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.
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:
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.
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.
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
