Olympic Semifinals: Emily Seebohm Takes Top Seed into Loaded 200 Backstroke Final Ahead of Bacon, White, Masse, McKeown

Jul 29, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Emily Seebohm (AUS) in the women's 200m backstroke heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars/USA Today Sports

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Olympic Semifinals: Emily Seebohm Takes Top Seed into Loaded 200 Backstroke Final Ahead of Bacon, White, Masse, McKeown

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown made a big decision early in Tokyo. She decided to withdraw from the 200 IM and focus on the backstroke events.

So far, no one had been able to stop her — until the semifinals.

In fact it was a trio of swimmers in the first semifinal that took the top spots Australian teammate and veteran Emily Seebohm took the top seed in 2:07.09, just one hundredth ahead of USA’s Phoebe Bacon (2:07.10). USA’s Rhyan White was right there at 2:07.28 to take the third spot.

Then in the second semifinal, it was Canada’s Kylie Masse to took the tops in the heat and fourth overall at 2:07.82.

“It was good,” Masse said. “I’m happy with that race, progressing from yesterday and moving in the right direction, so that’s always good. Not necessarily important to win; that’s not what I’m thinking about. Obviously the finals is what matters and I’m trying to make it there, so I’m just focusing on my own race strategy and technical things I can work on to execute my race.”

Then it was McKeown in 2:07.93, followed by China’s Liu Yaxin (2:08.65), Canada’s Taylor Ruck (2:08.73) and China’s Peng Xuwei (2:08.76) to round out the top eight.

Without world record holder Regan Smith in the event, it seems like it could be McKeown’s for the taking — but women’s backstroke events are always loaded. This race just got a whole lot more interesting with nearly the entire final in striking distance.

The reason Smith didn’t qualify in this race is because of the emergence of Rhyan White and Phoebe Bacon into the U.S. and world’s elite.

Meanwhile Canadians Kylie Masse and Taylor Ruck have made plenty of marks on international swimming over the years, while Chinese swimmer Liu Yaxin and Peng Xuwei had solid prelims.

One of the interesting points of this Olympic race is that 12 countries were represented in the 16 semifinalists, including swimmers from Moldova, Israel, Spain, Poland and Austria.

In the first semifinal, White and Bacon were out fastest in the field, just ahead of Ruck at the first 50 turn. Bacon led at the 150 ahead of Emily Seebohm and White.

But Seebohm closed to take the top spot from the first heat in 2:07.09 ahead of Bacon and White, who were right with her.

Bacon was one hundredth behind in 2:07.10, while White was at 2:07.28. Ruck was fourth at 2:08.83.

In the second semifinal, Masse turned first after the 50. At the 150, it was McKeown who had taken over the lead and continued strong down the stretch before Masse used a late merge to touch in 2:07.82. McKeowan finished in 2:07.93 and Liu Yaxin (2:08.65).

Women’s 200 Backstroke

World Record: Regan Smith, United States, 2:03.35 (2019)
Olympic Record: Missy Franklin, United States, 2:04.06 (2012)

The Olympic Finalists

  1. Emily Seebohm, Australia, 2:07.09
  2. Phoebe Bacon, USA, 2:07.10
  3. Rhyan White, USA, 2:07.28
  4. Kylie Masse, Canada, 2:07.82
  5. Kaylee McKeown, Australia, 2:07.93
  6. Liu Yaxin, China, 2:08.65
  7. Taylor Ruck, Canada, 2:08.73
  8. Peng Xuwei, China, 2:08.76
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