{"id":507190,"date":"2022-06-21T10:06:30","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T17:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=507190"},"modified":"2022-06-21T12:03:31","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T19:03:31","slug":"world-championships-kylie-masse-regan-smith-poised-for-another-showdown-in-50-backstroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-kylie-masse-regan-smith-poised-for-another-showdown-in-50-backstroke\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships: Kylie Masse, Regan Smith Poised For Another Showdown in 50 Backstroke"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships: Kylie Masse, Regan Smith Poised For Another Showdown in 50 Backstroke<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s Kylie Masse<\/strong> is still on a roll \u2014 and so is Regan Smith<\/strong>. It added up to a stellar race in the 100 backstroke and the 50 backstroke looks to follow suit with the two stars battling for supremacy once again.<\/p>\n

After claiming the silver medal in the 100 backstroke at<\/a> the World Championships, she surged to the top seed in the 50 backstroke during Tuesday\u2019s prelims<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the semifinals, it was more of the same as Masse got her hand on the wall first in 27.22 to take the top spot heading into tomorrow\u2019s finals in the 50 backstroke.<\/p>\n

USA\u2019s Regan Smith<\/strong> and France\u2019s Analia Pigree<\/strong> were right on her heels, tying for the second spot at 27.29, just seven hundredths of a second behind.<\/p>\n

Smith, who won the 100 backstroke title at these World Championships, looks to continue her success at the World Championships, too.<\/p>\n

Masse was happy with where she was at after the 100.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy to stand on the podium, it\u2019s always an incredible feeling to compete at World Championships and fight for the podium with these girls \u2013 this is something I\u2019m really proud of,\u201d Masse said after that. \u201cLast year was really challenging so I\u2019m happy to be here and swim again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, she is looking to chase down her own title.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Canada\u2019s Ingrid Wilm t<\/strong>ook the fourth spot in 27.39, just ahead of USA\u2019s Katharine Berkoff<\/strong> (27.40). Australia\u2019s Kaylee MeKeown<\/strong> took the sixth spot (27.58) with Kira Toussaint<\/strong> of the Netherlands close behind at 27.58.<\/p>\n

Italy’s Silvia Scalia<\/strong> and Great Britain’s Medi Eira Harris<\/strong> tied for the eighth seed during the semifinals and competed in a swim-off to see who made the final. Harris won the swim-off in 27.56, ahead of Scalia (27.65).<\/p>\n

With the top seven contenders within a half second of each other, including five within two tenths, the final is poised to be extremely fast as the quickest backstroke sprinters in the world look to get their hand on the wall first.<\/p>\n