Regan Smith Breaks U.S. Open Record With 57.76 100 Back

Yanyan Li
by Yanyan Li 22

April 29th, 2022 National, News

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

After failing to make the Worlds team in the 200 back, Regan Smith roared back Friday night to win the 100 back. She led the race from start to finish, splitting 28.06/29.70 to go a time of 57.76- making her the first woman under 58 seconds this year.

That time breaks her old U.S. Open record of 57.91 from 2021 Olympic trials. In addition, it is also the eighth-fastest performance of all time in the event. Considering that the world record in the womens’ 100 back was a 58.00 less than four years ago, the fact that 57.76 is only eighth all time shows how much faster this event has gotten recently.

Top 8 Performances Of All-Time, Womens’ 100 Back:

  1. Kaylee McKeown– 57.45 (2021)
  2. Kaylee McKeown– 57.47 (2021)
  3. Regan Smith– 57.57 (2019)
  4. Kaylee McKeown– 57.63 (2021)
  5. Regan Smith– 57.64 (2021)
  6. Kylie Masse– 57.70 (2021)
  7. Kylie Masse– 57.72 (2021)
  8. Regan Smith– 57.76 (2022)

Smith broke the world record in the 100 back when she swam a time of 57.57 at the 2019 FINA World Championships leading off the 4×100 medley relay, but it was broken by Kaylee McKeown when she went 57.45 at the 2021 Australian Olympic trials. Later, Smith got bronze in the event at the Olympics when McKeown won gold.

This morning in prelims, Smith swam a 58.29 to overtake McKeown’s 58.31 as the top time in the world this year. Her 57.76 is now the new world-leading time by a considerable margin. Furthermore, Smith’s qualification in the 100 back sets up the three woman duel between her, McKeown, and Tokyo silver medalist Kylie Masse in Budapest this summer.

2021-2022 LCM Women 100 Back

ReganUSA
Smith
06/19
57.65
2Kaylee
McKeown
AUS58.3102/19
3Claire
Curzan
USA58.3904/29
4Kylie
Masse
CAN58.4006/20
5Rhyan
White
USA58.5904/29
View Top 27»

With Smith’s win in the 100 back, she is now qualified to swim the 50 back at worlds as well. She finished second behind Katherine Berkoff in the latter event, going a lifetime best of 27.25. In addition, she is also qualified to swim the 200 fly.

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HungarianFlyNasty
2 years ago

Man she just cannot get close to that 200 Back time though can she! Another international championship where she won’t even swim the even she has the world record in.

BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Why do you post a different time in the headline and that snazzy top 5 times table?
comment image

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Just like FINA, it’s takes forever to update.

BearlyBreathing
Reply to  Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
2 years ago

OK. The reason I ask is because sometimes these tables are up to date and sometimes they aren’t.
There is another article tonight that shows Katie Ledecky’s time from tonight in the same type of table and her finals time is there.
How are these tables even generated and why are they sometimes correct and sometimes not?

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Ask the powers that be at Swimswam. I’m just a humble fan of the sport.

HungarianFlyNasty
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Probably because it is auto pulling the information from Fina or Omega when it is official

Swimmerj
2 years ago

Statement swim, go regs❤️

Troyy
2 years ago

She seems to be dealing with the pressure better. It was pretty horrible watching her look so distressed after winning the 100 back at trials last year.

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
2 years ago

Does Regan Smith automatically secure the second spot in the women’s 50 meter backstroke?

Admin
Reply to  Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
2 years ago

Yes, if she wants it.

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

Thanks!

Calvin
2 years ago

 Tonight marks the first time that she managed to get under that 58 minute barrier in an individual 100 back race.

No. Trials semis.

Daniel Takata
Reply to  Calvin
2 years ago

Olympics prelims and semis too.

boknows34
Reply to  Daniel Takata
2 years ago

I’ve counted 5 swims in total before last night. Prelims and semis Tokyo, semis in Omaha and two from relays (one mixed so would not have been eligible for records)

Sub13
2 years ago

This will be a blockbuster in Budapest.

The fastest 3 women in history by a significant margin (assuming Kaylee makes the team) will be going head to head again.

Sherry Smit
2 years ago

Yay! So happy for her, I knew her 100 would be great! She’s my bet for gold this summer

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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