77 within the 200. That point presently ranks her because the 2nd quickest American this season, solely behind Smith. Although Bacon and White’s finest occasions nonetheless rank forward of Curzan on the all-time listing, she appears to have an edge going into these Olympic Trials, particularly after transferring to the College of Virginia final summer season and taking a redshirt NCAA season.
Kennedy Noble (picture: Jack Spitser)
Kennedy Noble is one other swimmer who burst onto the scene on this occasion over the previous yr. Getting into the 2023 US Nationwide Championships, Noble held a finest time of two:10.53, rating her because the eleventh seed within the occasion. All through the meet, she managed to decrease that point by almost 4 seconds to complete 4th within the occasion with a time of two:06.54, incomes herself a spot on the Pan Ams roster. On the Pan American Video games, Noble was barely off of her finest time however nonetheless managed to win the gold medal and set a brand new meet document with a 2:08.03. Her time presently ranks her because the Sixth-fastest American this season. Noble additionally had a powerful NCAA Championships representing NC State, highlighted by a 2nd place end within the 200 backstroke (1:48.43). Previous to NCAAs, she had by no means damaged 1:50 earlier than, getting into the meet with a private better of 1:50.23.
If she elects to swim this race, Katie Grimes may additionally be a contender right here. Grimes, who’s already certified to race in Paris in Open Water swimming, posted a finest time of two:08.01 on the World Cup in Athens final October, rating herself because the fifth quickest American this season. Regardless of her likelihood of success on this race, nevertheless, it seems pretty unlikely that Grimes contests this occasion at Trials. Although there are not any notable occasion conflicts at Trials, in Paris the 200 backstroke finals fall on the identical day because the 800 freestyle heats and the semi-finals battle with the 4×200 free relay finals. Add within the depth of the sector, and it additional solidifies the doubt that Grimes will contest this occasion.
Grimes’ former teammate Bella Sims is one other swimmer who might submit a robust efficiency right here, if she elects to swim the occasion. Like Grimes, Sims already is slated to have a extremely loaded Olympic Trials schedule with the mid-distance and distance freestyle occasions. Her season finest stands at a 2:11.39 from the US Open again in December. Provided that Sims doesn’t appear to be concentrating on this occasion, it is usually unlikely that she is going to swim it.
Younger Stars on the Rise
From Smith to Missy Franklin, this occasion is definitely no stranger to younger stars rising by means of the ranks to assert a world roster spot. There are a couple of of these swimmers who could very properly discover themselves within the ultimate come the tip of the month.
Teagan O’Dell is the reigning World Junior Champion on this occasion. She posted a finest time of two:08.09 to win the occasion final September, which presently ranks her on the Seventh-fastest American this season and the Eighth-fastest American because the 2021 Olympics. JoJo Ramey completed 2nd to O’Dell on the World Junior Championships, swimming a time of two:10.08 within the course of. Ramey completed Seventh on this occasion on the 2021 Olympic Trials meet, swimming her lifetime finest of two:08.90 within the semi-finals. An identical time would doubtless see her make one other ultimate in 2024.
Leah Shackley (picture: Jack Spitser)
Leah Shackley is one other contender who might make a reputation for herself. Shackley first burst onto the scene in early 2023, with performances that included a 2:08.42 within the 200 backstroke which ranked her because the #2 Individuals within the occasion on the time. Although she did not progress out of prelims on the Nationwide Championships later that season, Shackley nonetheless managed to qualify for the 2023 World Junior Championships within the 50 and 100 butterfly, strolling away from the meet with a number of medals and a big enhance in confidence. Shackley’s finest time presently ranks her ninth amongst Individuals because the 2021 Olympic Video games and her season finest of two:08.87 ranks her tenth within the nation this season.
Different age-groupers to keep watch over embrace Maggie Wanezek and Lilla Bognar, who posted private finest occasions of two:10.33 and a couple of:10.37, respectively, on the 2024 NCSA Championships. Charlotte Crush hasn’t competed as a lot lengthy course motion recently, however holds a finest time of two:09.71 that places her proper within the combine.
Different NCAA Veterans Attempting to Stake their Declare
In a reasonably younger discipline, there are additionally a swarm of NCAA swimmers who’re hoping to translate their brief course successes into the lengthy course pool.
Isabelle Stadden is arguably the largest title out of that pack. The Cal swimmer has represented the US on the worldwide stage on a number of events and holds a finest time of two:07.28 from 2021. This season, her quickest time stands at a 2:08.42 from the Professional Swim Collection in Knoxville. Stadden completed in a tie for Sixth on this occasion on the 2023 Nationwide Championships sharing an equivalent time of two:08.65 with Virginia’s Reilly Tiltmann.
Tiltmann doesn’t seem to have logged a swim because the 2024 NCAA Championships, the place she completed tenth within the 200 again (1:51.80). Earlier within the yr, Tiltmann competed in her first, and solely lengthy course meet this season, swimming a 2:13.83 on this occasion.
Josephine Fuller from the College of Tennessee simply posted a finest time of two:08.80 on this occasion, placing herself into a very good place a month out from Trials. Fuller was one of many prime backstrokers within the NCAA this season along with her time of 1:49.57 from the Nationwide Championship.
One other notable swimmer to be careful for is NC State’s Katharine Berkoff. Although she contested this occasion on the 2021 Olympic Trials meet, Berkhoff tends to be far more of a sprinter. It appears doubtless that she would possibly goal the dash freestyle and backstroke occasions, probably leaving this occasion off of her schedule all-together.
The Verdict
Finally, behind Smith, I believe that this will probably be a particularly tight discipline simply to make it into the ultimate. It’s doable that somebody who was favored to complete within the prime 2 might even see themselves on the surface wanting in in the event that they don’t hit their taper correctly.
Prime 8:
Darkhorse Decide: Audrey Derivaux – At solely 14 years-old Derivaux has already established herself as one of many prime upcoming backstroke prospects. After dropping almost 5 seconds off of her finest time in 2023, Derivaux simply set one other private finest of two:10.36 on this occasion a couple of weeks in the past. Her time simply places her in rivalry to make the semi-finals, and presumably even the ultimate, in Indy.
