2024 NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, March 15th – Sunday, March 17th
- Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
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- Results also available via Meet Mobile: “2024 NSW State Open Championships”
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
While competing on day two of the 2024 New South Wales State Open Championships, world record holder Kaylee McKeown put up a scorcher of a swim to win the women’s 100m backstroke.
McKeown ripped a time of 57.57 to take the event by over a second tonight in Sydney, logging the 6th-best time of her career in the process.
Griffith’s 22-year-old McKeown opened in 28.27 and brought it home in 29.30 to separate herself from the field, one which included 200m free world record holder Mollie O’Callaghan and SCM 100 backstroke world record holder Minna Atherton.
19-year-old MOC registered a time of 58.71 (28.47/30.24) to snag the silver and Atherton was over the minute mark at 1:01.42 as this evening’s bronze medalist.
MOC was just off her lifetime best of 58.42 clocked at last year’s Australian National Championships. The St. Peters Western star now ranks 5th in the world on the season.
2023-2024 LCM Women 100 Back
SMITH
57.13 WR
| 2 | Kaylee McKEOWN | AUS | 57.33 | 10/21 |
| 3 | Katharine BERKOFF | USA | 57.83 | 06/17 |
| 4 | Mollie O'CALLAGHAN | AUS | 57.88 | 06/11 |
| 5 | Kylie MASSE | CAN | 57.94 | 05/15 |
As for McKeown, her 57.57 represents the 6th-quickest performance in history.
Top 10 LCM 100 Backstroke Performances of Kaylee McKeown
- 57.33, 2023 World Cup
- 57.42, 2021 Australian Trials
- 57.47, 2020 Olympic Games
- 57.50, 2023 Australian Trials
- 57.53, 2023 World Championships
- 57.57, 2024 NSW Championships
- 57.63, 2021 Sydney Open & 2023 World Cup
- 57.79, 2023 Queensland Championships
- 57.84, 2023 NSW Championships
- 57.88, 2020 Olympic Games
Top 10 LCM 100 Backstroke Performances All-Time
- 57.33 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
- 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown, 2021
- 57.47 – Kaylee McKeown, 2021
- 57.50 – Kaylee McKeown, 2023
- 57.53 – Kaylee McKeown, 2023
- 57.57 – Regan Smith (USA), 2019 & 57.57 – Kaylee McKeown, 2024
- –
- 57.63 – Kaylee McKeown, 2021 & 2023
- –
- 57.64 – Regan Smith, 2021 & 2024
The cat-and-mouse charade between McKeown and American Regan Smith continues.
Smith recently hit a time of 57.64 to establish a new U.S. Open Record at the Westmont Pro Swim Series. That ranks her #2 in the world behind McKeown’s world record-setting performance of 57.33 notched at the Budapest stop of the 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup last October.
Now McKeown has surpassed Smith’s season-best again with tonight’s 57.57 head-turner.
Given Kaylee’s in-season swims, I’m both excited and terrified by what she could do if she lands a big meet taper. I fully want Regan to bust through her 2019 times to achieve what she seemed capable of then – but I’ll have no problem if Kaylee still tops her then. Hopefully they push themselves to 56 and 2:02
And the trading has begun
First Regan: 57.64 last week
Now Kaylee: 57.57 this week
What’s next?
Regan’s gonna have to take down her AMR to top kaylee now. I think she’ll possibly do it before the Olympics but it ultimately won’t matter until the Olympics who has the faster time.
Last year they traded 5 times but I suspect that’s not happening again. I don’t see either of them beating this time until trials (maybe Kaylee at Sydney Open next month)
Would actually love to see a tie for gold in Paris.
Same but not in the women’s 100 back, I’d rather it be in the 200IM
Summer & Kaylee?
3 way tie would be crazy
Dont take this the wrong way but it’s such a shame that Regan’s rival is so nice and well-spoken. Us Americans want to not like her or her say something rude so badly to fire up the rivalry, but she won’t do it lol. She seems to be such a great person. She just swims hella fast and respects her opponents.
Yeah, I’m a big Regan fan but it’s easy to like and respect McKeown. Personally I’m glad she’s that way bc I don’t see her losing anytime soon and it would be a much harder pill to swallow if she was insufferable.
So sub 58 was first achieved in July 2019
The feat has been replicated 33 times since, which really does not put into perspective that 3 swimmers are responsible for all of them, and just two of them 30.
McKeown and Smith have completely rewritten the books in this event with 16 and 14 sub 58 swims respectively. There seems to be a bigger gulf between the two in consistency than that stat suggest, perhaps it’s because McKeown has been under Smith’s PB 5 times not including this matching it. Her consistency since late 2020 seemingly never being out of form is mind boggling
I’m not rooting for her but she is highly impressive. I think if she is on point in Paris, she takes gold in the backstrokes, even with Regan being her best. Credit where credit is due.
I’m always hoping for Regan as an American homer, but McKeown is seriously one of the most impressive swimmers of this era. Her consistency is just bananas.
God I can’t wait for the olympics