Leah Shackley Shatters WUGs Record in Women’s 200 Backstroke

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
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Leah Shackley took the top seed in the women’s 200 backstroke in a new World University Games Record time of 2:06.93, demolishing the former record by almost a second.

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Semifinals

• World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
• World Junior Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (USA), 2019
• World University Games Record: 2:07.91 – Lisa Bratton (USA), 2019

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Leah Shackley (USA)- 2:06.93 **New Championship Record
2. Kennedy Noble (USA)- 2:06.97
3. Camila Rodrigues Rebelo (POR)- 2:09.50
4. Delia Lloyd (CAN)- 2:10.10
5. Lee Eunji (KOR)- 2:10.29
6. Hannah Colleen Pearse (RSA)- 2: 10.45
7. Adela Piskorska (POL)- 2:10.85
8. Cheung Sum Yuet Cindy (HKG)- 2:11.08

Shackley swam in the 2nd semifinal, getting out to an early lead after the first 50 with her first split of 29.74. NC State teammate and fellow American Kennedy Noble took over the lead on the middle 100, coming in two tenths ahead of Shackley at the 150 mark, but Shackley split 32.62 to Noble’s 32.86 to take back the lead and break the record.

Both women were way under the former record of 2:07.91 that was set by Lisa Bratton back in 2019.

They were also far ahead of the field with the next finisher, Camila Rodrigues Rebelo from Portugal coming in two-and-a-half seconds back in 2:09.50.

This swim was just off Shackley’s lifetime best of 2:06.66 that she swam at the beginning of June at the U.S. National Championships.

Shackley and Noble will both swim in tomorrow’s final, and Shackley will be attempting to win her first of four potential gold medals this week.