2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT
- April 12-15, 2023
- FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Event Central
- Pre-Scratch timeline
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream
- Live Results
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
Regan Smith started under World Record pace and finished ahead of the US Open Record in the 200 backstroke on Saturday night in Westmont, Illinois, marking the fastest swim ever done on US soil and the 10th-fastest performance done anywhere in the world ever.
Smith swam 2:04.76, which including an opening 100 meter split of 1:00.38. That was a whopping .35 seconds under the World Record pace set in March by Australian Kaylee McKeown when she finished in 2:03.14.
That opening 100 split is a big bellwether for Smith: when she set the World Record in this event in 2019, she opened in 1:00.37.
In finals at that meet, she opened in a ridiculous 59.45, but wound up a few tenths slower overall in 53.69.
Splits Comparisons:
| Regan Smith | Regan Smith | Phoebe Bacon | ||
| PB/American Record | New US Open Record | Former US Open Record |
Current World Record
|
|
| 50m | 29.05 | 28.93 | 29.99 | 29.34 |
| 100m | 31.31 | 31.45 | 31.5 | 31.39 |
| 150m | 31.47 | 31.91 | 31.82 | 31.11 |
| 200m | 31.51 | 32.47 | 31.77 | 31.3 |
| 2:03.35 | 2:04.76 | 2:05.08 | 2:03.14 |
At the end of last summer, Smith, 21, left Stanford after one season to turn pro and train with Bob Bowman and his staff at Arizona State.
That decision was impeccably-timed, as she’s caught a wave of momentum in Tempe that has included one of the most dominant NCAA performances in recent history from Leon Marchand a few weeks ago.
For Smith, the rebound began with the US Open, where she swam 57.95 in the 100 back and 2:05.28 in the 200 back, which was her best time in that event since her July 2019 World Record.
After a stomach bug disrupted her 2023-opener in Knoxville, Smith has now swum well at two straight Pro Swim Series – including hitting regular 57-second 100 backstrokes in-season.
Now her breakthrough 200 back that is the most exciting swim we’ve seen from her in years – even though we’re still two months away from the World Championship Trials.
That time would have won last year’s World Championship (though McKeown, the winner, was focused on the Commonwealth Games later in the summer). Bacon, the old US Open Record holder and last year’s World Championship silver medalist, was 5th on Saturday in 2:11.98, though coming out of the NCAA Championships, she’s in a very different place than Smith is.
Top 10 Performances All-Time, Women’s 200 LCM Backstroke:
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:03.14 (2023 NSW State Champs)
- Regan Smith, USA – 2:03.35 (2019 World Championships – Semifinals)
- Regan Smith, USA – 2:03.69 (2019 World Championships – Finals)
- Missy Franklin, USA – 2:04.06 (2012 Olympics)
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:04.28 (2021 Australian Olympic Trials)
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:04.31 (2021 Sydney Open)
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:04.49 (2020 Queensland Medal Shots)
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:04.64 (2022 Victorian Open)
- Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:04.68 (2020 Olympics)
- (TIE) Regan Smith, USA (2023 PSS – Westmont) & Missy Franklin, USA (2013 World Championships) – 2:04.76
Earlier this week Smith won the 100 fly (56.92), 200 fly (2:07.92), and 100 back (57.90); she also had the second-fastest prelims time in the 50 back (27.54) but scratched the final.
Missy Franklin 2.04.06 London 2012
Last I checked London is not on US soil.
the list is top 10 all time
somewhat interesting but 2:04.76 was also the championship record for Worlds before 2019 and still ranks as the 3rd fastest Worlds swim, with only Regan’s pair of 2:03s from 2019 faster
Missy Franklin 2.04.06
He said Championship Record for Worlds. Franklin’s 2:04.06 was at the Olympics, not Worlds.
the list is all-time. Krinz is correct and it was added.
I’m not talking about the list, I’m talking about the comment that was responded to
Regan Smith is the top 200 back swimmer in the world.
Correction:
USA Swimming’s top female in the women’s 200 meter backstroke.
not by any metric
When someone else holds every title and record…LC and SC?
What is the point in saying something that you know is objectively wrong in every metric?
For a period, she was. Maybe at some point in the future, she may be again. For the past couple of years and at this point in time, she is NOT. The statistical facts speak for themselves.
Hi, Bob!
Looks like an Ai bot doing some training. Or potentially someone with a remarkably poor take
They probably used AI that’s 3 years outdated
Violet is back sorta…….crumble
Maybe my view may be coloured by my distaste for OTT nationalism (no matter who it’s from); but it IS really pleasing to see this quality performer clearly in a much happier place mentally and this being mirrored in her performances.
It will be interesting to see the scope of her upcoming encounters with McKeown (another leading performer seemingly on another “up-tick” mentally and performance-wise); not to overlook which other Americans win the catfights for selection OR the admirably consistent Masse; but I can also see a few interesting decisions ahead regarding choice of events.
A conflict in schedule does not exist with the W 100 BK (Days 2&3), W 200 FL (Days 4&5), W 200 BK (Days 6&7) at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Kylie Masse did not medal in the women’s 200 meter backstroke at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. In addition, the last three swims (2:04.76, 2:05.34, 2:05.28) by Regan Smith in the women’s 200 meter backstroke are faster than Kylie Masse’s personal best time (2:05.42).
https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rankings?gender=F&distance=200&stroke=BACKSTROKE&poolConfiguration=LCM&year=all&startDate=&endDate=×Mode=ALL_TIMES®ionId=all&countryId=
Tend to agree that Masse may no longer be a factor in the 200, if her post Tokyo swims are an accurate guideline. However, I’m not willing to write her off as a medal factor in the 100.
It is true that Smith has no individual event conflicts, however should she be co-opted for MMR duty, then day 4 may see her with 3 swims. Suspect we may need to see what 200fly times come out of CHN as well as what plays out with the 200back at US Trials, as well as her own 200fly time, before any call is made.
McKeown does pontentially have a conflict on day 2 with 100back/200IM but the international competitiveness of her… Read more »
USA Swimming won the mixed 4 x 100 meter medley relay at the 2022 World Aquatic Championships with the traditional MMFF lineup. Lessons learned from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Thank God! No need for Regan Smith or Caeleb Dressel.
Regan Smith needs to worry about the domestic competition (Flickinger, Luther) in the women’s 200 meter butterfly prior to the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships. As a reminder, Dakota Luther won the women’s 200 meter butterfly at the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. Furthermore, a conflict in schedule does not exist at the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships:
Day 1: W 200 FL
Day 2: W 200 BK
Day 3: W 100 FL
Day 4:… Read more »
Am well aware that USA won MMR at last year’s Worlds AND the composition of said line-up. However, whilst it makes complete notional sense to stick with said pattern, it is not set in stone that they will do so given such variables as swimmers form/performances at the meet. It also needs to be acknowledged that the depth of this event is growing with some new players emerging so no country can afford to be “too cute” with heats line-ups; USA included.
Can agree that whilst Smith may be favoured for one of the 200fly spots; she will face reputable composition.
Dropping out of college seems to have made her much happier.
and she had covid during her time at the otc a few weeks ago
omg literally 3 weeks ago
And depression last Sunday
Bob Bowman >>>
Can’t wait to see Regan vs Kaylee this summer. Should be a barn burner
They could push each other to 2:02.
Seems like 2:02 is almost a lock – and it might very well be both of them. Amazing
How can anyone downvote this comment? Surely every swimming fan wants to see these two race at their best in July!
Some people will downvote anything positive about someone they don’t like lol
Quite strange that we’ve never actually got to see these two go against each other in a 200 back race!
Kaylee got silver behind Regan in 2019.
also 2017 when Kaylee got 4th and Regan 8th
and 2018 pan pacs where Kaylee was 5th and Regan 3rd
It’s going to be a battle indeed…well, at least until 150 and then Regan will be left behind unless she gains back the kind of backend speed she had in 2019.