2025 World University Games
- July 17th-23rd, 2025
- Prelims: 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST)
- Finals: 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST)
- Berlin, Germany
- LCM (50 Meters)
- Meet Central
- Entries List
- Live Results
- Livestream
- Live Recaps
Women’s 200 Backstroke – Finals
- World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
- World Junior Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (USA), 2019
World University Games Record: 2:06.93 Leah Shackley (USA), 2025
Top 8 Finishers:
- Leah Shackley (USA)- 2:05.99 *WUGS RECORD
- Kennedy Noble (USA)- 2:07.82
- Lee Eunji (KOR)- 2:08.29
- Camila Rodrigues Rebelo (POR)- 2:08.96
- Adela Pskorska (POL)- 2:10.19
- Hannah Pearse (RSA)- 2:10.39
- Delia Lloyd (CAN)- 2:12.45
- Cheung Sum Yuet Cindy (HKG)- 2:12.66
Leah Shackley broke her own World University Games record in the 200 backstroke swimming to a 2:05.99 in the final. That broke her record of a 2:06.93 that she swam during last night’s semifinal. Prior to Shackley, the record stood at a 2:07.91 set by Lisa Bratton at the 2019 edition of WUGs.
Shackley now becomes the 7th American to break the 2:06 barrier and is tied with Maya DiRado who swam a 2:05.99 at the 2016 Rio Olympics as the 6th fastest American all-time.
Split Comparison
| Shackley- Finals | Shackley- Semis | Bratton | |
| 50 | 29.91 | 29.74 | 30.42 |
| 100 | 1:02.02 (32.11) | 1:01.70 (31.96) | 1:02.42 (32.00) |
| 150 | 1:34.14 (32.12) | 1:34.31 (32.61) | 1:35.05 (32.63) |
| 200 | 2:05.99 (31.85) | 2:06.93 (32.62) | 2:07.91 (32.86) |
The biggest difference today for Shackley was her final 50 as she was 0.77 seconds faster today than she was last night.
In addition, the swim would have only been 0.15 seconds off of making the Worlds team for the US. Shackley was 3rd in the event at 2025 US Summer Nationals in a 2:06.66, finishing behind Claire Curzan (2:05.09) and Regan Smith (2:05.84). Shackley entered the season with a lifetime best of a 2:08.19 that she swam at last summer’s Junior Pan Pacs.

Yay Leah!!!
Excellent time. She won’t be at the World Championships due to the USA’s depth. This has traditionally been a strong event for the USA which has eleven out of the top twenty all-time performers.