{"id":421302,"date":"2020-03-07T18:19:18","date_gmt":"2020-03-08T01:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=421302"},"modified":"2020-03-07T20:32:44","modified_gmt":"2020-03-08T03:32:44","slug":"tyr-pro-series-regan-smith-wins-sneak-peak-of-trials-final-in-100-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/tyr-pro-series-regan-smith-wins-sneak-peak-of-trials-final-in-100-back\/","title":{"rendered":"TYR Pro Series: Regan Smith Wins Sneak Peek of Trials Final in 100 Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final night of the TYR Pro Series<\/strong> stop in Des Moines was very much a sneak preview of what is to come at the United States Olympic Trials<\/strong> in June, especially in the women\u2019s 100 backstroke. One night after prevailing in the 200 backstroke, Regan Smith<\/strong> bested a strong field at half the distance with the sixth-fastest time in history.<\/p>\n

Smith led wire-to-wire in a field that also included former world-record holder Kathleen Baker<\/strong> and Olivia Smoliga<\/strong>, the world champion in the 50 backstroke. Smith fended off Baker down the stretch to touch in 58.18, with Baker following with an impressive time of 58.56. Smoliga checked in with a third-place finish of 59.25.<\/p>\n

The women\u2019s 100 backstroke is one of the most-anticipated events of the U.S. Trials in Omaha as it showcases an exceptionally deep field. The world-record holder at 57.57, Smith is the favorite to nail down the top spot for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, but it will not be an easy event for anyone to negotiate, including Smith.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i>\u201cIt\u2019s great because it is such a stacked and talented field,” Smith said. “The crowd here really felt it and I felt really hyped up and excited. It was just such a great field and it just makes me really excited to race. It\u2019s nerve-wracking for sure but it\u2019s important to use those nerves in a good way and fuel them into your race. It\u2019s also great being next to those girls who are so talented just because we\u2019ve all really gotten so close and I really look up to them so much, so it\u2019s really great.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although the lineup in Des Moines was stacked, it was still missing some major players who will play a big role at Trials. Phoebe Bacon<\/strong>, with a career-best of 58.63, will surely be in the mix, along with Katharine Berkoff<\/strong>, Isabelle Stadden<\/strong> and Lisa Bratton<\/strong>. Of the top-five Americans in history, only Missy Franklin<\/strong> will be missing in Omaha.<\/p>\n