Regan Smith Cruises to Victory in 200 Backstroke at Austin Sectionals
Night Three of the Austin Sectionals continued to be dominated by members of the University of Texas pro group. After securing first-place finishes in the 200-meter butterfly and 100 backstroke during the first two days of the meet, Regan Smith added triumph No. 3 on Friday night at the Jamail Swim Center. This time, Smith topped the field in the 200 backstroke.
Preparing for next month’s Pan Pacific Championships in Southern California, Smith prevailed in the 200 backstroke by more than 10 seconds, going 2:06.14. Smith was out in 29.43 and split 1:01.29 at the halfway point. She added a third-lap split of 32.56 and closed the swim in 32.29. Smith was the silver medalist in the 200 backstroke at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Make it three victories in freestyle action for Simone Manuel. The veteran Olympian followed up previous wins in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle with a first-place effort in the 50 freestyle. Manuel registered a swim of 24.67 to finish comfortably ahead of Maddy Parker, who was second in 25.43. On the men’s side, Chris Guiliano replicated Manuel’s triple as he took the dash win in 22.13, having already won the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle. Guiliano was slightly quicker in prelims, going 22.07.
Rex Maurer and Carson Foster were the only swimmers to go under 3:50 as they finished first and second in the 400 freestyle. Maurer took the win in 3:47.44, with Foster going 3:49.06. During the first two days of the meet, Foster grabbed victories in the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley, the latter event with Maurer as the runnerup. In the final event of the night, Shaine Casas was strong in the 100 butterfly, clocking 50.89.
In other action, Jillian Cox won the women’s 400 freestyle in 4:08.98 and Jack Aikins was quickest in the men’s 200 backstroke behind a time of 2:01.53. Wins in the 100 breaststroke races went to Hannah O’Leary (1:10.24) and Campbell McKean (59.93), who narrowly dipped under the minute barrier. Lillian Nesty took first in the 100 butterfly (59.320.