Regan Smith Clips 100 Back U.S. Open Record (57.64) After Winning 200 Fly To Start Session

2024 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

Regan Smith proved that the 200 butterfly/100 backstroke double was no problem for her at the 2024 Westmont Pro Swim. With only the 50 freestyle between the two events, the 22-year-old Smith capped off her night with a new U.S. Open Record, swimming a 57.64 to win the 100 backstroke.

Courtesy: USA Swimming

The time lowers her own U.S. Open Record, which she set at 57.71 back at U.S. Nationals in June 2023 to qualify for the Fukuoka World Championships. That was her first major taper meet since joining Bob Bowman and the ASU training group. The time is also a new season best for Smith and her first sub-58 second outing so far this year. She improves her #2 time in the world rankings behind Kaylee McKeown‘s 57.33 world record.

U.S. Open Record Split Comparison 

2024 Westmont Pro Series 2023 U.S. Nationals
50 28.13 27.82
100 57.64 (29.51) 57.71 (29.89)

Smith did all the work to get the record on the back half of the race. She was out much slower than her 2023 self, then put together a 29.51 back half to outpace her record line and get her hand on the wall seven-hundredths quicker.

Smith won the race easily; by the turn she was already .77 seconds ahead of the field. She continued to extend her lead on the second 50 and touched more than two seconds ahead of Leah Shackley, who also took on the tough 200 fly/100 back double.

With her win in the 100 backstroke, Smith went 2-for-2 in her events this session. In the opening race of the night, she earned the win in the 200 fly by 4.14 seconds ahead of Dakota Luther. Her time there is the new fastest time in the world this season. It’s also a new Pro Swim Series record, breaking Summer McIntosh‘s 2:05.05 mark swum last year. Smith never trailed in either of her races.

Reported by Riley Overend: 

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

Top 8:

  1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 57.64
  2. Leah Shackley (BRY) – 59.76
  3. Rhyan White (WOLF) – 1:00.12
  4. Torri Huske (AAC) – 1:00.19
  5. Taylor Ruck (SUN) – 1:00.30
  6. Justine Murdock (UN-IL) – 1:01.79
  7. Rebecca Sutton (SW) – 1:02.96
  8. Tierney Lenahan (WILD) – 1:03.25

After already winning the 200 fly earlier in the session, Regan Smith ripped a U.S. Open record of 57.64 to take down her own standard (57.71) from last June. She also erased her own Pro Swim Series record of 57.90 from last year.

Leah Shackley touched more than two seconds behind Smith in 59.76, just a couple tenths off her best time (59.55) from last May. She placed 3rd in the 200 fly (2:12.03) behind Smith and Dakota Luther earlier in the session.

On the back half of a 50 free double, Torri Huske (1:00.19) didn’t have quite enough in the tank to chase down Rhyan White (1:00.12) for 3rd place. Taylor Ruck placed 5th in 1:00.30, her fastest time since April of 2022.

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David
4 months ago

Paris will be no différent regan will play second fiddle to Kaylee and summer. No golds for smith in Paris.

Comet16
4 months ago

Extremely tough double. If she didn’t have the fly in her legs she would have been close to the WR

gitech
4 months ago

I think I could see wr at 200 back🔥

phelpsfan
4 months ago

Regan is winning 200fly gold at Paris. Sorry McIntosh

phelpsfan
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

Lol

Mako
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

OK.

Eric Illouz
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

that’s what folks were saying last year for worlds and look how it turned out

Pan Fan
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

I mean, Summer McIntosh beat Regan Smith twice in a row in 2022 Budapest and 2023 Fukuoka.

Last year, Regan Smith also swam faster (100/200 back, 200 fly) in local meets, and then swam slower in Fukuoka.

Remember that last year people and Swimswam predicted Regan Smith to beat both Summer McIntosh and Kaylee McKeown just because she swam really fast in local events before Fukuoka?

It didn’t happen, not even in one event.

phelpsfan
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

I hope that trend of McIntosh beating Smith continues. I’m just trying to jinx it lmao

phelpsfan
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

Oh look, all of the Americans woke up to downvote. Lol

Eric Illouz
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

Regan will fade again in the last 50 like the past 2 years at worlds

phelpsfan
Reply to  Eric Illouz
4 months ago

Hopefully

96Swim
4 months ago

That’s a really impressive double. Doing anything after a 200 fly is impressive, much less coming within a tenth of her best 100 back time.

swimfast
4 months ago

WOW. gonna be an amazing race in Paris. Could see two 56’s on the podium…

Pan Fan
Reply to  swimfast
4 months ago

Highly unlikely.

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

Agree. No way Regan drops 0.58 off her PB. And also unlikely for Kaylee.

PFA
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 months ago

While this is true doesn’t mean we won’t see WR’s fall in the final frankly I think it could take a WR to win as both could go under it

Mako
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 months ago

I have a feeling Kaylee will go under 57 but it’s not based on anything scientific.:-)

Boomer
Reply to  Mako
4 months ago

I think she will at some point before she retires, might be this year but I don’t think it’ll be during the olympic final

Steve Nolan
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 months ago

Someone bookmark this.

I don’t think we’ll get a WR in the final, but I’m not ruling it out either.

Pan Fan
Reply to  Steve Nolan
4 months ago

Bookmarked.

I always like to remind Steve Nolan of his hot takes.

phelpsfan
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

How do you bookmark comments on SwimSwam?

Pan Fan
Reply to  phelpsfan
4 months ago

I bookmarked the page on chrome

phelpsfan
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

Got it thanks! I’m on mobile now and earlier spent 15 minutes of my time trying to figure it out lol

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Pan Fan
4 months ago

comment image

Fast and Furious
Reply to  swimfast
4 months ago

I can’t see even one

About Sophie Kaufman

Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

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