2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
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Women’s 100 Back, Top 8 from Sunday
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.65
- Kylie Masse (CAN) – 58.57
- Claire Curzan (USA) – 58.96
- Kira Toussaint (NED) – 59.16
- Medi Harris (GBR) – 59.61
- Letian Wan (CHN) – 59.63
- Xuwei Peng (CHN) – 59.69
- Emma Terebo (FRA) – 1:00.06
Regan Smith put Kaylee McKeown’s 100 backstroke world record on notice during the second semifinal race on Sunday.
Smith surged ahead of McKeown’s world record pace on the first 50 (28.08) before losing a bit of steam down the stretch and finishing first in 57.65 — the sixth-fastest performance ever.
The 20-year-old American had only gone faster twice before, both coming in relay races. The first time was at the 2019 World Championships, when she led off the 4×100 medley relay with a then-world-record 57.57 (she got off to an even faster start in that swim, reaching the turn in 27.74). Last summer, she split 57.64 leading off the 4×100 mixed medley relay in Tokyo.
At April’s International Team Trials, Smith split 28.06/29.70 to set a U.S. Open record with a 57.76, which made her the first woman under 58 seconds in 2022.
Comparative splits:
| Regan Smith, 2019 | Kaylee McKeown, 2021 | Regan Smith, 2022 | |
| 1st 50 | 27.74 | 28.10 | 28.08 |
| 2nd 50 | 29.83 | 29.35 | 29.57 |
| 57.57 | 57.45 | 57.65 |
McKeown scratched from Sunday’s morning session to focus on the 200 IM final later in the day, where she earned a silver medal in 2:08.57 behind Alex Walsh’s 2:07.13. The reigning Olympic champ snatched the world record from Smith at last year’s Australian trials.
Now all eyes will be on Smith in Monday’s 100 back final to bring home her first Worlds gold in the event, and just maybe reclaim the world record in the process. Topping the podium means holding off Canadian Kylie Masse, who edged Smith for silver last summer in Tokyo.
Fastest 100 Back Performances All-time:
- Kaylee McKeown– 57.45 (2021)
- Kaylee McKeown– 57.47 (2021)
- Regan Smith– 57.57 (2019)
- Kaylee McKeown– 57.63 (2021)
- Regan Smith– 57.64 (2021)
- Regan Smith– 57.65 (2022)
damn it i’m so sad we won’t see her 200 BK
Rowdy takes a lot of heat but early in that second 50 picked up on how smooth and relaxed Regan looks in this meet.
She might be a worlds swimmer at this stage and perhaps forever. Huge meet but without intense pressure to make the team like trials, or global scrutiny like the Olympics.
I’m not even american but people complaining about anerican when you guys is just worse.
You really base her performance from just 1 olympics. Also when she’s only 20 now. If thats the logic then Cate Campbell only a worlds swimmer because she always choke at olympics. I mean what ??
Prediction Masse wins with a WR.
Prediction masse gets third
I second that motion.
She doesn’t look as good as last year let alone WR shape. Smith looks way better so she’ll have to choke to lose.
Well normally yes but she’s been slowing down at the end of the race normally Masse has been taking a different approach where she goes all out in all 3 races but this time I think she’s learned from Maggie and has decided to take it easy. I think Smith doesn’t have the same confidence and has been going all out in all of her races. With that said I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Smith rip a 57 low
You’re drunk on maple syrup.
Looking forward to you saying, Opps, sorrey!
Looks like Smith is back. Definitely wouldn’t be surprised for the WR to go back to her.
RS is in fine form, who knows what she will do in the final.
I must say though it’s frustrating as a Aussie seeing so many of our swimmers opting out of pet events. Kaylee has 3 of the 4 top times in the 100BK yet prioritized the 200IM. I know she said it was due to her focus on the event with the view to adding it to her schedule in the future. I just see a theme here, Kyle not swimming the 100m Free (despite putting up the fastest split in the relay), Titmus not going to worlds after her WR last month ((openly said it was about managing mental health) and even Emma skipping the WC’s.… Read more »
With no country roster limits, this final probably has 6 Americans in it, right? White, Bacon, Berkhoff, & Smoliga. American women’s backstroke is just on a different world
A 1:00.02 advanced 7th at US Trials and a 1:00.06 advanced 8th here, for comparison
US women deeper than Bushman’s Hole
trade some for a couple of those 100/200 freestylers
The would require the resurrection of Simone Manuel. Time to take the Nesty plunge.
Is Abby Weitzeil still training at Cal? If so, it’s time for a change of scenery.
If only there was a 4×100 backstroke relay??
I loved those meets in High School and college. There was always 1 and sometimes 2 meets a year where everything was a relay. It was just so much fun. Really loved the short course 4×100 IM relay has to be the best way to do a 400 IM ever.
The backstroke relays were a blast too because you got to do a normal relay exchange then roll over before breaking the surface. Of course you had the progressive and pyramid relays too. So in HS there were 50 – 100 – 150 relays for the strokes at one of the meets, the other did the traditional 4×50 and 4×100 strokes. There was one meet where there was a… Read more »
Seebohm, Mollie O, Kaylee, Minna.
Wilson would be better Minna
That says a lot more about the number of top swimmers who are absent than it does about US trials
“90% of life is showing up.”
-Woody Allen