Reported by Mitch Bowmile.
WOMEN’S 200M BACKSTROKE FINALS
Top seed: Maya DiRado (2:08.14)
World record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin
American record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin
U.S Open record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin
U.S Nationals record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin
JR World record: 2:07.43 – Daria Ustinova
2012 Winning Time: 2:06.11 – Missy Franklin
Maya DiRado took the first final of the night with a swift 2:06.90 that put her well ahead of the rest of the field as she won her third event of these Olympic trials. DiRado took the lead at the 100-meter mark and never looked back, holding her consistency into the wall as she touched in for gold at 2:06.90.
The race for second behind her was between Amy Bilquist, Missy Franklin, and Lisa Bratton for the majority of the race. Although Danielle Galyer took it out fast with the leaders, she was passed heading into the 150-wall.
At the 150 it was Franklin in second with both Bilquist and Bratton hot on her tail. Heading into the wall, it looked as though both Bilquist and Bratton were gaining on Franklin. Regardless of that fact, she managed to hold on for silver securing a 200m backstroke swim at the Olympic Games.
At the touch Franklin was a 2:07.89, Bratton was a 2:08.20 for third, and Bilquist was a 2:08.30 for fourth.
Franklin’s lineup is now complete. She’ll be on the 4x200m freestyle relay and compete in both the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke. DiRado will be swimming three individual events now, adding the 200m backstroke to her lineup which includes both medley swims.
- Maya DiRado (2:06.90)
- Missy Franklin (2:07.89)
- Lisa Bratton (2:08.20)
- Amy Bilquist (2:08.30)
- Danielle Galyer (2:09.31)
- Erin Voss (2:09.81)
- Elizabeth Beisel (2:11.12)
- Bridgette Alexander (2:11.41)
For official results click here.
Can’t believe she plans to lift a day after the Olympic trials. Seems like too much for anyone.
She’s gotta start training sometime. She’s been at the NBC headquarters since January filming and meeting with producers. Now she got a month to cram in 5 6-week cycles.
Missy will be lucky to medal at the olympics in either of her individual events, let alone defend her gold.
Right now, it’s sad to say and hopefully she makes me totally wrong, but I see at best a bronze in the 200 back and a gold in the 4X200 free relay.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s fabulous to win an olympic medal. But I presume she had much higher goals than that 3 years ago when she tought about Rio.
Totally agreed with you Bobo.
After Rio..she should move to Austin and work with the Maestro Coach Reese. If anyone can fix whats wrong its him.
Care to mention some of Eddie’s recent top female swimmers?
Kathleen Hersey, and am sure he’s worked with Madisyn Cox who almost made the team. Basically led 2IM until she faded in last 10m in finals.
I’d like to see Missy mad in interview.
Is there one journalist one day who will dare to ask her why she isn’t the same swimmer anymore, why her lethal finish has disappeared, why she looks flat, why she sinks in the water while she was high in the water before, why her speed is not there anymore and why she looks happy with that situation.
Again, I’d like to see her not always tell us that it was awesome with a big smile.
I don’t believe it’s what she really thinks.
I can’t believe that such a champion, the best female swimmer of the planet from 2011 to 2013, is happy to move backward and… Read more »
THIS.
As you said earlier in the week, Missy will silence her doubters!
Or have you changed your mind?
“Doubters” I believe refers to people (myself included) who thought she wouldn’t qualify for Rio, and yes, she certainly proved us wrong. Her 200 free individual spot especially showed a lot of grit against a tough field. But the fact remains that she is a former Olympic Champion in 2bk and World champion in 2fr and she did not win either here in domestic competition (although to be fair, Ledecky is now defending world champ)
Bold statement Bobo. She is partly a marketing machine now for usa swimming and the nbc olympics. So she is going to stick to the script no matter what. She is not stupid. Two things can happen now: She finds some speed and medals in her individual events or she fades off into the sunset with just a relay medal. Her problem with continuing in the sport is that older swimmers usually gravitate toward the sprints and that’s not an option for her. I see her retiring in early 2017 after making a half hearted attempt to keep going and realizing it isnt going to work. I also predict we NEVER see the Missy you want to see
Missy Franklin could become the next Dara Torres
Translation?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMnVYlZtVrU
“And keep on chugging”.. I’m going to start saying that lol