Shaine Casas Cruises to Title in 200 IM at Austin Sectionals; Regan Smith Pads Victory Count
Less than a month out from the Pan Pacific Championships, Shaine Casas is looking good on his way to Southern California. Coming off a sub-51 performance in the 100-meter butterfly the previous night, Casas won the 200 individual medley at the Austin Sectionals on Saturday evening. Casas put together a mark of 1:57.63, which was a little more than a second faster than training partner Carson Foster, who went 1:58.88. Third place was claimed by Rex Maurer in 1:59.59.
The silver medalist in the 200 IM at last summer’s World Championships, Casas will have multiple event options at Pan Pacs, which will run from August 12-15 at the William Woollett Aquatic Center. However, the 200 medley will undoubtedly be part of Casas’ program, with the 26-year-old seeking to continue his momentum in the event. At the last Worlds, Casas was timed in 1:54.30, making him the No. 4 performer in history.
In the women’s 200 IM, Regan Smith picked up her fourth victory of the meet, behind a time of 2:11.17. She returned to the pool shortly after and grabbed win No. 5 in the 50 butterfly, a mark of 26.04 doing the trick. During the first three days of the meet, Smith won the 200 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke. Meanwhile, Jillian Cox was triumphant in the 1500 freestyle, going 16:10.21.
