2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
- William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
- Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
- Meet website
- Meet information
- Event Order
- Full selection procedures
- Psych Sheet
- SwimSwam Previews Index
- TV Schedule
- Pick ‘Em Contest
- Omega Results
- Live Stream
- Saturday Finals Heat Sheet
Cal’s Kathleen Baker took down the world record in the 100 back Saturday night in finals at the 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships.
Baker put up a 0.56 reaction time, then split 27.90/30.10 for her final time of 58.00 – her lifetime best before Saturday was 58.54. She bests Kylie Masse‘s previous record of 58.10. In second was Olivia Smoliga in 58.75, and in third, Regan Smith with a new world junior record of 58.83. Smith moves ahead of Natalie Coughlin in the all-time American ranks.
Baker had been 59.27 in prelims, making her the No. 3 seed going into finals. Baker tied for first Thursday in the 200 back with Smith, going 2:06.43; she scratched the 50 yesterday presumably to rest for the 100, which paid off.
Splits Comparison: Baker WR vs. Masse WR
Baker’s record came entirely from her stellar first 50. While Baker took only a tenth off of Masse’s previous world record, her first split was over six tenths faster than Masse’s was, and Baker actually closed just over half a second slower.
| 1st 50 | 2nd 50 | Final Time | |
| Kathleen Baker, 2018 | 27.9 | 30.1 | 58 |
| Kylie Masse, 2017 | 28.51 | 29.59 | 58.1 |
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Fastest Performers Ever: Women’s 100 Back
|
||
| 1 | Kathleen Baker | 58.00 |
| 2 | Kylie Masse | 58.10 |
| 3 | Gemma Spoffort | 58.12 |
| 4 | Anastasia Fesikova | 58.18 |
| 5 | Emily Seebohm | 58.23 |
| 6 | Missy Franklin | 58.33 |
| 7 | Katinka Hosszu | 58.45 |
| 8 | Aya Terakawa | 58.70 |
| 9 | Fu Yuanhui | 58.72 |
| 10 | Mie Nielsen | 58.73 |
2017-2018 LCM WOMEN 100 BACK
BAKER
58.00*WR
| 2 | Kylie MASSE | CAN | 58.54 | 02/04 |
| 3 | Emily SEEBOHM | AUS | 58.66 | 04/07 |
| 4 | Olivia SMOLIGA | USA | 58.75 | 07/28 |
| 5 | Regan SMITH | USA | 58.83*WJR | 07/28 |
Congrats Miss Baker! Unexpected, at least for me. So the surprise is much better.
That is the beauty of this meet in contrast to Canadian trials that served basically same purposes but was extremely boring. Fast and full of surprises. Maybe there is indeed something in this approach to selection process for world championships. Swimmers have two meets and can optimize for themselves where to perform/peak.
Swim of the meet! Unless we see a crazy WR on the last day. Congrats to her.
Baker VS Masse is going to be a great race at pan pacs hopefully we’ll see both of these ladies get under 58. It’ll be interesting to see them race head to head because Baker likes to take it out and Masse likes to back end. Which will keep it exciting right to the finish
I wouldn’t be surprised if they both go under 58. But that’s always how it seems to work. All it takes is for one person to finally break a super suit world record, and then multiple swimmers start to do it.
Take that Canada. All do respect though Kylie Masse is an amazing swimmer will be fun to see these two race going into Tokyo
only 10 days to wait …..
Amazing performance! This is going to be an incredible event at Pan Pacs!
I NEED A RACE VIDEO PLEASE I FORGOT TO RECORD FINALS
USASWIMMING YouTube channel has everything. They uploaded the video of each race only 15 minutes after the race finished.
This just might be the world’s fastest comeback She was being written off with all the young guns coming up and also being written off as a has been at 21 for one whole day. Sure glad We stayed up for the east coast video delay NBC/ Olympic Channel I guess it is better than nothing.
Kathleen Baker already qualified for the 2018 Pan Pacs in the women’s 200 m backstroke.
I remember a username Bobo Gigi said Baker was from 20th century, what with the young guns coming up.
sometimes he gets confused in his predictions LOL
When was the last time we had a LCM WR on US soil? 2009?
Try Katie Ledecky’s 1500 free WR a couple months ago in Indianapolis.
Actually 5 of 14 Ledecky’s world records were made on US soil.