Zhang Yufei of China established an Olympic record and won the gold medal in the women’s 200-meter butterfly, ahead of the Americans Regan Smith and Hali Flickinger.Flickinger is 27, which is well-aged in swim years, and won silver at the 2019 world championships. She already had a bronze medal from the 400-meter individual medley in Tokyo, but the butterfly is her strongest stroke. Smith narrowly edged her to the finish.Zhang’s time of 2 minutes 3.86 seconds was the third-fastest time ever. Smith finished second in 2:05.30, with Flickinger securing the bronze in 2:05.65.
