Will Regan Smith Swim the 200 IM at 2023 US World Trials?

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

US World Trials begins June 27th. Entries are not due yet so psych sheets are not out, and athletes have to decide what events they want to compete for Worlds spots in. One of the athletes that have a decision (and arguably the plural form decisions) is Regan Smith.

Smith is currently the fastest American so far this season in a total of five events: the 100 fly, 200 fly, 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM. Tonight she swam a 2:08.48 in the 200 IM which moved her up from #2 (sitting behind Leah Hayes) to #1. That time also made her the #4 American in the event ever as she dropped over a second and a half in the event.

US World Trials is only five days long, which may seem perfect but the meet also includes 50s of the stroke events which Smith might want to throw her name in the hat for.

Here are the events Smith might swim on each day at US Worlds Trials.

Potential Trials Lineup

• Day 1: 200 fly
• Day 2: 200 back, 50 fly
• Day 3: 100 fly, 50 back
• Day 4: 100 back
• Day 5: 200 IM

Smith’s leading American times in all five events are all on different days. In addition to her leading times in the five events, Smith is also the second-fastest American this season in the 50 back as she swam a 27.54 finishing second behind Katharine Berkoff who swam a 27.40 at Pro Swim-Westmont.

Smith swam the 50 back last year at International Team Trials and finished second behind Berkoff. This year, the event order for day 3 is the 400 IM, 100 fly, 50 breast, and 50 back. What does this mean? Well, it probably is not “ideal”, but Smith has been swimming many “doubles” this year at Pro Swim meets so she most definitely is not new to the “doubles” in finals strategy. Let’s also not forget she won the 200 back and tied for second in the 200 fly at 2022 Women’s NCAAs (which were SCY).

Smith did not swim the 50 fly at International Team Trials, but since she is the top 100 flyer so far this season for the US, for the sake of being extra aware it is in there anyways. It’s the event after the 200 backstroke and only one swimmer qualifiers for Worlds in the 50s anyways, it is much more unlikely that she swims the event compared to the 50 back.

Unlike Trials, Worlds is much longer but also adds in semi-finals in addition to relays.

Assuming she does opt to swim the 200 IM, this could potentially be her individual event schedule at Worlds. The 50s of strokes and relays will not be included in this lineup.

• Day 1: Prelims/Semis 200 IM, Prelims/Semis 100 fly
• Day 2: Prelims/Semis 100 back, Finals 200 IM, Finals 100 fly
• Day 3: Finals 100 back
• Day 4: Prelims/Semis 200 fly
• Day 5: Finals 200 fly
• Day 6: Prelims/Semis 200 back
• Day 7: Finals 200 back
• Day 8: N/A

Unlike Trials, even though there are eight days to the meet, the Worlds schedule is not “ideal” with the 200 IM. Even though she has never swam the 100 fly at an International meet for the US (but has been swimming it more often recently), even without the 100 fly, she would still have the double on night two with finals of the 200 IM and semi-finals of the 100 back. The 100 back and 200 IM only have the men’s 200 free semi-final in between so it is safe to say it would be a tight turnaround. See the full event lineup for 2023 Worlds here.

This leads us to talk about the biggest debate of adding the 200 IM at Trials. Alex Walsh and Leah Hayes were recently our top two picks in the 200 IM after they both went on to swim it at Worlds last year. Walsh won the event at Worlds and Hayes won bronze, setting a World Junior Record in the process. NCAA record holder in the SCY 200 IM Kate Douglass was our third pick in the event and American Record holder in the SCM 100 IM Beata Nelson was our fourth.

SwimSwam: Will Regan Smith Swim the 200 IM at 2023 US World Trials?