2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open
- Wednesday, April 29 – Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
- LCM (50 meters)
- All the Links
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results: “Fort Lauderdale Open” on Meet Mobile
- SwimSwam Recaps
WOMEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – Finals
- World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
- World Junior Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
- American Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith (2024)
- U.S. Open Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
Top 8 Finishers (According to Livestream)
- Regan Smith (TXLA) — 57.49
- Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) — 57.55
- Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) — 58.86
- Erika Pelaez (NCS) — 59.78
- Catie Choate (GSC) — 1:00.89
- Sadie Buckley (NCAP) — 1:01.16
- Roos Rottink (NAC) — 1:01.56
- Brynn Lavigueur (SYS) — 1:01.81
After a personal best time this morning, Isabelle Stadden swam to another lifetime best this weekend in Fort Lauderdale, touching in a 57.55 in the 100 backstroke for 2nd behind Regan Smith‘s 57.49. Stadden now moves up to become the #3 performer all-time.
All-Time Top Performers, LCM Women’s 100 Back
- Regan Smith, 57.13, 2024
- Kaylee McKeown, 57.16, 2025
- Isabelle Stadden, 57.55, 2026
- Kylie Masse, 57.70, 2021
- Katharine Berkoff, 57.83, 2024
- Mollie O’Callaghan, 57.88, 2024
Stadden entered the day with a lifetime best 58.26 that she swam in March that made her the #11 performer all-time. She has had a huge 2026, changing her training base to Virginia and dropping almost a second and a half in the 100 back as her previous best was a 58.99 coming into 2026.
Her time from today would have won 2025 US Summer Nationals as Regan Smith won that in a 57.69. Smith earned the win tonight in a 57.49, her 2nd fastest in-season 100 back ever.
Stadden will not be a member of the US roster later this summer, so she will not have the chance to face off against Smith and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown.
something I noticed how well Regan came home, she decided she wasnt going to let Stadden beat her but she never does that when racing Kaylee, she is always the one fading
I don’t think she fades against Kaylee. Kaylee just has a great 2nd 50. If you look at Regan’s splits, she doesn’t fade.
Regan may not fade, but she rarely goes close to a best time against Kaylee.
Stadden looks stronger and picked up speed by the end. I won’t be surprised if at this rate Stadden ends up overtaking Regan in both races. I wonder if it’s a strength training matter with Regan, which could help her pull more efficiently. She spins her arms well, but I wonder if that extra fast spin of her arms tires her out, making her stroke less efficient down the line.
The truth is that it depends on the camera’s perspective to know who was approaching at the end; the side videos are confusing.
Since the US men dont have elite 100back power, and Smith has 50 back/ 200 fly before the mixed medly..now US can use Stadden/ Van/ Gretchen / Alexy in Budapest 2027
57.6/ 57.8/ 54.6/ 46.6
3.36.60 WR
54.3 now
and hasn’t Alexy split 45?
i put down hypothetical times.. Gretchen always go tenths slower than her flat times on relays on fly leg..and to a throw down a 45.9 again, alexy should have a situation to come from behind.
Relays are different than individual games
Gretchen goes faster than her flat start probably 50% of the time, plus with a male going last we will definitely be coming from behind.
yes 45.96 split
Imagine if she’s the American to take down Mckeown
Imagine her and and Regan going 1-2
saying that after one big swim makes for a cute sunday morning lol
Dan the hater
free palestine
Big congratulations to Ms. Stadden! Big swims all week.
I watched her SwimSwam interview from yesterday. I was struck by two things:
(1) She’s enthusiastic and quite articulate; and,
(2) She looks and sounds (her speech patterns) a lot like Regan Smith. Especially her facial features and the way smiles. You may laugh, but go back and watch it, and you’ll see the similarities (except hair color).
Best wishes to her!
Let her be her own person and impressive in her own way!
They both grew up swimming club in Minnesota at the same time. That may explain the speech patterns.
their swim clubs are like 30 minutes apart so that might just be a regional speech pattern
They’re both from suburban Minneapolis and both moved to the West Coast for different periods of time, so the speech thing makes sense
What a weird to thing to note lol
Really creepy comment
Incredible drops across both events at 23 yo.
Either Cal underdeveloped her, or UVA truly has magic for female swimmers.
I think we just don’t understand swimming as sport. Could be Todd giving her some simple cue or just doing more board kicking in practice.
She’s said socks and more power lifting. And the UW work.
UVA does better than the competition but it’s not perfect (ie Katie Grimes & Leah Hayes).
Athlete maturity and mentality are more important than raw talent
Or Isabelle did it herself
Then it begs the question:
Why didn’t she do it while in CAL?
Environment matters, too, no matter the drive and maturity.
Somebody mentioned Van Mathias in the live results thread and goodness gracious I am losing my mind at how many athletes could have done something like this with different situations.
There’s gotta be a way to structurally figure out these gaps
Yea, there must be something to finishing out your college career, taking a break, and then coming back refreshed and renewed.
You are definitely going to wonder how many swimmers retire after college without ever realizing their potential.
I coulda been a contendah …!
In age group, too. So much is dependent on access to pools, money, and extras.