2024 NOVA SPEEDO GRAND CHALLENGE
- May 24-26, 2024
- William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center Pool, Irvine, California
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 CA NOVA-Speedo Grand Challenge”
- Psych Sheets
- Preview
- Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
- Live Stream
WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL
Meet record: 59.23 – Regan Smith, 2024- U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 1:01.89
Top 4:
- Regan Smith (TXLA) – 57.51
- Justina Kozan (TROJ) – 1:02.08
- Delaney Herr (CITI) – 1:03.20
- Caroline Famous (TROJ) – 1:03.60
Regan Smith broke her own American Record in the women’s 100 backstroke as she swam a 57.51, breaking her previous record of a 57.57 that she swam leading off the US Women’s 4×100 medley relay at the 2019 World Championships. She also broke her own US Open Record of a 57.64 that she swam in March of this year at the Pro Series stop in Westmont.
Split Comparison:
| New Record | Old Record | |
| 50 | 28.11 | 27.74 |
| 100 | 29.4 | 29.83 |
| 57.51 | 57.57 |
Smith was more conservative on the front half of the race today and charged home to earn the touch, 0.06 seconds ahead of her old record. At the time she set her old record, it also stood as a World Record for almost two years as in 2021 Kaylee McKeown swam a 57.45. The 2019 World Championships were also the same meet where Smith set the World Record in the 200 backstroke, although she did not compete in the event this weekend.
Smith already sat at #2 in the World so far this season, only behind Australia’s Kaylee McKeown who swam a World Record of a 57.33 last October.
The battle between the two swimmers in Paris later this summer is currently shaping up to be a good one. Last year, McKeown swept the backstroke events at the 2023 World Championships while Smith earned silver in all three as well. Smith won bronze in the 100 backstroke at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while McKeown won gold.
2023-2024 LCM Women 100 Back
McKEOWN
57.33 WR
| 2 | Regan SMITH | USA | 57.51 | 05/26 |
| 3 | Mollie O'CALLAGHAN | AUS | 57.88 | 06/11 |
| 4 | Kylie MASSE | CAN | 57.94 | 05/15 |
| 5 | Claire CURZAN | USA | 58.29 | 02/13 |
This was not Smith’s first best time of the meet as she also fired off a best time in the 100 butterfly (56.26) and 200 freestyle (1:57.23) last night.
This will be one of my anticipated races for Paris. Credit to these two amazing swimmers (Kaylee and Regan) for continuing to improve from 2021. Add Masse’s 57.9 from Canadian trials and it’s going to be a hot race in Paris, they may go super quick in prelims too. Will probably take a WR to win it.
Every Olympic year about three weeks out from trials people start throwing down ridiculous times. Many times those swims aren’t repeated. While Regan is swimming very fast, Im not going to get too excited especially since she swam some ridiculous times ASU prior to world trials last year. Glad to see her hitting best times in the 1 back again but Let’s see what happens in Indy.
my goat
Regan’s swim had nothing to do with Paris or Australia. If you listened carefully to the announcer, you would know that her swim was all about the $600 bonus.
Gonna smash McKeown in Paris 💪
Regardless of who wins gold this summer, Regan netted a huge victory this weekend. To keep grinding for FIVE YEARS after your best time, to weather that disappointment, to recognize when your training environment isn’t working and make a big move, and still believe in yourself to get over that mountain – that’s unreal. Good for her.
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💪🏼❤️
Extremely well said!
Bowman said he has a better understanding of how to taper her. Fully tapered, 57.01 is a possibility. Sub 57 maybe.
Right, on one hand that’s making me excited for additional taper drops.
On the other hand, is the anecdotal data about Bowman swimmers always killing it coming down from altitude, and being near or better than their taper bests.
So I guess. Idk what to expect. Other than fun!
LFG! Regan is the definition of patience and dedication. Not going a best time in your two best events (and former world records) for five years must be incredibly frustrating. So happy for her. Let’s see what else she’s got this summer!!!!!
I remember Josh Davis talking about 7yrs without a best time. So hard, especially if you are still committed and training so hard.