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Olivia Smoliga on 200 Free: “I wanna have that under my belt”

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – MISSION VIEJO (#3)

Reported by Anne Lepesant.

WOMEN’S 100 METER BACKSTROKE – FINAL

  • Pro Swim Record: 58.18 Regan Smith (2020)
  • Trials Wave II: 1:01.49
  • Trials Wave I: 1:02.69
  1. Olivia Smoliga 26 Athens Bulldog Swim Club 59.09
  2. Kathleen Baker 24 Team Elite-NC/NY 59.50
  3. Rhyan White 21 Univ Alabama Swimming 59.66

Olivia Smoliga came from behind to overtake Kathleen Baker down the stretch to win the 100 back in 59.04. Baker led Smoliga 28.7 to 29.0 at the 50 wall but Smoliga came home .76 faster to get the victory. Baker was just off her 59.45 time from prelims, touching second in 59.50.

Smoliga moves up to #4 in the world for the season, passing Regan Smith.

Rhyan White cracked the 1:00 barrier for the first time, finishing third in 59.66.

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Eisenheim
3 years ago

Kathleen Baker wins gold in the 100 back in Tokyo don’t @ me

Necho
Reply to  Eisenheim
3 years ago

she is certainly doing “everything” that she can for this

tswim
3 years ago

Might not just be Olympic hope too. It might also be good training for the ISL (if there is another season). 200 free short course could be a great event for her and training for it could benefit her 200 back a bit too. That would make her even more versatile and monetarily valuable than she already is.

Yozhik
Reply to  tswim
3 years ago

Maybe that are the reasons. Then say about them. I will accept it. She is professional and competitive swimming is what she does for living. But this “cool” talk about 200lFR when she has very little chance to be an Olympian as backstroker doesn’t look sincere to me.

Yozhik
3 years ago

In the absence of obvious leaders besides Ledecky, then sure, why not to try 200fr to be a relay member. Especially if there is no other way to go to Tokyo (no spectators allowed). But today performance of Australian women at 200free showed that to beat their relay Americans have to split 1:55.7 and Ledecky – 1:54.0)
Sorry Olivia, but you are not my Olympic hope.

Swimmer
3 years ago

She got a point about the 200 free swimmers being the coolest. All the 200 swimmers I know got range for days.

Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
3 years ago

Aside from Katie Ledecky, 1:56.00 or below is the new individual standard for the women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay.

Hswimmer
Reply to  Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
3 years ago

Actually not really. 1:57 will make it I think this year.

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

All have a pretty good chance of going 1:56 or better

Ledecky
Smith
Margalis
Schmitt
McLaughlin
Manuel
Madden

Stephen
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
3 years ago

Don’t worry…NBC to pump a few more bucks in and get the games moved to the US

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
3 years ago

What about MA? Oh….

swimswamswum
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

Hmm not so sure about that – the following women have been 1;56 or better in the US: Ledecky, Schmitt, Leah Smith, Manuel, McLaughlin, Margalis, DeLoof, and Commerford. Then you also have the following 1:57s in Brown, Madden, Flickinger, and Forde. Then throw in the junior swimmers who can always surprise like Regan Smith, Kozan, Tuggle, and Weyant – a 1:56 to make the team does not seem that unlikely.

Ghost
Reply to  swimswamswum
3 years ago

I agree with you but it always seems like it will take faster than it actually does to make the relays….don’t forget they might not take 6 since they have to swim the alternates!

Hswimmer
Reply to  swimswamswum
3 years ago

I think Madden may get the second spot if Schmitt, Comerford, Mclaugjhlin, Brown, Flickinger won’t be faster. Haven’t seen Simone much either, so not sure how they all will perform in the 200. It’s really open after Katie for 2-6…

Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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