2025 World University Games
- July 17th-23rd, 2025
- Berlin, Germany
- LCM (50 Meters)
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Women’s 100m Backstroke Final:
- Kennedy Noble (USA) – 58.78 *WUGS Record
- Leah Shackley (USA) – 59.13
- Lee Eunji (KOR) – 1:00.23
- Camila Rodrigues Rebelo (POR) – 1:00.34
- Ashley McMillan (CAN) – 1:00.81
- Frederica Toma (ITA) – 1:00.88
- Michaela de Villiers (RSA) – 1:01.03
- Aimi Nagaoka (JPN) – 1:01.08
In the finals of the women’s 100 backstroke, one of five finals on day four of the World University Games, would once again be highlighted by two Americans and a new WUGs record.
NC State Senior Kennedy Noble took down the meet record in the event, broken the night before by teammate Leah Shackley.
Noble’s 58.78 topped the previous record time of Shackley, set last night at 58.97. The two turned in the only sub-minute showings in the final.
Shackley got the best of Noble in the semifinals when she broke the WUG record in the event initially set by Katharine Berkoff in 2019 in 59.59.
The two NC State athletes swam side by side, Shackley in lane four and Noble in lane five. The Americans were neck and neck through the first 50m, with Shackley (28.32 1st 50) taking the early lead over Noble (28.50 1st 50) by .18.
Noble would then put on the closing speed to eliminate the thin lead, coming home in 30.28, out-splitting Shackley by .53 to take the win and secure a gold.
Noble’s time doesn’t quite top her personal best from Olympic Trials last summer of 53.55, but it does move her up to the 7th fastest performer in the event this year.
Earlier in the meet, Noble swam 2:06.97 in the semifinals of the 200 back, marking her second fastest swim of her career. Her finals time of 2:07.82 placed her 2nd behind Shackley.
This swim for Noble may help secure her spot on the USA’s medley relay, with Shackley likely to swim the fly, barring a big swim from Ella Welch.
NC State is the new female backstroke U. Both Noble and Shakley are going to make these next few years even more crazy competitive to represent team US in the back stroke.
NC State is backstroke U. Diehl + McCarty on the guy’s side
since everyone loves useless events now anyway, can we get a petition to add the 4×100 backstroke relay to the Olympics?
Love this
Japan will be doing the same for 4×200 breast and 4×400 IM.
Germany men’s 4×400 free and 4×800 free