Grant Wins Gold in 200m Fly

World Juniors silver medallist and NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) swimmer Bella Grant has won her first World Cup race in the women’s 200m butterfly in Korea.

Nineteen-year-old Grant, who out-kicked American Regan Smith on the back half to take the win at 2:03.13 to Smith’s 2:03.21.

“I am super, super happy with it,” Grant said. “It’s my very first World Cup. I just wanted to come and get some race experience. It’s my first competition on the senior stage. I competed at Junior Worlds last year and that was an incredible experience.

“Coming here is about getting race practice – races are the best way to train. I would not have picked this result this morning and a 2:03.1. I just wanted to swim faster than this morning and to work those skills in the race. I look forward to racing in Singapore and hoping to back it up and repeat what I did tonight.”

On Instagram, Grant simply wrote on her account, “Thank you Korea”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bella Grant 🩵 (@bellagrant__)

Smith was off her best time of 2:01.85 from the previous week, but was gracious in defeat.

“It was important to race against some really great competition,” Smith said. “(Bella Grant) gave me a great race. That was really fun. It’s fun being down to the wire and knowing you have one 25 left and you are neck and neck. I think it was a great mental practice so it was a win.”

Grant now travels to Singapore for the World Cup 3.

Article and image courtesy of World Aquatics