Regan Smith swims historic double at Tyr Pro Series
In a half-hour span, Regan Smith swam the fastest times ever this early in a year in the 100m backstroke and 200m butterfly.
Smith won the 100m back in 57.64 at a Tyr Pro Series meet in Westmont, Illinois, seven hundredths off her American record from 2019 and the ninth-fastest time in history.
Australian Kaylee McKeown, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and 2023 World champion, is the only woman to ever swim faster than Smith. McKeown owns the top five times in history, including the world record of 57.33 from last October.
Smith took bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at last July's worlds behind McKeown.
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They are expected to go head-to-head at the Paris Games in both backstrokes, among the most anticipated matchups of the USA-Australia rivalry. If each makes the team at their Olympic Trials, that is.
Earlier Friday in Westmont, Smith took the 200m fly in 2:04.80.
Her American record from last June, 2:03.87, makes her the fastest American in the event by 2.92 seconds since the start of 2023 and the fastest in the world in this Olympic cycle by 19 hundredths over 17-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh.
Smith earned 200m fly silver at the Tokyo Olympics, then bronze at July's worlds. China's Zhang Yufei is the reigning Olympic champion. McIntosh won worlds in 2022 and 2023.
Also Friday, Caeleb Dressel earned his second victory in as many nights, continuing his return from a monthslong break from the sport in late 2022.
He won the 50m freestyle in 21.84 seconds, defeating a field that included the two fastest Americans from 2023: world silver medalist Jack Alexy (third in 21.90) and national champion Ryan Held (fifth in 22.32).
It marked Dressel's best time in the event since returning to competition last May. Dressel, who won the Tokyo Olympic title in 21.07, is tied for fifth among Americans by best time since the start of 2023.
The top two at June's Olympic Trials make the team for the Paris Games.
On Thursday, Dressel won the 100m fly, also in his best time since returning to competition and also over a field that included the fastest American last year (Dare Rose).
Dressel is entered in his third and final primary event, the 100m free, on the last day of the meet Saturday. The USA Swimming Network app airs live finals coverage at 7 p.m. ET.
