Olivia Smoliga Breaks American Record in Women’s 50 SCM Backstroke

2020 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE: MATCH 1

• Friday, October 16: 4 PM-6 PM Local Time (10 AM-12 noon U.S. Eastern, 11 PM-1 AM J+1 Japan)
• Saturday, October 17: 8 PM-10 PM Local Time (2 PM-4 PM U.S. Eastern, 3 AM-5 AM J+1 Japan)
• Duna Arena – Budapest, Hungary
• Short Course Meters (SCM) format
• 2020 ISL Scoring Format
• 2020 ISL Prize Money and Bonuses
• How To Watch
• Teams: Energy Standard, Cali Condors, LA Current, NY Breakers

American backstroker Olivia Smoliga broke the American Record and came within .07 seconds of the World Record in the women’s 50 backstroke, swimming 25.74 on Friday to kick off the ISL season.

That breaks her own record of 25.88 set at the 2018 World Short Course Championships.

Racing for the Cali Condors in the ISL, Smoliga just-missed the World Record of 25.67 owned by Brazil’s Etiene Medeiros from 2014. Smoliga is now the 3rd-best swimmer, with the 3rd-best performance, in the history of the 50 back, and clears Minna Atherton‘s 25.81 from last season as the fastest time in ISL history.

Top Performances, All-Time, Women’s 50 SCM Backstroke:

1. Etiene Medeiros, Brazil – 25.67
2. Sanja Jovanovic, United States – 25.70
3. Olivia Smoliga, United States – 25.74
4. Kira Toussaint, Netherlands – 25.75
5. Minna Atherton, Australia – 25.81
6. Zhao Jing, United States – 25.82