Utahn swims into 4th, twice, at the Tokyo Olympic Games

Japan Photo: Tianshul Liu

TOKYO, Japan. — In Tokyo time today, Salt Lake City’s born and raised Rhyan White finished in fourth place in the field but first place among Americans in the 200 backstroke in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Unlike the freestyle stroke which is contested at the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and newly added this year the 1,500, the backstroke is comparatively contested at only two distances, the 100 and the 200. Not every backstroke specialist at the Games gets to contest both, White, however, performed so well at her first Olympic Trials in Omaha that she was one of the lucky ones who got to in Tokyo.

Placing fourth in the 100 backstroke earlier in the week, White, 21, is nothing if not consistent in this, her first Games.

 

Results

Rank	Lane	Name	Reaction Time	Time	Time Behind
1	2	AUS McKEOWN Kaylee	0.59	2:04.68
2	6	CAN MASSE Kylie	0.54	2:05.42	0.74
3	4	AUS SEEBOHM Emily	0.65	2:06.17	1.49
4	3	USA WHITE Rhyan Elizabeth	0.61	2:06.39	1.71
Distance Time Rank Split Time   50m 29.59 3     100m 1:01.61 4 32.02   150m 1:34.08 4 32.47   Finish 2:06.39 4 32.31

In fifth place in the 200 backstroke was fellow American Phoebe Bacon.

On to the relays which will take place over the next days wrapping up Tokyo 2020 Olympic competition in the swimming pool.

White’s impressive meet finishes are expected to have her named to at least one relay.