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The United States ventured back in the pool on Friday and were able to reach the podium once more. Regan Smith ended up coming away with a silver medal in the women's 200-meter backstroke final to lead the way for the Americans.

Smith finished secondl thanks to a time of 2:04.26 in the event. Australia's Kaylee McKeown just beat out Smith to win a gold medal after turning in an Olympic record time of 2:03.73. McKeown also earned gold in the 100m backstroke this year. Smith had finished in third place with a time of 2:08.14 in her semifinal heat on Thursday. Fellow United States swimmer Phoebe Bacon finished in fourth place with a time of 2:04.61 as she just missed out on reaching the podium.

In the men's 50-meter freestyle final, Caeleb Dressel failed to earn a medal. Dressel finished in sixth place with a final time of 21.61. He was in medal position in the opening meters of the race, but ultimately faded down the stretch as Australia's Cameron McEvoy took gold with a time of 21.25. Dressel had won a gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Things only got worse from there for Dressel. The Florida native failed to qualify for the final of the men's 100-meter butterfly after finishing in fifth in his semifinal heat with a time of 51.57. Dressel was visibly upset when the second semifinal race was finished and it was clear he would not be participating in the final on Saturday.

United States swimmer Carson Foster put together a strong performance in the men's 200-meter individual medley, but fell just short of earning a medal. Foster finished the race in fourth place with a time of 1:56.10, which was just a tenth of a second behind China's Wang Shun. France's Leon Marchand continued his reign of terror in his home country as he won the gold medal with an Olympic record final time of 1:54.06 in the event -- his fourth gold of this Olympics.

Alex Walsh's only Olympic event was Friday's 200-meter individual medley semifinals, but she definitely made it count. Walsh won the second semifinal heat of the event with a time of 2:07.45. 

Meanwhile, Kate Douglass was also back in the pool just 24 hours after winning a gold medal in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Douglass touched the wall in third place in the second semifinal heat of the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2:08.59. Both will go for gold in Saturday's final.