US World Trials begins June 27th. Entries are not due yet so psych sheets are not out, and athletes have to decide what events they want to compete for Worlds spots in. One of the athletes that have a decision (and arguably the plural form decisions) is Regan Smith.
Smith is currently the fastest American so far this season in a total of five events: the 100 fly, 200 fly, 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM. Tonight she swam a 2:08.48 in the 200 IM which moved her up from #2 (sitting behind Leah Hayes) to #1. That time also made her the #4 American in the event ever as she dropped over a second and a half in the event.
US World Trials is only five days long, which may seem perfect but the meet also includes 50s of the stroke events which Smith might want to throw her name in the hat for.
Here are the events Smith might swim on each day at US Worlds Trials.
Potential Trials Lineup
- Day 1: 200 fly
- Day 2: 200 back, 50 fly
- Day 3: 100 fly, 50 back
- Day 4: 100 back
- Day 5: 200 IM
Smith’s leading American times in all five events are all on different days. In addition to her leading times in the five events, Smith is also the second-fastest American this season in the 50 back as she swam a 27.54 finishing second behind Katharine Berkoff who swam a 27.40 at Pro Swim-Westmont.
Smith swam the 50 back last year at International Team Trials and finished second behind Berkoff. This year, the event order for day 3 is the 400 IM, 100 fly, 50 breast, and 50 back. What does this mean? Well, it probably is not “ideal”, but Smith has been swimming many “doubles” this year at Pro Swim meets so she most definitely is not new to the “doubles” in finals strategy. Let’s also not forget she won the 200 back and tied for second in the 200 fly at 2022 Women’s NCAAs (which were SCY).
Smith did not swim the 50 fly at International Team Trials, but since she is the top 100 flyer so far this season for the US, for the sake of being extra aware it is in there anyways. It’s the event after the 200 backstroke and only one swimmer qualifiers for Worlds in the 50s anyways, it is much more unlikely that she swims the event compared to the 50 back.
Unlike Trials, Worlds is much longer but also adds in semi-finals in addition to relays.
Assuming she does opt to swim the 200 IM, this could potentially be her individual event schedule at Worlds. The 50s of strokes and relays will not be included in this lineup.
- Day 1: Prelims/Semis 200 IM, Prelims/Semis 100 fly
- Day 2: Prelims/Semis 100 back, Finals 200 IM, Finals 100 fly
- Day 3: Finals 100 back
- Day 4: Prelims/Semis 200 fly
- Day 5: Finals 200 fly
- Day 6: Prelims/Semis 200 back
- Day 7: Finals 200 back
- Day 8: N/A
Unlike Trials, even though there are eight days to the meet, the Worlds schedule is not “ideal” with the 200 IM. Even though she has never swam the 100 fly at an International meet for the US (but has been swimming it more often recently), even without the 100 fly, she would still have the double on night two with finals of the 200 IM and semi-finals of the 100 back. The 100 back and 200 IM only have the men’s 200 free semi-final in between so it is safe to say it would be a tight turnaround. See the full event lineup for 2023 Worlds here.
This leads us to talk about the biggest debate of adding the 200 IM at Trials. Alex Walsh and Leah Hayes were recently our top two picks in the 200 IM after they both went on to swim it at Worlds last year. Walsh won the event at Worlds and Hayes won bronze, setting a World Junior Record in the process. NCAA record holder in the SCY 200 IM Kate Douglass was our third pick in the event and American Record holder in the SCM 100 IM Beata Nelson was our fourth.
Eddie-ism: “Happy swimmers are fast swimmers.” And so it goes.
Doesnt he say it the other way around?
It’s very plausible that she COULD qualify in all of the above but highly impractical that she would actually swim them all at Worlds
The 3 key considerations are basically self-explanatory
I. Compatability on Worlds schedule
II. Ease of Qualification
III. Likely “Return on Investment”; ie will she be shooting for gold in Fukuoka or just a medal ?
With regards to II; the easiest qualification routes look to be 100back and 200fly where she looks a likely “lock”. 200back, whilst favoured, will most likely be tightly contested as she has yet to reattain her position of dominance. 100fly and 200IM will be “brutal”.
At this point, 100back stands out as the most obvious gold chance as… Read more »
Doesn’t the 100 back winner automatically get a spot in the 50 back? So she doesn’t need to swim it at trials?
I believe that happens only if the 2nd place swimmer in the 50 does not qualify for some other reason. Last year, Justin Ress took second in the 50 back at trials, and we initially assumed that Ryan Murphy would take that second spot since he qualified for the 100. But Ress made the 4×100 relay, and he ended up taking the second 50 back spot… A fateful decision for how we finish our backstroke races in the future.
Oh, but Murphy got second in the 100 back, and Hunter won both the 50 and 100. You may be right that Murph would have gotten the second 50 back spot if he’d won the 100.
She needs to drop the 100fly and the 50s
Regan Smith may not even qualify for the women’s 100 meter butterfly not with Curzan, Douglass, Huske in contention.
She should drop the 100 fly in favor of the 200 IM
If McKeown is doing the 200 IM and 100 back double so can Regan
McKeown didn’t do the double last year so we will see for them both this time
I would say Regan is much more likely to do a double in general than Kaylee McKeown at a big meet lol
Regan Smith would have to drop one of the W 100 FL or W 200 IM if she qualified in both events. Refer to the event schedule at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships for further details.
Suspect, given her 2023 form in both backstroke and IM probably gives her some increased leeway in heats and semis, that McKeown may pursue the 100back/200IM double unless her shoulder is still problematic.
Smith is, realistically, only likely to be co-opted for one relay (W4XMED) whereas, due to the tragi-comedic status of AUS M100back, it’s likely that McKeown will again be called on for MMR.
What?
Regan Smith will lead off the women’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay as been the case since the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.
That’s what they said.
McKeown dropped the W 100 BK at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.
True, although she’s been handling doubles well this year so far. I think she’ll try it in Fukuoka.
It’ll be a triple if she also gets a 1fly spot in this order: 100 FL final, 100 BK semi, 200 IM final
I very much doubt she would swim all 3 if she qualified for them.
“Let’s also not forget she won the 200 back and tied for second in the 200 fly at 2022 Women’s NCAAs (which were SCY).”
Yes, a nice note to all the ridiculous bashers of Greg Meehan.
I’m starting to believe she won that in pure talent alone and nothing more. Her going back to her ridiculous improvement curve she had before is indicative of that.
Fans hope so!