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Kaylee McKeown Swims 57.53 100 Back To Break World Championships Record

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

After being DQed in the semi-finals of the women’s 200 IM at the 2023 World Championships, Kaylee McKeown bounced back to win her first-ever World Championships gold in the 100 back. She clocked a time of 57.53, which beat Regan Smith‘s championship record time of 57.57 from 2019. Her time was also the fourth-fastest performance of all-time.

All-Tim Top Performances, Women’s 100 Back:

  1. Kaylee McKeown, Australia — 57.45 (2021)
  2. Kaylee McKeown, Australia — 57.47 (2021)
  3. Kaylee McKeown, Australia — 57.50 (2023)
  4. Kaylee McKeown, Australia — 57.53 (2023)
  5. Regan Smith, United States — 57.57 (2019)

In McKeown’s race, she had flipped 0.05 seconds behind Regan Smith at the 50-meter mark, but then out-split Smith 29.50 to 29.83 on the final 50.

Compared to her world record, McKeown was out 0.07 faster, but her back half was 0.15 slower. She has consistently gotten the best of Smith in 100 back races because of her back half.

Comparative Splits:

Kaylee McKeown, 2023 World Championships (new Championship Record) Regan Smith, 2019 World Championships (old Championship Record) Kaylee McKeown, 2021 Australian Trials (World Record)
50m 28.03 27.74 28.10
100m 29.50 29.83 29.35
Total 57.53 57.57 57.45

On Sunday, McKeown had been DQed from the semi-final of the 200 IM because she was rotated onto her side too early during the backstroke leg of her race. She came into the meet as the third overall seed, and her personal best time of 2:07.19 was just 0.02 seconds off of Kate Douglass‘s winning time.

McKeown still has the 50 and 200 back left to race individually at Worlds.

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Swimmer
1 year ago

Smith has not beat McKeown in a 100/200bk head-to-head since the 2019 200 bk final

Sherry Smit
1 year ago

I read somewhere that she was going 26’s in LCM 50 backstrokes in practice? Anyone know if that’s legit

Joel
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

I think that was 2 years ago. Legit we think

Sub13
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

Who knows. But this is the first time she’s swimming the 50 while on her Tokyo form so I wouldn’t rule out a 26 tomorrow

Troyy
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

It was at the staging camp before Tokyo.

M d e
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

On coaches watch where they get 26.8 but it’s actually 27.3? Sure.

Christopher DeBari
1 year ago

Respect to her. She had a great race and an amazing last 25 meters. I was rooting for Regan but the best woman took it.

Zippo
1 year ago

In Fukuoka, McKeown astounds,
A World Championships record, she’s crowned,
With speed in her wake,
In the 100 back, she takes,
Australia’s pride, glory renowned!

Christopher DeBari
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

at least you got 4 likes. I got one and 8 dislikes.

Swim Newb
1 year ago

Your table has the wrong time for the Championship record.

Fukuoka Gold
1 year ago

If not for the DQ, she would have broken WR and $30k richer.

Christopher DeBari
Reply to  Fukuoka Gold
1 year ago

Ummm thats a very bold statement.

Fukuoka Gold
Reply to  Christopher DeBari
1 year ago

I meant WR in 100 back.

Without DQ drama, she may have won 100 back in WR.

jeff
Reply to  Fukuoka Gold
1 year ago

she def could’ve challenged for gold but no way she’s dropping over a second

Fukuoka Gold
Reply to  jeff
1 year ago

I meant WR in 100 back.

Without DQ drama, she may have won 100 back in WR.

Sub13
Reply to  Fukuoka Gold
1 year ago

I don’t think she breaks the IM WR, but the DQ affected her a lot emotionally and mentally according to her. If the DQ doesn’t happen does she go 0.09 faster in the 100 back for a new WR? I think she very likely does.

Fukuoka Gold
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

Yes that’s exactly what I meant.

Not 200IM WR, but 100 back WR

David
1 year ago

Good for her to bounce back from what must have been a very frustrating dq.

Andrew
1 year ago

Wow, she probably would’ve won 2 IM too

Christopher DeBari
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

no. She is no match for Kate head to head in freestyle.

Vaswammer
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

To do so, she would have had to do something she didn’t do today — set a PB.

Regardless, she lost to Walsh straight up last summer. What makes you think it would have been different this time — with either Douglass or Walsh?

Sub13
Reply to  Vaswammer
1 year ago

I’m not saying she would have won gold but she was 0.03 off her backstroke SB after being the face of a ridiculous drama that obviously affected her. Her SB for IM would have destroyed Walsh’s time and a 0.07 PB would have beaten Douglass. Maybe Douglass swims slower when she isn’t basically guaranteed a gold because the best performers were missing.

Lots of very obvious reasons that it would have been different tbh

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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