Lilly King and Regan Smith punched their Tokyo tickets tonight in the 100 breast and 100 back, respectively. King will represent the USA for the second-straight Games, while King earned her first Olympic berth.
In a post-session press conference, King said she wasn’t super happy with the way she raced tonight, but praised 2nd-place finisher Lydia Jacobs and what her Olympic qualification would mean for the state of Alaska.
Yeah, speaking strictly on performance, I was not very happy with that race. That was pretty sloppy. But that’s okay because that means I definitely have more to work on and more in the tank for the big dance coming up here.
But as far as Lydia, I’m very excited. I wasn’t completely shocked. I knew it was going to be a very, very tight race between her and Annie, but yeah, it’s awesome. I love to see more representation. I know Indiana is a pretty big swimming state, but coming from a smaller area that’s not as well known for swimming, that’s a big deal. That’s a big deal. It’s going to be a really big deal in her hometown and in her home state, and I’m really excited for her.
King was also asked about comments she made the other day, when she said that the USA women could sweep gold in Tokyo, and King again explained she was merely stating that the US women have the talent to give them “the possibility and chance to win all the gold medals” in Tokyo and that she “wasn’t trying to stir anything up.”
Smith talked about her reaction to Kaylee McKeown’s breaking Smith’s world record in the 100 back. Smith said that McKeown inspired her, and that she texted her congratulations after the record-breaking swim.
I was honestly very happy for her. I mean, she’d been very close to it multiple times, and so it was cool to see her grab it. We have a great relationship. We don’t know each other super well, but I always send her a congratulatory text. I was really genuinely honestly happy for her, and then it inspired me because I’ve had a tough year, I’ve had my fair share of bad swims this year, and seeing her do so amazing over this whole pandemic has been extremely inspiring.
Reported by James Sutherland
WOMEN’S 100 BACK FINAL
- Regan Smith (RIPT), 58.35
- Rhyan White (BAMA), 58.60
- Olivia Smoliga (ABSC), 58.72
In one of the most highly anticipated finals of the meet, Regan Smith came through over an elite field to win the women’s 100 backstroke and qualify for her first Olympic team.
Smith, who set the (now former) world record in this event at the 2019 World Championships in 57.57, blasted out to an early lead on the opening 50 in 27.90, two-tenths under Australian Kaylee McKeown‘s newly-minted world record pace.
On the second 50, where Smith usually shines, she tied up a bit, losing ground to a hard-charging Rhyan White and Olivia Smoliga, but held on sufficiently for a final time of 58.35.
The 19-year-old Smith set a new U.S. Open Record of 57.92 in the semi-finals, but it was all about getting on the team in this race (not unlike Michael Andrew’s 100 breast swim from last night).
The race for second saw White (58.60) out-touch 2016 winner Smoliga (58.72) for an Olympic spot, making her (possibly) the first Youth Olympian to make the U.S. Olympic team.
None of the eight finalists swam a personal best time.
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST FINAL
- Lilly King (ISC), 1:04.79
- Lydia Jacoby (STSC), 1:05.28
- Annie Lazor (MVN), 1:05.60
Lilly King jumped on it early and locked in her spot on a second U.S. Olympic team, roaring to victory in the women’s 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:04.79—just shy of her world-leading 1:04.72 from the semis and the fourth-fastest swim of her career.
Lydia Jacoby, the 17-year-old out of Alaska, becomes the state’s first Olympic swimmer in the second spot, lowering her 17-18 National Age Group Record from the semi-finals in the process.
Jacoby went 1:05.71 last night, and after turning fifth at the 50 in 30.94, made her way through the field to take second in 1:05.28, notably out-splitting everyone (including King) with a 34.34 back-half.
King’s training partner in Bloomington, Annie Lazor, settled for third in 1:05.60, having swam a PB of 1:05.37 yesterday.
With Jacoby’s swim tonight and King and Lazor’s from the semis factored, the U.S. women now own the top three spots in the world this year.
