2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Saturday, January 18 – Thursday, January 23rd
- SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre, Oaklands Park
- LCM
- Meet Site
- SwimSwam Preview
- Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
- Live Results
18-year-old Kaylee McKeown already made a statement at these 2020 South Australia State Championships with a lifetime best time of 58.52 in the women’s 100m back. That performance on day 2 marked her first occasion ever under the 59-second threshold in the sprint.
But the Sunshine Coast athlete was far from finished, as McKeown logged another career quickest outing on day 3, this time in the 200m backstroke distance. The teen produced a monster 2:05.83 to take gold at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre, as well as now rank among the sport’s greats.
Composed of splits of 1:02.06/1:03.77, McKeown’s 2:05.83 effort marks the first time the teen has ever been under 2:06 in the event. Entering these Championships, the younger sister of Olympic finalist Taylor McKeown’s lifetime best rested at the 2:06.26 put up at the 2019 FINA Aquatic World Championships.
There in Gwangju, McKeown’s 2:06.26 included splits of 1:01.36/1:04.90 to give her the silver behind American Regan Smith. Smith snagged gold in the world’s 2nd fastest performance of all-time of 2:03.69. Smith had earlier taken down Missy Franklin’s World Record in the semi-finals, establishing the new standard at an other-worldly 2:03.35.
Speaking of Smith, the 17-year-old phenom also nailed a 2:05 time this week, hitting a mark of 2:05.94 at the Pro Swim Series in Knoxville. That checked-in with a new meet series record and, briefly, set the world rankings standard for the 2019/20 season.
With McKeown’s menacing 2:05.83, the teen from down under now takes over the world rankings top spot early on this year.
TOP 5 WORLD RANKINGS- WOMEN’S 200 BACK LCM (AS OF 1/20/20)
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:05.83
- Regan Smith (USA)- 2:05.94, 1/19/2020
- Rio Shirai (JPN)- 2:07.87, 9/6/2019
- Isabelle Stadden (USA)- 2:08.16, 11/8/2019
- Taylor Ruck (CAN)- 2:08.21, 10/13/2019
Although Smith’s 2:03.35 World Record clearly puts the American in a league of her own, McKeown’s massive time drop at this January meet shows she is anything but backing down heading into the 2020 Olympic Games.
Her PB now makes McKeown the 2nd fastest Aussie of all-time, positioned only behind national record holder Emily Seebohm. Seebohm owns the Aussie NR at 2:05.61, a result she produced in 2017.
McKeown becomes just the 2nd woman from her nation to ever dip under the 2:06 threshold, making the Olympic hopeful the 7th fastest 200m backstroke performer in history.
All-Time Women’s 200m Backstroke Performers
| Rank | Time | Name | Nation | Competition | Date |
| 1 | 2:03.35 | Regan Smith | USA | 2019 World Champs | 7/26/2019 |
| 2 | 2:04.06 | Missy Franklin | USA | 2012 Olympic Games | 7/28/2012 |
| 3 | 2:04.81 | Kirsty Coventry | ZIM | 2009 World Champs | 8/1/2009 |
| 4 | 2:04.94 | Anastasia Fesikova | RUS | 2009 World Champs | 8/1/2009 |
| 5 | 2:05.68 | Emily Seebohm | AUS | 7/29/2017 | |
| 6 | 2:05.72 | Margherita Panziera | ITA | 2019 Italian Champs | 4/2/2019 |
| 7 | 2:05.83 | Kaylee McKeown | AUS | 2020 South Aussie States | 1/20/2020 |
| 8 | 2:05.85 | Katinka Hosszu | HUN | 7/29/2017 |
Looks like she is using Smith as motivation- great attitude! Must be a shock to the system when your rival throws down a 2.03!
Completely different tactics too . A 2.5.8 she still will not see Regan at 2.03.3 . But it must be heartening to be competitive in January .
That’s great. Is she rested?
Don’t think so . I’m sure I read they are in full training
The three team dual between USA, Australia, and Canada in the 4×100 medley is going to be thrilling. If Australia and Canada can figure out how to get a 1:05 mid (even high) breaststroke split, I think this is going to be a lot closer race than people think. It has the potential to be a runaway USA win, but if everyone shows up for Canada and Australia they can be right there.
Disclaimer I am Canadian so nothing I’d like to see more then our girls take a serious run at the US. Half way thru last year’s world champs after Maggie’s 55 fly I thought it was possible as above, then Regan did her thing to put the US out of reach by the 200. If it was a 58 ‘only’ US backstroke then the above would be something. I think the Canadians have a real and better shot at upsetting apple cart in both Free relays. They were simply a 2018 form Taylor Ruck from being right in the mix last summer. If Kayla Sanchez keeps progressing as she has into 52 and 155 range then they’ve got a shot.
This seems a bit optimistic to me. Ruck dropped a great split on the 4×100 free relay. She was off in the 4×200 free, but the team was also almost 3 seconds behind Australia at the end, so being in form wouldn’t have entirely made up the gap. I agree that if Sanchez can significantly improve her times then they’ve got a shot. I would personally bet on the Canadian relays more in the future after Tokyo since they’re so young, but hey, maybe they can bring it for Tokyo too.
I’m not sure Canadian women have the depth of the supporting cast to rest all 4 women in the prelims of both freestyle relays and still qualify top 8. This is a huge advantage for USA/AUS. Hopefully o’croinin, wog, douthwright and others muscle their way into the olek-ruck-sanchez-smith party.
Australia usually doesn’t rest all 4 swimmers either.
Especially as in Gwangju they only had 11 girls on the team
AUS certainly won’t rest all of their peak quartet from relay heats; probably only those with other races during that heat session OR with heavy overall schedules. With this in mind, I can see McKeon being rested from both freestyle relay heats and if the 2nd flyer can ‘stand up” then potentially MMR & medley relay heats. C1 seems to like getting a swim out of the way early but this may need to be balanced against her schedule. She MAY swim 4×100 heats but would expect her to be rested for MMR & medley heats although much may depend on what times are swum by 4/5/6th place getters at Trials. Titmus would most likely be rested along with McKeon… Read more »
CAN Overholt split 1:56.2 at Worlds last summer – might help with strategy
Gold in Rio was just under 2:06; someone going 2:05 will probably be off the podium in Tokyo.
Depends where in the 2.05s. If we start seeing 5-6, or more, swimmers swimming sub 2.06 going into Tokyo and someone else other than Smith below 2.05; then you may be right. At this point, I’d probably set it as needing 2.05mid or better for medals.
Oh whatdya Know an Australian goes fast in January…
Actually not as common as you think. Whilst the likes of C1 & Seebohm (until last year) have shown themselves to be quick in season, you don’t normally see too many internationally relevant times until, at earliest, Vic titles in mid Feb and moreso NSW titles in March which are where we have traditionally seen at least 2/3 of the major players look for serious hit-outs prior to Nationals but with the move of the selection meet to Jun, this may change. Maybe the advent of ISL is and will have an impact but maybe we are going to see a change in mentality from both AUS swimmers and coaches with regards to looking for more racing.
so in Beijing and Knoxville they are allowed to go fast but not Adelaide apparently . Oh … ok
its just another dig implying Aussies swim fast in season but not when it counts….
Rather than tnink this is quite fun virtual racing , they have to throw cr*p. Guess its better than droning likely opposition off the face of the earth.
100 back podium in Tokyo is probably going to be 18&U at this rate..
Regan Smith (2002), Kaylee McKeown (2001) and Phoebe Bacon (2002)? Possible (but at Olympics Kaylee McKeown will be 19 and, anyway,Minna Atherton swims too well and deserve that podium too.., and Kylie Masse? Great, great backstroker)
I think people sleep on the fact Masse was 58.2 last year, just seemed like her taper didn’t hit right in Gwangju (albeit still gold and second fastest time behind Regan).
Trials will be interesting.. curious to see if seebohm and Atherton can keep pace in the 200m back
Keep chipping away Kaylee . Really excited for the next few years .