World Championships, Day Four Prelims: Helena Bach Snares Top Seed in 200 Butterfly; Regan Smith Sneaks Through

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World Championships, Day Four Prelims: Helena Bach Snares Top Seed in 200 Butterfly; Regan Smith Sneaks Through

Surprise was the theme of the preliminaries of the women’s 200-meter butterfly at the World Championships in Fukuoka. Not only did the top seed go to Denmark’s Helena Bach, the United States’ Regan Smith narrowly qualified for the semifinals in what was the second event of her morning.

Bach’s time of 2:07.57, turned in during the first seeded heat, held up over the last two heats and sent the Dane into the night as the event’s quickest performer. Meanwhile, Smith was fifth in the same prelim as Bach and had to do a little sweating before learning she was 15th and safely through to the semifinals. Smith qualified as the top seed in the 50 backstroke earlier in the session and was timed in the 200 fly in 2:10.80.

Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh, who owns the world junior record, advanced in the third position behind a mark of 2:07.91, while Great Britain’s Laura Stephens was fourth in 2:08.07. The fifth spot went to Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Lana Pudar in 2:08.16. McIntosh will have a difficult double at night, as the final of the 200 freestyle will be held before the semifinals of the 200 butterfly.

Reigning Olympic champion Zhang Yufei of China opted to scratch the event to focus on the mixed medley relay, where China is among the favorites for gold.

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