Regan Smith Breaks U.S. Open Meet Record With 57.95 100 Back, Faster Than Worlds Final

2022 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 30-December 3, 2022
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Start Times:
  • Prelims: 9 AM (ET)
  • Finals: 6PM (ET)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

FRIDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2021)
• American Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (2019)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 58.63 – Phoebe Bacon, USA (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 57.76 – Regan Smith, USA (2022)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:01.89

PODIUM:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 57.95 CR
2. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 59.87
3. Josephine Fuller (TENN) – 1:00.00

Regan Smith is on fire at the 2022 U.S. Open.

After dropping three seconds in her 200 IM on Thursday, Smith set a U.S. Open Meet record in the 100 back tonight, swimming a 57.95. She breaks Phoebe Bacon’s previous record time of 58.63, which was set in 2019. Smith was faster than the 58.22 she swam to win gold at the 2022 World Championships, as well as the 58.01 she swam to take bronze at the 2020(1) Olympic Games. Her swim tonight also marked her ninth swim under 58 seconds, a threshold that only two other women, Kaylee McKeown and Kylie Masse, have been under.

And while Smith has been sub-58 on several occasions that were not World or Olympic finals, tonight marks her first time getting under the barrier in an in-season meet. Her best time stands at a 57.57 from 2019, a former world record that has since then been broken by McKeown. Smith has neared that best time several times this year, including when she went 57.76 at the 2022 U.S. World Championship trials, and when she clocked her 2022 season-best of 57.65 in the World Championship semifinals.

Smith paced her race tonight very differently from her personal best, opening half a second slower but then closing over two-tenths faster. In fact, her closing split of 29.57 was identical to the one she posted in the world championships semifinals this summer.

Splits Comparison:

The U.S. Open marks Smith’s first meet since making the decision to leave Stanford after her first season of NCAA swimming and turn pro, shifting her training base to Arizona State to be coached by Bob Bowman. She has emphasized several times throughout the meet how happy she is with her move, such as in her post-100 back race interview.

“My results are showing me that I made a really great decision going to train under Bob,” Smith said. “I’m so happy, which I think is the most important thing. Just, you know, having a good time, enjoying training, enjoying the weather out there, enjoying my new apartment, I’m just loving life so much.”