{"id":530482,"date":"2023-06-28T08:53:12","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T15:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=530482"},"modified":"2023-06-28T08:53:12","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T15:53:12","slug":"u-s-nationals-regan-smith-leads-star-studded-200-backstroke-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/u-s-nationals-regan-smith-leads-star-studded-200-backstroke-final\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Nationals: Regan Smith Leads Star-Studded 200 Backstroke Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. Nationals: Regan Smith Leads Star-Studded 200 Backstroke Final<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

With four Olympians packed into the women’s 200 backstroke, the finals at the U.S. National Championships were expected to be loaded with some of the top names in women’s swimming.<\/p>\n

They didn’t disappoint as the four Olympians were among the top five seeds heading into finals, led by Regan Smith<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The American record holder, who won the 200 fly on Day 1<\/a>, cruised to the wall in 2:06.83 to take the top seed.<\/p>\n

Wolfpack Aquatic’s Kennedy Noble<\/strong> was perhaps the surprise finisher in the event, taking the second seed in 2:07.09, just ahead of a trio of Olympians – Claire Curzan<\/strong> (2:07.73), Rhyan White<\/strong> (2:07.87) and Phoebe Bacon<\/strong> (2:08.19).<\/p>\n

The final heat featured Smith, the American record holder, and trials finalist Isabelle Stadden<\/strong>. Smith led early and kept it and finished in 2:06.83. Stadden was second in 2:08.43 and finished sixth overall at 2:08.43.<\/p>\n

The second circle-seeded at U.S. Nationals heat saw Claire Curzan<\/strong> go a 1:01.60 in the first 100, being chased by fellow Olympian Phoebe Bacon<\/strong> and Kennedy Noble<\/strong>. Noble took the lead at the 150 mark and pulled away to touch in 2:07.09, the 11th fastest woman in American history. Curzan went a 2:07.73 and Bacon was third in 2:08.19 in a stellar prelims heat.<\/p>\n

In the first circle-seeded heat, White was out fast and led at 1:01.92 at the halfway point. She built that lead and was at 1:34.67 at the 150 mark. She touched the wall in 2:07.87.<\/p>\n

Reilly Tiltmann<\/strong> took the seventh seed in 2:08.98 and Jo Jo Ramey snagged the last finals spot at 2:09.69.<\/p>\n

The top four were among the top 10 times in the world this year.<\/p>\n