Maggie Wanezek Makes Massive Leap in 200 Backstroke Rankings
Only a few months ago, Maggie Wanezek ranked 170th all-time in the 200-meter backstroke. Among Americans, she sat just inside the top-50, a time of 2:09.75 her best mark. Then Wanezek competed at the Indianapolis stop of the TYR Pro Series, where she logged a performance of 2:08.20 in the preliminaries. During the evening finals, she ripped a swim of 2:06.05, an effort that propelled the University of Wisconsin standout to No. 16 in history.
Oh, how quickly one can rise.
Heading into her junior year at Wisconsin, Wanezek can be considered one of the biggest upstarts on the American scene. She has enjoyed a career surge in 2026, and not just through her showing in Indianapolis. Earlier in the year, she put together a spectacular appearance at the NCAA Championships, defining herself in the short-course pool. That success eventually carried over to the big tank.
At NCAAs, Wanezek shared second place in the 100 backstroke with Michigan’s Bella Sims, as both women registered times of 49.62. Meanwhile, Wanezek earned another second-place finish in the 200 backstroke, this time behind a time of 1:47.33. The performances were not just personal bests for the Wisconsin native, but signified major leaps from her freshman year, when Wanezek did not advance out of the prelims of the 100 backstroke and placed 13th in the 200 backstroke.
The momentum generated in the little pool quickly transferred to the 50-meter course at the Indiana University Natatorium, site of the Pro Series meet. In the 200 backstroke, Wanezek first cut 1.55 seconds from her best in prelims. At night, she sliced her newest top time by 2.15 seconds. Yes, in a single day, Wanezek improved her 200 backstroke by an incredible 3.70 seconds. Oh, and for good measure, she zipped to a career-best of 58.78 in the 100 backstroke.
The United States has long been a force in the backstroke events, but the current depth in the stroke is overwhelming. Six of the 10-fastest performers this year in the 200 backstroke hail from the U.S., with 17 of the all-time top-40 representing the Red, White and Blue. On the path to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, an argument can be made that there is no more difficult event to qualify in than the 200 backstroke. After all, the likes of Regan Smith, Isabelle Stadden, Claire Curzan, Phoebe Bacon and Leah Shackley have been under 2:06.
Wanezek is within striking distance of a 2:05 effort, and she’ll get the chance to chase that territory at the upcoming United States National Championships in Irvine, California. Maintaining her roll from Indy would position the Wisconsin star favorably for a return trip to the city, namely when it serves as host of the 2028 Olympic Trials.