Smith Fires A 57.13 WR Broadside At McKeown: Game On In Paris Eagle Vs Dolphin Back Battle
Regan Smith has shown her hand: 57.13, a world record in the 100m backstroke on Day 4 at U.S. Trials that leapfrogs the 57.33 of Aussie backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown and gives the Dolphin the wave she was hoping to catch.
On the cusp of world-record pace in three events at Australian trials, McKeown, who took the 100m in 57.41 in Brisbane, was asked if it was frustrating. She replied:
“No, it doesn’t bother me at all. To be honest with you, I’m just happy to still be sitting around that time. There’s not many people in the world who are doing that at the moment.
“There’s one that I can think of and she’s about to get up and race. So I’m nervous to see what she does. But I’m excited for the battle that we will have in Paris.”
Kaylee McKeown, by Delly Carr, courtesy of Swimming Australia
That one is Smith and the “nerves” and excitement McKeown invited are now manifest.
Smith, coached to this point by Bob Bowman at ASU, took the standard on the way to the first wall with an opening 27.94. The splits compared:
27.94; 29.19 – 57.13 Smith WR U.S. Trials
28.15; 29.18 – 57.33 McKeown WR Budapest 2023
Game on! Is the day of the sub-57 100 back nigh? What a battle in prospect come Paris six weeks from now. Both Australia and the United States could make up half the final with four swimmers from two nations inside 58sec for the first time in history, as of the semis yesterday when Smith went 57.45 and Katharine Berkoff 57.83 on the way to a ticket to an Olympic debut in 57.91 in the final.
Smith has her eye on a sub-57. Speaking through USA Swimming, she said:
“I think 56 is a possibility, for sure. Whether it’s me or one of my competitors, who knows. But yeah, I’m not going to sell myself short, absolutely not. That was an amazing race, but it wasn’t a perfect race. I know there’s things that I can clean up and do better, and I’m going to work towards that.”
Regan Smith
The fourth possible sub-58er in Paris was Mollie O’Callaghan, the 100-200m free World record holder who clocked 57.88 at Australian trials but declared that she was not yet sure whether she would race the backstroke in Paris. Its was, after all, “just an event I do for fun”. Head coach to Australia Rohan Taylor has confirmed that O’Callaghan has now opted out and Iona Anderson will step up: best time 58.4.
Add Canadian Kylie Masse and the pressure building for a wave of 57s, Smith’s 57.13 an invitation to break the dam, and Paris promises a pot-boiler.
Smith first held the 100m backstroke standard at 57.57 back in 2019 when she led the United States medley relay to gold at World Championships in Gwangju, having not qualified to race the solo 100m but also having won the global 200m title after setting a World record of 2:03.35 in her semi.
The Olympic silver medallist over 200m butterfly and bronze medallist in the 100m back, Smith , makes it 21 there-and-back World 100 back records for the United States since Sybil Bauer was the first American to own the mark back in 1923 on the way to Paris 1924 gold.
Paris 2024 and the pace will be somewhat quicker. Bauer won the title in 1:23.2, 4.2sec ahead of Britain’s Phyllis Harding. There’ll be no such winning margins 100 years on, neither in the 100 nor the 200m, which is yet to unfold in Indianapolis this week and may well produce another spur for McKeown.
Listen to the sound of long-term planning and a thought echoed in general by Smith when she emerged to say ‘this 56 a possibility’ because there’s always something that can be improved.
McKeown’s coach Michael Bohl was “disappointed with the execution” of his charges 100m and told media gathered in Brisbane:
“The first 50 was around about where we thought she should be, but just the way she did it was just a little rushed. When you sit down and examine why, it’s very easy to see. So we’re just gonna make those little adjustments and it’s a good time to learn those things here and make those mistakes here on the road to Paris.
“This is sort of about sharpening the axe, I think, this meet, isn’t it? You are trying to get yourself ready for what’s ahead at the Olympics.”
Michael Bohl at Australian trials last week – Photo: Kaylee McKeown, of Australia, celebrates by blowing the smoke off the gun after hitting her second target for the Olympic backstroke double in Tokyo – by Patrick B. Kraemer
The Race Smith Topped:
Smith and the Stats She’s Written En Route To Battle With McKeown
World record progression since shiny suits:
The all-time top 10
| 1 | 57.13 | Regan Smith | USA | U.S. Trials | Indianapolis | USA | 18/06/2024 |
| 2 | 57.33 | Kaylee McKeown | AUS | World Cup | Budapest | HUN | 21/10/2023 |
| 3 | 57.70 | Kylie Masse | CAN | Olympic Trials | Toronto | CAN | 19/06/2021 |
| 4 | 57.83 | Katharine Berkoff | USA | U.S. Trials | Indianapolis | USA | 17/06/2024 |
| 4 | 57.88 | Mollie O’Callaghan | AUS | Australian Olympic Trials | Brisbane | AUS | 11/06/2024 |
| 5 | 58.00 | Kathleen Baker | USA | National Championships | Irvine | USA | 28/07/2018 |
| 7 | 58.08 | Kathleen Dawson | GBR | European Championships | Budapest | HUN | 23/05/2021 |
| 8 | 58.12 | Gemma Spofforth | GBR | World Championships 2009* | Rome | ITA | 28/07/2009 |
| 9 | 58.18 | Anastasia Zueva | RUS | World Championships 2009* | Rome | ITA | 28/07/2009 |
| 10 | 58.23 | Emily Seebohm | AUS | Olympic Games | London | GBR | 29/07/2012 |
All-Time performances –
| 1 | 57.13 | Smith | USA | U.S. Trials | Indianapolis | 18/06/2024 |
| 2 | 57.33 | McKeown | AUS | World Cup | Budapest | 21/10/2023 |
| 3 | 57.41 | McKeown | AUS | Australian Olympic Trials | Brisbane | 11/06/2024 |
| 4 | 57.45 | McKeown | AUS | Australian Trials | Adelaide | 13/06/2021 |
| 5 | 57.47 | McKeown | AUS | Olympic Games | Tokyo | 27/07/2021 |
| 5 | 57.47 | Smith | USA | U.S. Trials | Indianapolis | 17/06/2024 |
| 7 | 57.50 | McKeown | AUS | Australian Trials | Melbourne | 14/06/2023 |
| 8 | 57.53 | McKeown | AUS | World Championships | Fukuoka | 25/07/2023 |
| 9 | 57.57 | McKeown | AUS | NSW Championships | Sydney | 16/03/2024 |
| 9 | 57.57 | Smith | USA | World Championships | Gwangju | 28/07/2019 |
| 11 | 57.63 | McKeown | AUS | World Cup | Athens | 14/10/2023 |
| 11 | 57.63 | McKeown | AUS | Sydney Open | Sydney | 14/05/2021 |
| 13 | 57.64 | Smith | USA | Pro Swim | Westmont | 08/03/2024 |
| 14 | 57.65 | Smith | USA | World Championships | Budapest | 19/06/2022 |
| 15 | 57.68 | Smith | USA | World Championships | Fukuoka | 30/07/2023 |
| 16 | 57.70 | Masse | CAN | Olympic Trials | Toronto | 19/06/2021 |
| 17 | 57.71 | Smith | USA | National Championships | Indianapolis | 30/06/2023 |
| 18 | 57.72 | Masse | CAN | Olympic Games | Tokyo | 27/07/2021 |
| 19 | 57.74 | Smith | USA | Pro Swim | San Antonio | 13/04/2024 |
| 20 | 57.76 | Smith | USA | International Team Trials | Greensboro | 29/04/2022 |
| 21 | 57.78 | Smith | USA | World Championships | Fukuoka | 25/07/2023 |
| 22 | 57.79 | McKeown | AUS | Queensland Championships | Brisbane | 10/12/2023 |
| 23 | 57.83 | Berkoff | USA | U.S. Trials | Indianapolis | 17/06/2024 |
| 21 | 57.84 | McKeown | AUS | NSW Championships | Sydney | 11/03/2023 |
| 22 | 57.86 | Smith | USA | Olympic Games | Tokyo | 26/07/2021 |
| 23 | 57.88 | O’Callaghan | AUS | Australian Olympic Trials | Brisbane | 11/06/2024 |
| 23 | 57.88 | McKeown | AUS | Olympic Games | Tokyo | 25/07/2021 |
| 25 | 57.90 | McKeown | AUS | Australian Championships | Gold Coast | 18/04/2023 |
In other Trials action of Day 4
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