2024 Olympics Previews: Smith vs. McKeown – Fast, Dangerous and Unpredictable 100 Back Awaits

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
  • Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
• La Défense Arena — Paris, France
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Full Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview Index

WOMEN’S 100 Backstroke— BY THE NUMBERS:

• World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
• Olympic Record: 57.47 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2021)
• 2021 Olympic Champion: 57.47 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS

The most recent of five world records broken, the 100 backstroke is bound to be one of the more highly anticipated races of the entire nine-day program. Not only is it the newest of the world records, but it is also the one with the smallest margin of time between its previous standard. Regan Smith‘s mark of 57.13 was set this past June, breaking Kaylee McKeown‘s 57.33 from October of 2023. The event also has drummed up importance as not only is it likely to be media blitzed as the microcosm of the USA versus Australia rivalry, but it sets the stage for their expected clashes in the 200 back and in the women’s medley relay (perhaps in the mixed relay as well).

However, let us not forget that there are more than two swimmers in the events and performances across the world have caught attention as numerous age group and national records fell in the event as every swimmer tried to get in on action for this barn-burner of an event. In what can only be fitting of an epic ballad or a heavyweight clash, let’s be done with the opening act and get into the nitty-gritty to see who will emerge victorious.

“You Belong Smith Me”

Regan Smith has an unusual history with the 100 backstroke. She set the world record in the event back in 2019, leading off the medley relay, despite not being selected for the individual event, becoming the first to crack the 58-second barrier as she posted a time of 57.57. From that point on, Smith has been a mainstay amongst the world’s best, having won a complete set of medals in the event, claiming bronze at the Tokyo Games (58.05), gold at the 2022 World Champs (58.22), and silver last summer in Fukuoka (57.78).

Despite those accolades, Smith hadn’t been able to better her previous best time of 57.57 in the intervening four and a half years and struggled to replicate sub-58 times when it mattered most (like in the Olympics)—until now, that is.

Prior to the US Olympic Trials, Smith, now in her second season with Bob Bowman, set a new PB and American Record of 57.51, her third time under that vaunted mark this season. A month later, Smith unleashed everything, swimming three more sub-58 times. In the prelims, she stopped the clock in 57.93 (a time which was more than a quarter second faster than her World Championship winning time).

That night, she casually posted a mark of 57.47 to make it her 2nd personal best in the span of a month and rewrite the American Record book, yet she was not done. One rotation of the earth later (aka 24 hours), Smith demolished her own personal by over three-tenths of a second as she punched her ticket to the Olympics with a time of 57.13. A mark that also wiped clean the records book as the previous fastest-ever time of 57.33 was displaced.

With the consistency of now having swum under 58 more than a handful of times this season alone, the experience of having already swum at an Olympics, and with a shiny new World Record to her name, Smith will head to Paris as the favorite, but one would be wise not to crown her champion quite yet.

“Back McKeown Black”

photo credit Marcus Chen Photography

Mourning the loss of her world record, Australian Kaylee McKeown will be looking to return to the pinnacle of backstroking excellence. Until the start of US trials, McKeown would have been considered the heavy favorite for the gold medal. This past summer, she swept all three backstroke events at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, winning the 100 back in 57.53, a quarter of a second clear of Smith’s 57.78.

She carried on the momentum of those three golds into the Autumn, where she broke two World Records at the Budapest stop of the World Aquatics World Cup series. A day after rewriting the record books in the 50 back, McKeown lowered her own mark in the 100 back from 57.45 to 57.33.

At the Australian Olympic Trials last month, McKeown was just off her personal best, swimming 57.41 to post her second-fastest performance ever. At the time, she had eight of the top ten performances in the event and had just set a new Australian Record in the 200 IM the night before, becoming the third-fastest performer of all time in the event, so likely could have gone faster with more rest.

With that said, both Smith and McKeown’s first events in Paris will be the 100 back; Smith swam the 100 fly at the U.S. Trials, finishing 3rd, and McKeown’s 200 IM is later on the Olympic schedule.

Splits Comparison: 

In comparing the results of the two front-runners, one can see that Smith took the race out much faster than the former World record and came home only .01 slower. At the Aussie Trials, McKeown tried to employ the same tactic of going out fast but faltered in the closing meters, falling just short of her personal best.

While Smith, based on times, is the favorite, McKeown is the defending Olympic Champion, having won in Tokyo in 57.47 and is undefeated against Smith since the 2018 Pan Pacs, where Smith finished 4th (58.83) and McKeown 5th (59.25). Smith won the 2022 World Championships, but McKeown had pulled out of the event to focus on the 2oo IM finals. It should be noted, however, that it is a small sample size, as Smith hasn’t raced the World Cup meets, and McKeown hasn’t traveled to the US for the Pro Swim Series, plus Smith has gotten the better of McKeown albeit in relays.

“Return of the Masse”

(It should be noted that this was the first subheading that I came up with, so while some of the others may be a stretch, this one certainly hits)

Kylie Masse (photo: Jack Spitser)

Each country has its own beliefs about when to hold its Olympic Trials. In the past, the US seemed to be alone in holding the meet late before the start of the Games, but more recently, Australia has joined them in having the qualification meet later in the calendar. Canada opted to host their meet in mid-May, and until Smith and McKeown swam at their own respective trials, Kylie Masse‘s performance was maybe the biggest news in the event.

In the prelims of the 100 back, Masse swam a speedy 58.27, faster than her 4th place time from Fukuoka (59.09) and her silver medal-winning performance at the 2022 Budapest World Championships (58.40). A few hours later in the finals of the event, Masse threw down a speedy 57.94, qualifying for her third Olympic Games.

The time not only marked her 4th time under the 58 barrier but also represented her best time since 2021, when she swam 57.70 at the last Canadian Olympic Trials. In Tokyo, Masse was second only to McKeown as she claimed silver in 57.72, a medal that she would collect again in the 200 back, finishing again behind the Australian.

Masse’s time stands out as she attempts to turn back the clock (both literally and figuratively) for the former world record holder, as she has admitted,

“Over the last, I think, two years I’ve struggled with getting that confidence,” Masse told CBC post-race. “I think because I had so many obstacles and challenges within the last little while. But I knew I was ready and I was just eager and nervous for the backstroke.”

The 28-year-old, who opened the floodgates in the 100 backstroke by breaking the super-suited 8-year-old world record at the 2017 World Champs, will be looking for a third successive medal at the Olympics in this event after having tied for bronze in 2016 and the aforementioned silver in 2021. However, while Masse returned to the realm of the 57-second 100 backstroke, just a month later, two other swimmers joined her.

“In Da (sub-58) Club”

The first to blast themselves into the club was McKeown’s fellow Aussie Mollie O’Callaghan. The Dean Boxall trained swimmer was a three-time medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, albeit as a prelims relay swimmer, but burst onto the scene in at the 2022 Budapest Worlds, where she won the 100 freestyle and claimed silver in the 200. A year later, she swept both events and won the latter in world record fashion en route to an impressive five gold medals.

The 100 back may not seem to fit in with one of the best freestylers in the world, but O’Callaghan has been a strong force in the event for a while. At the 2021 Australian Olympic Trials, she placed 3rd in 58.86, under the qualifying standard to only McKeown’s World Record swim of 57.45 and Emily Seebohm‘s 58.59. On home turf at the 2022 Short Course Worlds in Melbourne, O’Callaghan won bronze in the 50 back and silver in the 100, behind only her compatriot McKeown.

At the Australian Trials last month, she swam a controlled 58.73 in prelims but blasted a 57.88 in the finals to punch her ticket to Paris. (She would later add the 100 free and 200 free to her itinerary, the latter of which she placed 2nd to Ariarne Titmus, who erased O’Callaghan’s name from the record book) Speaking about the 100 back that evening, she said,

I’m happy with anything to be honest it’s 100 backstroke for me it’s a fun event I don’t really train for it. To go out there and swam a 57 is just amazing. I put a lot of pressure on myself regardless if it’s a main event or not. So I’m really really happy with the outcome.

There’s so much more room to improve. I can’t wait to take the next step. I don’t know (if I’ll compete in this event at Paris). It really depends on if I qualified for the next few events. I think that’s the main thing is just taking it day by day.

Katharine Berkoff (photo: Jack Spitser)

It seems highly unlikely that O’Callaghan will swim the event in Paris, as the 100 back falls smack dab in the middle of her two other events. The heats and semifinals would occur on the same day as the 200 free final, and the finals of the 100 back overlaps with the heats and semis of the 100 free. In looking at the Australian Olympic team, the 3rd place finisher in the event, Iona Anderson, was named to the team, and while it is possible technically that she was selected as a relay-only swimmer, it seems likely that she’ll get the nod for the event (more on her later).

Like O’Callaghan, the USA’s second-place finisher also broke into the sub-58 club. In the semifinals, Katharine Berkoff, who swam collegiately for NC State, posted a time of 57.83, dropping .24 off her previous personal best, and became the 4th fastest performer of all time.

All-Time Top Performers, Women’s 100-meter backstroke (LCM):

1. Regan Smith, United States — 57.13 (2024)
2. Kaylee McKeown, Australia — 57.33 (2023)
3. Kylie Masse, Canada — 57.70 (2021)
4. Katharine Berkoff, United States — 57.83 (2024)
5. Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia — 57.88 (2024)

In the finals, Berkoff was a tad slower, but as the saying goes, semifinals are for times, finals are for place, and Berkoff touched behind only Smith, stopping the clock in 57.91 and punching her ticket to Paris. In the final, Berkoff was actually out faster 28.01 vs 28.06, but came back home just a little slower.

Despite it being Berkoff’s first Olympics, she has a strong pedigree in the event. In addition to being the daughter of former world record holder and four-time Olympic medalist David Berkoff, Katharine is a six-time Short Course Worlds medalist and owns a pair of individual Worlds medals. She won silver in the 50 back at the 2022 Worlds and claimed bronze last summer in the 100 back, stopping the clock in 58.25, behind only the aforementioned McKeown and Smith.

With O’Callaghan’s all but certain absence, the 100 back has developed a distinct strata: Smith and McKeown will likely duke it out for the gold, and with Masse’s reemergence and Berkoff’s recent success, the pair will likely be vying for the bronze. That said, each swimmer must be at their best as any slip-up could be costly and may swimmers down the world rankings will be ready to capitalize upon their chances.

“New Rules”

Looking to capitalize on O’Callghan’s likely withdrawal is Iona Anderson. After finishing 3rd at the Australian Olympic trials, the 18-year-old will look to make the best of this opportunity. Her time of 58.43, a new personal best, ranks her 7th amongst the world this season and 5th among likely entrants. Her time also broke McKeown’s National Age Record of 58.52.

While this will be her first Olympic Games, Anderson, like Berkoff, already has international racing experience and hardware. Anderson competed at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, and while they were lightly attended, the meet could prove to be a stepping stone for many of those who attended.

Anderson won silver in the 100 back at those Championships in 59.12 but then dropped it to 58.53 a month before the Aussie trials, where she dropped more even more time. With the advantage of youth and a dose of international competition, Anderson could drop even more time and prove dangerous should someone ahead of her slip.

World Aquatics Championships
Fukuoka (JPN)
14-30 JULY 2023

Also making their first appearance in the Olympics is Emma Terebo. The New Caladenoia swimmer, who represents France, will represent her home country in Paris, courtesy of her new National Record.

At the 2024 French Elite Championships, which served as their qualifying competition, Terebo entered as the 4th seed with a time of 59.83. In the final, Terebo was 2nd at the 50 but used a strong last 50 to take the lead and become the fastest French swimmer in the event, crushing the former record of 59.30, as she stopped the clock at 58.79. Pauline Mahieu, the former record holder, had only set it 11 months earlier in Fukuoka and finished 4th in finals. Terebo wasn’t the only swimmer to break the record as both the 2nd and 3rd place finishers also dipped under 59.30.

Terebo, who will also swim the 200 back in Paris, ranks 9th in the world rankings but 6th amongst likely entrants and will have the home crowd behind her. France has not had a finalist in the event since Laure Manaudou placed 7th (1:00.10) at the 2008 Beijing Games.

While Anderson and Terebo will be buoyed by their recent new personal best, Canada’s Ingrid Wilm will look to get back towards hers. Wilm, who finished 3rd at the 2021 Canadian Trials, overcame that disappointment to finish 2nd behind Masse in 59.31 at the 2024 Trials, beating out Taylor Ruck, who was also under the qualifying time.

She has a personal best of 58.80 from 2023 and claimed her first individual World Championship medal in Doha, claiming bronze in 59.18. She also added a second in the 50 back to bring her total to five medals, three of which come from medley relays. While I already mentioned the saying that semifinals are for time and finals are for place, Wilm needs to be careful and needs to be at her best if she hopes to make the Olympic finals, as there are several swimmers hovering around 59 looking to make the final. Wilm was 58.95 in the relay but she’ll have to bring it in the individual event.

“What About Us”

Looking to break into the sub-59 club are a a pair of swimmers at different stages of their careers: China’s Wan Letian and Ireland’s Danielle Hill.

Wan, who is just 19, will be looking to pick up the Chinese backstroke mantle of Fu Yuanhui, who won bronze in 2016 as the nation failed to have a finalist in 2021. Wan won this past spring’s Chinese National Swimming Championships in 59.02, a new personal best and improving upon her Asian Games gold medal-winning performance of 59.38. With Fu’s national record sitting at 58.72, Wan, who was 8th in Fukuoka, finds herself in striking distance, and if she gets close, could help bolster China’s medley relay.

Hill, who was 59.11 in the semi-finals of the Irish Open and Olympic Trials 2024, withdrew from the finals but had done enough to punch her ticket to Paris. A native of Belfast, Hill represented Ireland at the 2021 Olympics finishing 25th in the 100 back (1:00.86), but find herself now in contention for the finals. In 2023 at the World Champs, Hill made the semis of the 50 back but failed to advance in the 100, but since then, she has dropped over a second to record a new Irish record. More recently, Hill claimed silver at the 2024 European Championships in 1:00.19.

“The Past and Pending”

The 4th and 5th place finishers from Tokyo, Rhyan White and Emily Seebohm, failed to qualify for their respective nations, but the 6th-8th place finishers from Tokyo are likely to return, albeit in varying form.

• 6th: Kathleen Dawson posted a time of 58.70 in the Tokyo Finals and won gold as a member of the mixed medley relay. The Scot has a personal best of 58.08 (the European Record), but that dates back to 2021. Since then, she has struggled with a back injury that derailed her for years. She successfully qualified for the British team, but her time of 59.74 leaves much to be desired if she hopes to make the final.
• 7th: Kira Toussaint finished in 59.11, improving upon her 1:00.25 from Rio. The Dutch sprinter, who is better suited to shorter events and shorter pools, has a personal best of 58.65, but like Dawson’s, it dates back to 2021. Toussaint qualified for Paris with a 59.88 from the 2023 Eindhoven Qualification meet. Toussaint did not final at the 2023 Worlds, finishing (12th – 59.89) behind her fellow countrywoman Maaike de Waard (11th – 59.84).
• 8th: Anastasia Gorbenko set a national record of 59.30 in the semis in Tokyo but was a little slower in the finals, stopping the clock in 59.53. She has one of the widest array of events amongst the competitors, holding Israeli records across all the disciplines save fly, but has recently been finding great success in the IMs, having recently reset her records last month on the Mare Nostrum tour. Gorbenko hasn’t swum the event individually as much compared to the medleys, she did lead off the Israeli mixed medley relay at the European Champs in 59.44.

“The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades”(AKA The Verdict):

Even if I were a betting man, I am not sure I would feel confident in placing large sums of money on one particular swimmer. Smith gets our pick to win gold as not only did she reclaim her World Record but also has experienced the pressures of racing in the Olympics (this is not to say that Gretchen Walsh will falter). Her margin of victory in the hypothetical trials vs trials against McKeown stands at .28, and in 100, anything that larger carries some significance.

The battle for bronze will be tight and the margin razor thin, but again, we are giving the edge to Katharine Berkoff. In an attempt to show I am not blinded by any homerism, one should know that my subheadings were built upon Masse’s performance at the Canadian Trials, and as someone who wrote live recaps for Australia’s, Britain’s, Canada’s, France’s, and the US’s trials, I feel like I have a strong view of the international swimming community and am not too biased by having attended the US trials. Masse’s 57.94 was very eye-catching, but Berkoff going 57.83 in the semifinal and then backing it up with 57.91 in the finals (not to mention 58.09 in the prelims) proves that she can consistently be on her game at all times and vie for a minor medal.

It took 59.30 to make the finals of the event in 2021 and 59.35 in 2016, but with so many swimmers hovering at 59 low in the world expect it to be faster and possibly even under 59.00. Our picks reflect such a growth in the event as swimmers 4-8 begin to creep up upon the sub-58 club.

SWIMSWAM’S PICKS

Dark Horse: Beryl Gastaldello (France) – One of three French swimmers under the old National record, Beryl Gastaldello has been experiencing a resurgence in her career. A strong short-course sprinter, the Frenchwoman who holds the World Record in the SCM Mixed 4×50 Free relay posted a time of 59.17 to place second behind Terebo at the French Trials. Before this season, the two-time Olympian had a personal best of 1:00.39 and was just 23rd in Tokyo (1:00.69) but has knocked off more than second over the past year. With the roar of a home crowd, Gastaldello may find her way into her first individual Olympic final.