2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, December 11th – Sunday, December 16th
- Hangzhou, China
- Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center
- SCM (25m)
- Prelims: 9:30 am local, 8:30 pm ET / Finals: 7:00 pm* local, 6:00* am ET
- *The final night of finals will be one hour earlier, starting at 6:00 pm local and 5:00 am ET
- Live Results (Omega)
Olivia Smoliga of the United States continued her magical run here at the Short Course World Championships in Hangzhou, winning gold in the women’s 50 back in a new American Record time of 25.88.
This swim improves on her 25.97 from the women’s 4×50 medley relay, though she was a tad faster on the mixed medley relay (25.85) but that of course doesn’t officially count as a record. Prior to Smoliga’s swims, the record belonged to Ali DeLoof who went 26.12 at the 2016 Championships in Windsor.
The 24-year-old has been on a tear here at the Championships, with this being her 6th gold medal. She also won the 100 back individually, and has been on winning relays in the women’s 4×100 free and 4×50 medley, and the mixed 4×50 free and 4×50 medley. The teams broke world records in both medleys, and she also broke the U.S. record in the 100 back prelims. The mixed 4×50 free team also set a world record, but Smoliga wasn’t on the finals squad that did it.
Discounting her mixed relay lead-off, she now ranks 5th all-time in the event (she would still be 5th if we included her mixed swim). She previously sat 7th with her 25.97.
Silver medalist Caroline Pilhatsch set a new Austrian Record in 25.99, putting her into a tie for 9th all-time.
FASTEST PERFORMERS, WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE
- Etiene Medeiros, BRA, 25.67
- Sanja Jovanovic, CRO, 25.70
- Zhao Jing, CHN, 25.82
- Emily Seebohm, AUS, 25.83
- Olivia Smoliga, USA, 25.88
- Gao Chang, NED, 25.92
- Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 25.95
- Marieke D’Cruz, AUS, 25.98
- Daryna Zevina, UKR / Caroline Pilhatsch, AUT, 25.99
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Smoliga is a great swimmer and I don’t want to take away from her accomplishments, but I feel like winning six golds doesn’t mean the same as it used to with mixed relays. There used to be a time when only superstars (Phelps, Ledecky, etc.) won six golds because you needed to win lots of individual events. I just feel like there’s too many medals in the sport as it stands, mixed relays should be a summer league thing…
Things have changed Beefcake. Embrace it. She is the newest version of a superstar.
Innovations in the sport give more possibilities for those swimmers to test themselves – and shine !! thats what it is all about . I am sure they had fun in those added relays – learning more about where they are right now – and get to know more about Team spirit . Thats where Team Usa is so strong & still evolving
Not sure why there’s hate for your comment, it’s a perfectly valid take on things
I know , trolls always sneak in somehow LOL as if they had some advantage to do so
Well done again Olivia !!! What a meet for her 50 + 100 back !!! The Us Team is Happy to have at least 2 special backstrokers with Baker & Smoliga .
Olivia is fantastic! That swimsuit is so cool! It looks like a Super or wonder woman costume, which is perfectly fitting for her!
what a unique suit – love it too