Regan Smith Breaks a 3rd National Age Group Record on Friday Night

Regan Smith, a 7th-grader representing Lakeville North High School in Minnesota, has broken her 3rd National Age Group Record of the night at the 2014 Minnesota AA High School State Championship meet, swimming a 54.21 in the 100 yard backstroke.

That swim joins the 50 backstroke and 100 fly records that she broke earlier in the night as new tallies for Smith.

With that swim, Smith now owns the four-fastest 100 yard backstrokes in American 11-12 history:

1. Regan Smith, 54.21, 2014 Minnesota AA State Championships (finals)
2. Regan Smith, 54,62, 2014 Minnesota AA State Championships (prelims)
3. Regan Smith, 54.69, 2014 Minnesota 2AA Section Championships (finals)
4. Regan Smith, 55.20, 2014 Minnesota Age Group Short Course State Meet
5. Alex Walsh, 55.25, 2014 NI – Eastern Zone SC Swimming Championships

Much like we saw in the 100 fly earlier, the difference here was the second 50 yards, where she appears to have not held back in finals at this meet. Comparative splits between her Sectionals swim and her two State swims:

• Smith Regionals – 26.71/27.98 = 54.69
• Smith State (prelims) – 26.46/28.16 = 54.62
• Smith State (finals) – 26.41/27.80 = 54.21

Once again, Smith came in 2nd-place to the defending champion Zoe Avestruz. Avestruz was a 51.98, which makes her just the 15th 18 & under to go under 52 seconds in this race, and only the 6th to do so in observed high school competition. The National High School Record in the event is a 51.43 belonging to Olivia Smoliga.

A full recap of the meet will come at its conclusion.