Kaylee McKeown Lowers Australian, Oceanian 50 Back Record To 25.36 In Shanghai

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP-SHANGHAI

The 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series got underway today from Shanghai and right off the bat Australian Kaylee McKeown made some of her usual noise in the women’s backstroke.

Racing in the final of the 50m back, 23-year-old McKeown unleashed a new personal best of 25.36 to reap the gold.

Her time established a new World Cup Record, as well as a new Australian national and Oceanic record in the process.

American Regan Smith, McKeown’s international rival across all backstroke events, settled for silver this evening in 25.70 while Canada’s Ingrid Wilm bagged the bronze in 26.08. Smith’s result represents a new lifetime best.

Entering this competition, McKeown’s career-quickest rested at the 25.40 she notched just last month at the Australian Short Course Championships.

That effort overtook the 25.61 Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan put on the books at the 2022 Short Course World Championships. Prior to that, McKeown’s best stood at the 26.00 turned in at the 2020 Queensland Virtual Short Course Championships.

McKeown also destroyed the previous World Cup Record of 25.81 Dutch Olympian Kira Toussaint registered in 2021.

With tonight’s performance, McKeown remains the #2 performer of all-time, sitting only behind World Record holder Maggie MacNeil, the Canadian Olympic gold medalist who recently announced her retirement. MacNeil’s WR also represents the current Commonwealth Record

Top 10 Women’s SCM 50 Backstroke Performers All-Time

  1. Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 25.25, 2022
  2. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 25.36, 2024
  3. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 25.49, 2022
  4. Claire Curzan (USA) – 25.54, 2022
  5. Marila Kameneva (RUS) – 25.60, 2022
  6. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 25.60, 2020
  7. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 25.62, 2021
  8. Etiene Medeiros (BRA) – 25.67, 2014
  9. Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) – 25.70, 2009 & Regan Smith (USA) – 25.70, 2024
  10. Olivia Smoliga (USA) – 25.74,2020

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The Real AJC
30 days ago

From Kaylee’s latest instagram post, sounds like she’s going to take a break after today and cut her plan to swim all 3 stops short.

Emily Se-Bom Lee
30 days ago

Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) – 25.70, 2009 & Regan Sith (USA) – 25.70, 2024

I am the senate

50s for all 4 strokes!
30 days ago

Nice to see that Maggie’s time from ‘22 is still the benchmark!!! She was a heluva swimmer when you look at her times in retrospect.

NotHimAgain
30 days ago

Winning is in the Kaylee’s blood. She just continues to impress.

Will have to watch the race once it’s uploaded to YouTube. The Eurovision app isn’t available for Android TV, and I hate to watch sporting events on my laptop.

Troyy
30 days ago

The winning streak continues.

mahmoud
30 days ago

her consistency is insane. she never ceases to amaze me.

Joel
Reply to  mahmoud
30 days ago

I think I just expect her to win but would still love her if she didn’t.

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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