2021 MN AQUAJET MARCH INVITE
- March 12-15, 2021
- Jean K Freeman Aquatic Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 MN AQJT March Invite”
Riptide’s Regan Smith, the World Record-holder in long course in the 100 and 200 back, nearly bookended tonight’s session at the Aquajet March Invite with American Records.
After dropping a 49.18 in the 100 back to erase Beata Nelson‘s American record, Smith returned in the 200 fly, exploding for a 1:49.78. That is her first time under 1:51, and she is now just the third woman ever to break 1:50 in this event. She was just two-tenths off of Ella Eastin‘s American Record of 1:49.51, set in 2018, and she’s also the youngest woman ever to break 1:50 at 19.
Smith was 52.97 going out and 56.81 coming home, holding 28’s after a 24.89 opening 50. Her old best was a 1:51.24 from the 2018 Winter Junior Nationals – West, now over two years ago. That time had her as the #9 performer all-time.
SPLITS
- 24.89
- 28.08 (52.97)
- 28.31
- 28.50 (56.81)
TOP 200-YARD BUTTERFLY PERFORMERS, ALL-TIME
- Ella Eastin – 1:49.51 (2018)
- Regan Smith – 1:49.78 (2021)
- Elaine Breeden – 1:49.92 (2009)
- Louise Hansson – 1:50.28 (2019)
- Kelsi Dahlia – 1:50.61 (2016)
Smith is deferring her freshman year at Stanford to focus on the Olympics this summer. This weekend has been massive for her, especially after a couple of long course meets where she wasn’t swimming best times.
She went a 49.88 in the 100 fly here in Minneapolis, becoming the first woman ever under 50 seconds in both the 100 back and 100 fly (a few have come very close). She’s now also the only woman under 1:50 and 50 in the 200 and 100 fly, as well as just the second woman under 1:50 in both the 200 back and 200 fly after Eastin.
Smith was 1:47.81 in the 200 back this weekend, too, just off of her personal best and American Record time of 1:47.16.
Great swims. It’s too bad she couldn’t fit the 200 free into her schedule. I think she would have unleashed something special in that event too.
Wise move letting her uncork a few swims this far out from trials.
Great news for swimming
And…
She is not monster tall –
Wonder what she could do in IMs?
Wow!
I love how a star breaking these frontiers seems to make many age group swimmers believe they can be this fast. The depth is astounding as so many kids stop limiting themselves to what we used to think of as fast.
Where are the doubters so prevalent after San Antonio now?
I think there doubts were (mostly) about long course. Not sure how anything changed for now. Not saying that she won’t be great in long course, but i am not sure how this proves anything.
Yeah, except for the fact that she’s already approving quantity in Long course as well. So I disagree. Further the doubters are likely the same ones who doubted Caeleb Dressel in season too. We all know where that went.