Katharine Berkoff Now #2 All-Time In The 50 Backstroke After 26.97 American Record

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50 meters)
• World Championship Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets (Updated 6/02)
• Live Results
• How To Watch (USA Swimming Network)
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Women’s 50 Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 26.86 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• American Record: 27.10 – Regan Smith (2023)
• U.S. Open Record: 27.12 – Katharine Berkoff, United States (2022)
• 2023 U.S. National Champion: Katharine Berkoff – 27.13
• 2025 World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 28.22

Final:

1. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) — 26.97 *American, U.S. Open Record* 
2. Regan Smith (TXLA) — 27.20
3. Claire Curzan (TAC) — 27.26
4. Leah Shackley (WOLF) — 27.43
5. Isabelle Stadden (CAL) — 27.78
6. Kennedy Noble (WOLF) — 27.86
7. Rhyan White (WOLF) — 27.92
8. Kaitlyn Owens (TAMU) — 28.04

Katharine Berkoff reclaimed her American and U.S. Open records from Regan Smith tonight, as she won her third consecutive national title in the women’s 50 backstroke after taking first in 2022 and 2023.  She shaved 0.15 seconds off her best set at the first of those, breaking 27 seconds for the first time and jumping up to #2 all-time behind Kaylee McKeown.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Backstroke (LCM)

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023 – 26.86
2. Katharine Berkoff (USA), 2025 – 26.97
3. Xiang Liu (CHN), 26.98
4. Jing Zhao (CHN), 2009 – 27.06
5. Wan Letian (CHN), 2025 – 27.09

Berkoff was out fast, leading at the 25 and then pulling away from the field as they came into the finish. Regan Smith made a push out of lane 2 but fell short in 27.20, a tenth off her own best and the previous American Record.

Her three best performances in the 50 have all come on American soil, and with each of them she has won a National Title.

Berkoff’s performance was the second-fastest swim of all-time, behind only the 26.86 Kaylee McKeown swam back in October 2023.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 50m Backstroke (LCM)

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023 – 26.86
2. Katharine Berkoff (USA), 2025 – 26.97
3. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023/Xiang Liu (CHN), 2018 – 26.98
4. –
5. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023 – 27.02

She also takes over the world lead this season from McKeown, who swam 27.06 in March at the NSW State Championships. Regan Smith slots in fifth, behind Kylie Masse‘s 27.13 and Lauren Cox‘s 27.15, with the battle for gold this summer looking to be anything but an easy call to make.

This was Berkoff’s first swim of the meet after she scratched the 100 freestyle on Day 1, but she looks in fine form for the 100 backstroke tomorrow. She was the Olympic bronze medalist in that event in Paris, and is one of only five women to have broken 58 seconds. She also took bronze in the 100 at the World Championships in Fukuoka in 2023, and silver in the 50 in 2022.