Los Angeles (AFP) – Regan Smith produced an impressive double with wins in the 200m butterfly and 100m backstroke on Friday at the Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Illinois, where Caeleb Dressel nabbed a second win of the week.
Smith dominated the 200m fly field, clocking 2min 04.80sec — more than four seconds faster than runner-up Dakota Luther (2:08.94).
Just about half an hour later she returned to win the 100m backstroke in a US Open record of 57.64sec, narrowly missing her own American record in the event.
Once again she won by a big margin, with teenager Leah Shackley second in 59.76.
Dressel, a seven-time Olympic gold medallist who has his sights on the Paris Games after a lengthy break from the sport, won the 50m freestyle in 21.84sec, adding that title to his 100m fly triumph on Thursday.
Dressel, whose starting block broke as he hit the water, had to wait out a timing system glitch before the outcome was confirmed, with Italian Santo Condorelli second in 21.89 and Alexy Jack third in 21.90.
Torri Huske, coming off a convincing 100m butterfly win on Thursday, lowered her lifetime best to win the women’s 50m free in 24.31 ahead of 2016 Olympic medallist Simone Manuel, who clocked 24.49.
Lilly King completed her breaststroke double with a 200m victory in 2:25.97.
And Ryan Murphy, who will be chasing a third Olympics appearance at the US trials in June, led all the way in winning the men’s 100m back in 53.23, with Hugo Gonzalez of Spain second in 53.98.
© 2024 AFP
