[RACE VIDEO] Watch Regan Smith Down 200 Back WJR at Phillips 66 National Championships

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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16-year-old Regan Smith has effectively established herself as a young athlete to watch en route to Tokyo 2020, notching top times and records in the women’s backstroke events.

Smith rocketed onto Team USA’s roster for the 2017 World Championships in Budapest and has now added a spot on the Pan Pacific Championships roster travelling to Tokyo next month in the 200 back and potentially more.

Tonight, while swimming in the ‘A’ final of the women’s 200 back, the teenage backstroke phenom delivered a killer final 50 split of 32.59 to finish dead even with Olympian Kathleen Baker and tie for the national championship title. The two posted matching times of 2:06.43, which stands as a World Junior Record for Smith.

Watch the full race, courtesy of USA Swimming, below:

Read the original report below:

Olympian Kathleen Baker and 16-year-old Regan Smith tied for first in the 200 backstroke with matching 2:06.43. That is just off of Baker’s best of 2:06.38 from last summer, when she won the bronze medal at the World Championships in Budapest. For Smith, that time will stand as a new world junior record and is the first time the young swimmer has broken 2:07.

The two were neck and neck through the entire race, with Baker having the edge at each wall through the 150 before Smith made it up with a killer last 50 split of 32.59. Finishing in third was 16-year-old Isabelle Stadden (2:08.24), who just clipped her best time of 2:08.37 from earlier this year at the Mel Zajac International meet. Rounding out the top 4 was Lisa Bratton in 2:08.37.

Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga was fifth in 2:08.58, which was her first time under 2:09 and a best by about a second, which bodes well for her 100 backstroke later in the meet. Rounding out the A-final was Asia Seidt (2:09.20), Katharine Berkoff (2:10.12), and Ali Galyer (2:10.91).

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