U.S. Short Course World Trials, Day 4 Women’s Finals: Skyler Smith Punches Ticket in 50 Breast
Skyler Smith was, as the broadcast at Short Course World Trials pointed out Saturday, about as happy as one could be with a medal at the Pan Pacific Championships this summer.
At the FMC Natatorium in Westmont, Illinois, the emotion was evident once again for the 23-year-old. After all, another international meet representing the United States after her debut this summer is still something to celebrate.
Smith smacked the water in joy after touching the wall first in the women’s 50 breaststroke, her winning time of 29.65 seconds getting her to Worlds in Beijing next month.
Kate Douglass set the world record in the 100 freestyle, Gretchen Walsh popped the fifth fastest time in history in the women’s 100 fly and Claire Curzan added an American record in the 200 back to her world record in the 100 back on the final night in Westmont:
- Day One Recap
- Day Two Men’s Recap
- Day Two Women’s Recap
- Day Three Women’s Recap
- Day Three Men’s Recap
- Day Four Prelims Recap
- Live Results
50 breaststroke
Skyler Smith booked her spot in Beijing with a time of 29.65 that improves her standing as the No. 2 performer in the world this year. She was .09 seconds ahead of Piper Enge, who won the 100 breast a night earlier. Third in the race was Caroline Larsen of Louisville, who went 29.77.
“It has been a crazy year. Coming into Pan Pacs I finally started to believe in myself a little bit more and that I could do these cool things,” Smith said. “I need to hit the first wall a lot better and work on my push-off a little bit more.
Maddy Huggins was fourth in 30.08, followed by Lucy Thomas. Veterans Molly Hannis and Breeja Larson finished sixth and eighth, respectively, with Mia Cheatwood between.
400 individual medley
Alex Walsh had no trouble with a five-person field in the women’s 400 IM, winning in 4:29.18. She’s the seventh-fastest performer in the world this year.
“I have been enjoying short-course meters this fall. I am hoping to replicate the success I had in yards. It makes me excited,” Walsh said. “I wish I could say I was super happy with that time. I was 4:27 two weeks ago, but I know I can throw down a really good swim in that event.”
It was a big gap back to Isabelle Odgers, who finished second in 4:35.85.
800 freestyle
In the three-swimmer final, Claire Weinstein picked up the win in 8:25.15. She was 5.4 seconds clear of Katie McCarthy. Weinstein, who missed Pan Pacs this summer after a bout of meningitis, said on the broadcast that she’s planning to skip Beijing.
That will leave the spot to Katie McCarthy, who won the 1,500 freestyle. McCarthy was second in 8:30.55. Third was Zoe Nordmann a half-second back.
100 butterfly
It’s a testament to Gretchen Walsh’s all-consuming dominance that she can uncork the fifth-fastest performance all-time and win a 100-meter race by nearly 2.5 seconds and it’s somehow another day at the office. Such are the Ledeckyian terms of engagement for the world’s premier short-track sprinter, which Walsh delivered on again.
The world and everything record holder went 53.50, which slots in fifth all-time in an event where she holds the top eight times.
A distant second was Alex Shackell in 55.93. Lillie Nordmann finished third in 57.26, with many of the big names not in the field behind the near guarantee that is a Walsh win.
200 backstroke
It’s quality over quantity for the U.S. in backstroke. Only four swimmers were in the final, but all four are capable of representing the nation on the world stage.
Claire Curzan won the race in 1:57.65, taking away Regan Smith’s American record by two tenths. She was .3 off the world record set last year by Kaylee McKeown, a mark she was four tenths under at the midway point and a tenth ahead of entering the final 50. It adds to Curzan’s world record in the 100 back on Friday.
Smith was pretty good in her own right, appearing to close on Curzan late. She got all but the last eight tenths back, second in 1:58.49. The two friendly rivals convened with third-place Phoebe Bacon (2:01.18) and Isabelle Stadden (2:01.94) for a group hug before exiting the pool in another illustration of American backstroking depth.
100 freestyle
Kate Douglass is inevitable, the world’s top 200 breaststroker further cementing her place as its top sprinter. She went 49.64 to lower her world record from 49.93. More about that here.
For relay purposes, Gretchen Walsh was excellent in 50.61 for second place. Third was Liberty Clark, the newly minted American record holder in the 200 free, in 50.94 seconds. Rylee Erisman rounds out the presumptive relay foursome in 51.22.
That leaves no place for Camille Spink, who had been on a hot streak entering the meet. She was fifth in 51.66. Simone Manuel followed a solid 200 free on Friday with sixth in the 100 in 52.26.
