2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS
- When:
- Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
- Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
- Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT
- Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
- Wave I & II Event Order
- LCM (50m)
- Prelims Live Stream (NBC Olympics)
- Finals Live Stream (Olympic Channel)
- Wave II Psych Sheets
- Wave II Live Results
19-year-old world record-holder Regan Smith will focus in on backstroke and butterfly at U.S. Olympic Trials. She will not go after a 4×200 free relay spot.
2019s world breakout star, Smith is the world record-holder in the 100 and 200 backstrokes and the reigning world champ in the 200 back.
Smith swill swim the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, and 200 fly at Olympic Trials, holding top-5 seeds in all four events. She’s the runaway #1 seed in both the 100 back and 200 back, though those fields are considered among the toughest of any event at U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021. Smith is also the #2 seed in the 200 fly and the #5 seed in the 100 fly.
Here’s a look at what her event schedule would look like, session-by-session:
| Morning | Evening | |
| Day 1 (Sun. 6/13) | 100 fly (heats) | 100 fly (semis) |
| Day 2 (Mon. 6/14) | 100 back (heats) | 100 fly (final) |
|
100 back (semis)
|
||
| Day 3 (Tue. 6/15) | — | 100 back (final) |
| Day 4 (Wed. 6/16) | 200 fly (heats) | 200 fly (semis) |
| Day 5 (Thu. 6/17) | — | 200 fly (final) |
| Day 6 (Fri. 6/18) | 200 back (heats) |
200 back (semis)
|
| Day 7 (Sat. 6/19) | 200 back (final) | |
| Day 8 (Sun. 6/20) | — | — |
The only potential conflict comes on day 2, when the 100 fly final and 100 back semifinals share a session. Smith had hinted at this exact event lineup in a SwimSwam interview last summer. At the time, she noted the potential 100 fly/100 back conflict, but said “if there’s a way I can fit them both in there, I’d really like to do that.”
As doubles go, this one is actually one of the more doable. The 100 fly final is the very first event of the session, and the 100 back semifinal is the very last event. In between are five events comprising eight total heats, plus plenty of awards ceremonies and commercial breaks. In addition, Smith would be able to go all-out to make the top 2 Olympic qualifying spots in the 100 fly, and would only have to finish in the top 8 in the 100 back to move on to the final the next day.
On the flip side, Smith will not contest the 200 free, which would have had heats on Tuesday (an empty session for Smith), but semifinals just two events prior to her all-important 100 back final. Smith ranks #22 among Americans over the Olympic Trials qualifying period in the 200 free, and some saw this event as a sneaky way to add another potential Olympic medal to Smith’s lineup. But the teenager is looking to make her first-ever Olympic team, and securing that bid – one of the premier goals of any young swimmer – is clearly taking precedence over trying to take on too many events.
Smith was one of the younger competitors at Olympic Trials in 2016. At age 14, she made the 100 back semifinals, taking 13th. She was also 33rd in the 200 back and 81st in the 100 fly.
Is she likely to be on the mixed medley relay? US has been generally going Male backstroker, Lilly King breast, Dressel fly, and Manuel free right? So that likely leaves her off except for possibly prelims unless she drops a really fast fly or backstroke and changes the thinking?
I wish she would just swim the heats of the 200 free to throw down a fast time to be considered for the 4×200 relay.
In Dirado’s case it was the best decision. If Smith gets the same treatment it will also be the best decision.
Missy Franklin was a flop in the women’s 200 meter freestyle at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The bull pen, utilizing the baseball vernacular, already includes Simone Manuel and Melanie Margalis for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Why?
Regan Smith’s personal best time does not stack up to Manuel, Margalis, McLaughlin.
I doubt it. Schmitt was dumped in favor of Simone Manuel.
Not gonna happen.
The final of the women’s 200 meter butterfly precedes the final of the women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. Check out the swimming competition schedule (Thu 29 Jul).
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/schedule/swimming-schedule
It’s possible she could get top 2 in the 100 fly. But I hope she doesn’t get it, because you can only swim one leg on the medley relay.
hope she gets 2nd then
Hmm has anybody ever swum one leg of the relay in prelims and a different one in finals? Would you get two medals??
Curzan and Manuel could both final in the women’s 50 meter freestyle.
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/schedule/swimming-schedule
The final of the women’s 50 meter freestyle precedes the final of the women’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay.
Great question but highly doubt you get two medals
Duncan Scott recently at Euros. Fly in Prelims, Free in Finals.
Since the women’s 100 meter butterfly is first on the schedule for Torri Huske and Regan Smith, both swimmers should be fresh as a daisy.
Meanwhile, Claire Curzan (56.61, 56.20, 56.43) flirts with the American record.
https://www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/1136244/
Only one double? Seems like she could do really well in all of the events then
Just a quick typo that she’s 19, not 17. Interesting to see the events she plans to swim.
Regan Smith – DOB 09 Feb 2002
Smith isn’t the reigning world champ in 100 Back, she didn’t even swim it at world champs!! Relay lead off only. Might want to update your story before the vultures set in.
Also pretty sure she’s not 17 anymore
LOLLLL
Regan Smith is the reigning world champion in the W 200 BK.