2019 World University Games/Summer Universiade – Swimming
- July 4th-9th, 2019
- Napoli, Italy
- LCM (50m)
- Live Stream: Olympic Channel (in US), Rai Sport (in Italy)
- Entry Lists & Live Results
- Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet
Women’s 100 Backstroke – Semi-final
- World Record – 58.00, Kathleen Baker (USA), 2018
- Meet Record – 59.57 Katharine Berkoff (USA), 2019
Katharine Berkoff of the United States broke the World University Games record in the women’s 100 back on Saturday, swimming the best time of her career in morning prelims. In the last heat, she went 59.57 to take .26 off the meet record of 59.83 set by Anastasia Zueva (RUS) in 2013. She also took .02 off her personal best of 59.59, which she had swum last summer in a swim-off at Junior Pan Pacific Championships. That performance set the Junior Pan Pacs record.
On Saturday night in Napoli, Berkoff cranked a 59.82 in the second semi-final. While just off her morning meet record, she was still the only sub-minute backstroker in the field and will swim in lane 4 in Sunday night’s final. Berkoff has been working on her up-front speed, as can be seen in the progression below. Out nearly 6/10 faster than in her record-breaking swim of the morning, she came home about 8/10 slower. If she can hang on in tomorrow night’s final, Berkoff will approach 59-flat.
| 2018 Jr Pan Pacs (prelims) | 2019 WUGS (prelims) | 2019 WUGS (semi-finals) | |
| First 50 | 29.25 | 29.14 | 28.58 |
| Second 50 | 30.34 | 30.43 | 31.24 |
| Final time | 59.59 | 59.57 | 59.82 |
Berkoff, who will be a freshman at North Carolina State University in the fall, now ranks #13 on the all-time list of American in the 100 backstroke:
- 58.00 – Baker, Kathleen – 2018 Summer Nationals
- 58.33 – Franklin, Missy – 2012 Olympic Games
- 58.45 – Smith, Regan – 2019 IN ISI Counsilman Classic
- 58.73 – Smoliga, Olivia – 2019 TYR Pro Swim Series #3 – Richmond
- 58.94 – Hall, Natalie – 2008 Olympic Games
- 59.10 – Bootsma, Rachel – USA Olympic Team Trials
- 59.11 – McGregory, Hayley – 2008 U. S. Open
- 59.12 – Bacon, Phoebe – 2018 Summer Nationals
- 59.27 – Pelton, Elizabeth – 2013 USA National Champs
- 59.37 – Bilquist, Amy – U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming
- 59.40 – Stevens, Hannah – UMiz Invite
- 59.43 – DeLoof, Ali – 2017 Arena Pro Swim Mesa
- 59.57 – Berkoff, Katharine – 2019 World University Games
- 59.58 – Adams, Claire – 2015 U.S. National Champs
Berkoff now ranks 9th in the world for 2019:
2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 100 BACK
SMITH
57.57 *WR
| 2 | Kylie MASSE | CAN | 58.16 | 04/03 |
| 3 | Taylor RUCK | CAN | 58.55 | 04/03 |
| 4 | Minna ATHERTON | AUS | 58.60 | 07/22 |
| 5 | Olivia SMOLIGA | USA | 58.73 | 04/12 |
| 6 | Margherita PANZIERA | ITA | 58.92 | 04/04 |
| 7 | Phoebe BACON | USA | 59.02 | 08/10 |
| 8 | Kathleen BAKER | USA | 59.03 | 07/22 |
| 9 | Kaylee McKEOWN | AUS | 59.10 | 07/23 |
| 10 | Georgia DAVIES | GBR | 59.25 | 07/24 |
CONGRATULATIONS Katharine!! Go WOLFPACK!