NANTERRE, France — Regan Smith used a late surge to claim her second silver medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Lakeville native finished runner-up Thursday in the 200-meter butterfly, trailing only Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh, who set a new Olympic record with a time of 2:03.03. Smith touched in 2:03.84 for a new U.S. record and the fourth silver medal of her career.
"She swam a great race, and she just got beat," said Paul Smith, Regan's father. "She came into this meet very much wanting to capture an individual gold, so she's got one more crack at that (Friday)."
Regan's last chance for an individual gold will come in the 200-meter backstroke, which she qualified for shortly after the 200 fly final. Thursday's medal is Smith's second silver in as many days after finishing runner-up on Tuesday in the 100-meter backstroke.
"That stung. She was not happy," Paul Smith said of Regan's finish in the 100 back. "You can wrap that up in any type of present that you want, she was not happy. (Thursday), with the (200 fly), she was happy."
China's Zhang Yufei, the reigning Olympic champion and one of nearly two dozen swimmers from her country who tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Games but were allowed to compete, pushed the pace over the first half of the race. She couldn't hold on.
McIntosh powered to the lead on the third 50 and left no doubt on the closing lap.
Regan passed Zhang as well, but had no chance of chasing down the 17-year-old who has established herself as one of the biggest stars at La Defense Arena.
McIntosh opened the games with a silver medal in the 400 freestyle, finishing ahead of Katie Ledecky, and blew away the field in the 400 individual medley.
WATCH FROM NBC OLYMPICS: Regan Smith wins silver