2016 Trials Throwback: Smoliga, Baker Lead Changing-of-the-Guard in Women’s 100 Backstroke

olivia-smoliga-kathleen-baker-2016-trials

Olivia Smoliga and Kathleen Baker. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Each day during the pre-scheduled days of the 2020 US Olympic Trials, Swimming World will take its readers back four years to the 2016 Trials in Omaha to recap each event, and will offer some insight into what the events will look like in 2021.

The 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials represented a changing of the guard in the women’s 100 backstroke — but unlike other events, it was an unexpected changing of the guard.

Missy Franklin, at one time the biggest star in women’s swimming, was coming off of a spectacular 2012 Olympic debut in London, winning the gold medal in the 100 backstroke in 58.33, the American record.

Missy Franklin; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Fellow Cal backstroker Rachel Bootsma, who won multiple NCAA titles in the event, was the other Olympian on the team after unseating Natalie Coughlin, who won the gold medal in 2004 and 2008 in the 100 backstroke.

But Coughlin was not done.

At age 33, Coughlin was still at the top of the sport. She had the top seed in the 100 back heading into the 2016 trials at 59.05. There were very few U.S. women in history to make that kind of impact after age 30 at that point.

Franklin was the second seed at 59.38 as two of the biggest stars in the history of the sport looked poised to make the Olympic team together for the first time.

Of course, there were plenty of others who were looking to crash the party — plenty from Cal.

Natalie Coughlin; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

In addition to Coughlin who was a past Cal swimmer, and Franklin, a future Cal swimmer, the event was loaded with Cal colors at the top of the psych sheet. Kathleen Baker was the fifth seed, while Bootsma, a 2012 Olympian, was the eighth seed, ahead of Elizabeth Pelton and Amy Bilquist, also Golden Bears — giving Cal six of the top 10 seeds heading into Trials.

Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga was the third seed at age 21, while 17-year-old Claire Adams, heading to Texas, was hoping to be a factor, as were Missouri’s Hannah Stevens and Michigan’s Ali DeLoof and Clara Smiddy.

Little did we know what the future held for two others in the top 20 on the psych sheet — Regan Smith and Alex Walsh — both just 14 years old.

But Adams, Pelton and Bootsma did not make the finals, setting up a showdown between Smoliga, Baker, Bilquist and DeLoof, along with Coughlin and Franklin.

The Race

What developed was a stunning outcome.

Not only did the top two seeds finish seventh and eighth in the finals, but those seeds were Missy Franklin and Natalie Coughlin, who combined, owned the last three Olympic gold medals in the event at that point.

Amy Bilquist; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Kathleen Baker was out the fastest in 28.68 at the turn, ahead of Olivia Smoliga (28.86) and Ali DeLoof (28.87) with Coughlin still in the race after the turn.

But it was Smoliga who had the most left in the tank in the back half of the race, splitting a 30.16 to win the race in 59.02 and punch her ticket to Rio. Smoliga took 33 strokes, one fewer than every swimmer in the field except for Coughlin.

Baker was right on her heels, taking second in 59.29, just ahead of future Cal teammate Amy Bilquist (59.39), and a charging DeLoof (59.69).

There were two new Olympians in the event for the first time this century.

Results

Olivia Smoliga, 59.02
2. Kathleen Baker, 59.29
3. Amy Bilquist, 59.37
4. Ali DeLoof, 59.69
5. Hannah Stevens, 59.97
6. Clara Smiddy, 1:00.12
7. Missy Franklin, 1:00.24
8. Natalie Coughlin, 1:00.48

On to Rio

While it was Smoliga who earned the win at Trials, it was Baker who ended up having a better swim in the Olympic final.

Baker won the silver medal in 58.75 to finish behind Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu (58.45). It was also enough to edge Canada’s Kylie Masse and China’s Yuanhui Fu, who tied for bronze, by just one hundredth of a second.

Meanwhile, Smoliga finished sixth in 59.85 as the top six finished within a half second of each other.

Franklin went on to qualify for Rio in the 200 back and 200 free, while Coughlin missed the games for the first time since 2000, indeed signaling the changing of the guard — and it started at the 2016 Trials.

Kathleen Baker; Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

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