Regan Smith Lowers Own 100 Back World Junior Record In 59.09

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
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Regan Smith continued her hot streak Saturday morning in Irvine, CA by lowering her own World Junior Record in prelims of the women’s 100 backstroke. Her time of 59.09 eclipsed the 59.11 she swam last summer at the FINA World Junior Championships in Indianapolis, IN.

The now 16 year-old actually swam 59.11 twice at World Junior Champs – once in the individual final where she won and again leading off the 4×100 medley relay where the USA took 2nd behind Canada.

Prior to Smith claiming the record, Canada’s Taylor Ruck temporarily held it with a 59.28 set in the semifinals of World Junior Champs. Ruck also dipped below the old record in finals (59.23), but couldn’t overtake Smith. Australia’s Minna Atherton held it before them with a 59.34 set in 2016.

Smith’s best time is 58.95 – also swum at last summer’s World Junior Champs, but FINA does not recognize leadoff splits on mixed medley relays for world record purposes. Thus, that time is unratified. Technically, Missy Franklin‘s American Record of 58.33 set at the 2012 Olympics is the fastest performance of all time by a 17&U female, but that came before FINA began recognizing World Junior Records, and so it is unratified as well.

Also of note, 15 year-old Phoebe Bacon of Nation’s Capital took the second seed behind Smith Saturday morning in Irvine with a blistering 59.12. With that performance, she passes Olympic champion Franklin (59.18) for #2 all-time in the United States 15-16 age group.

13 year-old Rye Ulett of Dynamo also threw down an impressive performance with a 1:02.63. That time marks the 4th fastest American performance of all-time for a 13 year-old behind Alex Walsh (1:00.84), Smith (1:01.32), and Bacon (1:01.61).