Can the U.S. Males Hold Their Historic 200 Backstroke Streak at Pan Pacs Alive?
Because the first Pan Pacific Championships in 1985, one factor has at all times stayed the identical: An American man has received gold within the 200-meter backstroke. Lenny Krayzelburg, Aaron Piersol, Ryan Lochte, and Ryan Murphy are only a few of the lads who’ve dominated this occasion at Pan Pacs. Will the streak proceed? Though he has returned to coaching together with his websites set on a house Olympic Video games in 2028, Murphy won’t compete at Pan Pacs later this summer season. And over the previous few years, the U.S. arsenal within the 200 backstroke has been thinner than regular.
Right here’s a have a look at how the occasion is shaping up at Pan Pacs.
U.S. Contenders
The U.S. males may have an opportunity to maintain this streak alive with the likes of Keaton Jones and Jack Aikins. On paper, Aikins is america’ greatest likelihood for gold. Whereas he owns a profession better of 1:54.25 from final 12 months’s World Championships Trials, Aikins has solely contested one long-course meet this 12 months, which was the Fort Lauderdale Open. He completed fourth within the 200 again with a time of two:02.13, not a super swim.
Aikins had a profitable yards season with a brand new greatest time within the occasion, a 1:37.90 from the NCAA Championships. Aikins has at all times been identified extra for his long-course skills than brief course. After huge enhancements briefly course, the hope is he will get even sooner within the huge pool. His greatest time could be very robust, one which, if repeated, might simply land him on the highest step of the rostrum. After a poor World Championships efficiency because of sickness, Aikins needs to be nothing however motivated to place up high occasions once more.
In the meantime, Jones finds himself as one other robust contender within the 200 again this summer season. With a profession better of 1:54.61 from the 2024 Olympic Trials, the Cal standout at the moment sits twentieth on this planet together with his time from the Sacramento cease of the TYR Professional Sequence. Jones’ rating is deceiving, contemplating his time is from a midseason meet, and never from a significant competitors like a lot of the different swimmers. Like Aikins, Jones had a disappointing 2025 World Championships, the place he was eradicated within the semifinals. If Jones can discover his greatest, he’ll be a contender for gold.
Key Threats
Greater than ever, the U.S. males have been pressed within the 200 backstroke, and there may be a couple of one who can cease the Pan Pacs streak from persevering with. Canada’s Blake Tierney completed fourth on the World Championships in Singapore with a time of 1:55.09, solely .06 off his Canadian document from the semifinals. Tierney holds a season better of 1:58.21 from the U.S. Open. With the best way he drops time throughout taper, his in-season occasions imply virtually nothing. Come August, Tierney can be a high menace. If he rests in any respect for Canadian Trials in July, then we may have a a lot better baseline for what to anticipate out of him at Pan Pacs.
Juho Lee of Korea has discovered himself in prime kind over the previous 12 months. Late final 12 months, he produced a time of 1:55.34. This time can also be his private greatest. The 31-year-old would be the veteran of the sector and hopes that his expertise can take over in a discipline as tight as this one.Â
As at all times at Pan Pacs, the Japanese pose a menace in any occasion, and the 200 again is not any totally different. Hidekazu Takehara (1:55.50) and Kodai Nishiono (1:56.04) have stable private bests. Each are very younger and quickly bettering. Takehara is 22 years outdated, and Nishiono is 23. After getting a style of the worldwide stage on the World Championships final summer season, Pan Pacs can be a fantastic check for each of them. In the event that they proceed to enhance, there isn’t any doubt they’ll compete for gold. Further depth is provided by 17-year-old Yumeki Kojima, who just lately posted a 1:55.62.
The Wildcard
Pan Pacs introduced that non-European international locations might take part on this 12 months’s Pan Pacs. Because of this probably the greatest backstrokers on this planet, Pieter Coetze, might doubtlessly compete within the meet. Whereas his fundamental focus is on the Commonwealth Video games, an look by Coetze would add a spark. The World Champs silver medalist can be the favourite on this race if he competes. With a greatest time of 1:53.36, Coetze would discover himself seeded virtually a second forward of the competitors.
One other wildcard of the 200 again has nothing to do with the swimmers competing, however fairly the circumstances of the meet. Pan Pacs will happen in Irvine, California, that means the meet will happen exterior on the William Woollett Aquatic Heart. Swimming backstroke exterior is thought to be a troublesome activity.Â
It doesn’t matter what worldwide competitors the U.S. competes in, it’s going to at all times have a very good likelihood at backstroke gold. On the 2026 Pan Pacs, the Individuals may have a stable likelihood to maintain a historic streak alive.
