Backstrokers Smith and Seidt Break Through in Women’s 200 Fly

2018 U.S. National Championships

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
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Regan Smith of Riptide and Asia Seidt of Kentucky Aquatics put up monster swims in the morning heats of the women’s 200 fly, earning berths in tonight’s A final ahead of some big names in women’s butterfly.

Smith cracked a blistering 2:08.87 to qualify third in the 200 fly, besting her previous top time (2:10.47) by 1.6 seconds. Smith was the 11th seed in this event, coming in with a time of 2:10.47 which she earned at TYR Pro Swim Series Santa Clara in June. Earlier this year she had posted a best time of 2:11.66 at PSS Austin. Prior to that her fastest 200 fly was a 2:12.90 from 2016 Junior Nationals.

Smith is known worldwide as a backstroker. She burst onto the international scene with a monster 200 back last summer at World Championships in Budapest, breaking the World Junior Record in semifinals with 2:07.19. A few weeks later at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Indianapolis, she won the 100 back with a World Junior Record (59.11) and captured gold in the 200 back (2:07.45).

Seidt had an even more meteoric rise to tonight’s A final in the 200 fly. Seeded with 2:13.14, the 32nd-seeded Seidt sliced an impressive 3.24 seconds off her entry time to qualify 7th in 2:09.90. Like Smith, Seidt is known more for her backstroke prowess. She was runner-up in the 200 back at 2018 NCAAs and came to Irvine seeded 5th in that event.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hali Flickinger (UGA)- 2:05.87
2. Katie Drabot (Stanford)- 2:07.30
3. Regan Smith (Riptide)- 2:08.87
4. Dakota Luther (Unattached)- 2:09.25
5. Sarah Gibson (Texas A&M)- 2:09.54
6. Olivia Carter (Enfinity)- 2:09.80
7. Asia Seidt (Kentucky)- 2:09.90
8. Taylor Pike (AGS)- 2:10.30