2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – FORT LAUDERDALE
- March 1-4, 2023
- Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Prelims/Finals
- Prelims: 9:00 AM (EST)
- Finals: 5:00 PM Wednesday, 6:00 PM (EST) Thursday-Saturday
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
- Ways to Watch
- Storylines to Follow
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
Regan Smith won the 100 backstroke on the 4th night of racing at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series with a 57.92. Her swim was an improvement upon her own PSS record in this event, which she previously held at a 58.18 in 2020. With this swim, Smith was just off her US Open record of 57.76 from the 2022 World Championships Trials.
Smith is now the first woman to ever get under 58 seconds at a Pro Swim Series and is still one of just three women in history to swim a 57 in the event. Smith set the world record in this event at the 2019 World Championships with a 57.57. The other two women who have swum a 57 are the current world record holder Kaylee McKeown (57.45) and former world record holder Kylie Masse who holds a PB of 57.70.
Regan Smith was the first woman to get under 58 seconds and is also the one who has done the most times in her career. Smith has hit a 57 a total of 8 times, counting this 57.92 at the Pro Swim Series. Since her 2019 world record of 57.57, Smith swam a 57 once at the 2021 Olympic Trials, twice at the Tokyo Olympics, and once at 2022 Trials, 2022 World Championships, and 2022 US Open earlier this year.
Smith is the top-ranked 100 backstroker in this event worldwide so far this season, holding three of the top four times. Olivia Smoliga swam a 59.71 to deliver the 9th-fastest performance worldwide this season, improving upon her season-best of 59.72 from the Knoxville Pro Swim in January.
Worldwide Women’s 100 Backstroke Rankings 2022 – 2023
- Regan Smith – 57.92
- Kaylee McKeown – 57.93
- Regan Smith – 57.95
- Regan Smith – 58.65
- Kylie Masse – 59.43
- Roos Vanotterdijk – 59.62
- Katharine Berkoff – 59.64
- Katharine Berkoff – 59.70
- Olivia Smoliga – 59.71
- Olivia Smoliga – 59.72
Kaylee McKeown previously held the world #1 spot with the 57.93 that she swam in Melbourne last month, which means that Regan Smith undercut that time by just 0.01.
Lot of people betting against her. That is going to be a mistake. Bacon and White do have to fear her.
Hot Take: Regan Smith swims the 100/200 BK and 100/200 FL at worlds this year. Breaks that Huske/Curzan streak we’ve had the last 2 years.
Torri Huske is most likely to post a 55.6x performance in the W 100 FL (LCM). Regan Smith has stiff competition from Claire Curzan (Olympic Trials – Wave II 56.43) and Kate Douglass (Olympic Trials – Wave II 56.56) in the W 100 FL (LCM).
Their main asset is the comment section, not so much what’s written above. Most people don’t even read anything beyond the headlines. They just come straight to the comments.
Also of note a very iconic pool record was broken today. Coughlin’s 59.58, the first sub 1:00 100 back. Shows how far we have come in women’s backstroke in the US but always were far along anyway.
Fun Fact:
Regan Smith posted the five fastest performances in the W 100 BK (LCM) in calendar year 2022.
https://www.fina.org/swimming/rankings?gender=F&distance=100&stroke=BACKSTROKE&poolConfiguration=LCM&year=2022&startDate=&endDate=×Mode=ALL_TIMES®ionId=all&countryId=
I’m still waiting for one of Berkoff, Curzan, White let alone two to beat Regan Smith in the W 100 BK (LCM) from the SwimSwam prognosticators.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L6KGuTr9TI
She takin her tiiiiiiiiime
Slay Regan, you’ve got more fans than you know❤️
She really is inspirational. The perfect example of raw talent at such a young age combined with so much hard work to make perfection. Absolutely adore her.
Aussie down