{"id":624756,"date":"2025-10-18T17:32:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T00:32:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=624756"},"modified":"2025-10-18T17:33:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T00:33:25","slug":"flash-regan-smith-equals-own-world-record-in-100-backstroke-at-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/flash-regan-smith-equals-own-world-record-in-100-backstroke-at-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"FLASH! Regan Smith Equals Own World Record in 100 Backstroke at World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

FLASH! Regan Smith Equals Own World Record in 100 Backstroke at World Cup<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Regan Smith raced to a world record of 54.02 in the 100-meter backstroke at last year’s World Short Course Championships in Budapest, there were expectations for a career-best performance. On Saturday night, Smith wasn’t expecting to go as fast as she did in Hungary, but that scenario indeed unfolded as Smith again went 54.02 over four laps of short-course backstroke.<\/p>\n

Competing at the Westmont stop of the World Cup series, Smith was superb in the Chicago suburbs, earning a victory of more than a second over Australian Kaylee McKeown. Smith entered the race simply looking to garner as many points as possible in the chase to be the World Cup’s top performer. The Team USA veteran obviously earned those points, and got much more.<\/p>\n

After splitting 12.98 on the opening length, Smith stared at a .22 deficit to McKeown, the reigning Olympic champion in both backstroke events. But Smith moved in front by the midway point of the race, 26.45 to 26.65, and the U.S. standout was in control to the finish. Smith split 13.81 on the third lap and closed in 13.76 to tie her world record. McKeown was the runnerup in 55.04.<\/p>\n

“That wasn\u2019t on my radar, obviously,” Smith told World Aquatics. “I didn\u2019t feel like I had a lot of speed coming into this World Cup Series because (coaches) Bob (Bowman) and Erik (Posegay) have really been hammering us this season. I don\u2019t know, that felt like a great race. I didn\u2019t die coming home like I sometimes can in the 100 backstroke. I hit all my turns really well. I was proud of my underwaters. I touched the wall and was like, ‘Oh, wow, that\u2019s really awesome.'”\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith was coming off an American-record performance in the 200 butterfly on Friday night and she’ll tackle the 200 backstroke on Sunday, where she’ll again face off with McKeown.<\/p>\n

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