2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
- Friday, July 29 – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
- Birmingham, England
- Sandwell Aquatic Center
- Start Times
- Prelims: 10:30 am local / 5:30 am ET
- Finals: 7:00 pm local / 2:00 pm ET
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Event Schedule
- Entry List (PDF)
- Live Results
In a nail-biter of a final, Kaylee McKeown won gold, touching the wall in 58.60 for a new Commonwealth Games record. It came down to the touch between McKeown and Kylie Masse, who was the defending champion and owned the old Commonwealth Games record in 58.63.
Like in the Tokyo Olympic final, Masse flipped first. McKeown was running third behind her and Medi Harris and ran them both down coming home. McKeown ended up out-splitting Masse 29.85 to 30.17 on the final 50.
Split Comparison – McKeown v. Masse Commonwealth Games Records
| McKeown – 2022 Commonwealth Games | Masse – 2018 Commonwealth Games | |
| 50 | 28.75 | 28.41 |
| 100 | 58.60 (29.85) | 58.63 (30.22) |
The split comparison between the records mirrors how McKeown and Masse swim their races. McKeown flipped behind the pace of Masse’s record, but used her strong closing speed to clip the record by .03.
While this isn’t a best time for McKeown, who holds the world record in 57.45, it’s a solid swim for the backstroke ace, who skipped this event at World Championships in favor of the 200 IM. It also represent a good improvement curve through the rounds. McKeown went 59.58 in prelims, then 59.08 in the semis. Masse won silver at Worlds with a 58.40, a few tenths faster than the 58.73 she swam here to earn silver.
McKeown and Masse will face off again this week in both the 50 and 200 backstroke. At Worlds, Masse won the 50 back and McKeown took the 200. While McKeown favors the 200 over the sprint, if the 100 back was any indication both should be thrilling races.
Her finishes are golden, 100%. I love a good closer!
It’d be boring if everyone paced their races the same way!
Masse didn’t win the 100 back at Worlds, Regan Smith did.
F**k yeah!
She just keep winning, and always from behind. I wonder if she went our quicker on the front end?? Not sure of her change of coach though, she hasn’t been near her times from last year since switching. Up until last year she was on a linear improvement curve. Hope she is managing the Olympic cycle and can ramp up again. The world will only get faster. Kylie the same.
She said earlier this year that it was a building year for her and she wasn’t expecting to do that well, so hopefully it’s part of the process moving forward.