WATCH: Pan Ams Gold Medalist Phoebe Bacon Kick 53.9 in 100 Yard Backstroke

Racing this weekend at a dual meet between club teams DC Wave and Nation’s Capital (NCAP), Pan American Games gold medalist Phoebe Bacon kicked her way to a 53.94 in the 100 yard backstroke.

Bacon’s best time in the 100 yard back is a 51.18, but in that race she had the benefit of ‘using her arms.’ In this particular meet, she opted to swim the race (almost) entirely with her legs. Unlike many of these swims, which are done almost entirely underwater and are therefore not legal times, Bacon surfaced on each length before 15 meters, meaning that the time will go down as an official swim. The only points of the race where she used her arms was in a complete stroke cycle into each turn.

In spite of going full legs in the swim, she was the fastest 100 backstroker of the day in the mixed-gender event, tying NCAP 14-year old Kris Lawson who also went 53.94.

As shown in the video below, Bacon dolphin kicked to about 15 meters off each wall, popped up while still dolphin kicking, before switching to a few meters of flutter kick going into her turns.

Bacon, a member of the US National Team, won a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in the women’s 100 meter backstroke. Bacon, who is the 6th-ranked recruit in the country in the class of 2020, is committed to the University of Wisconsin – which is incidentally the current team of the fastest 100 yard backstroker in history, Beata Nelson. While Nelson is still 2 seconds faster than Bacon in the 100 yard back (49.18 vs. 51.18), Bacon’s best time in long course is faster by almost the same margin (59.02 vs. 1:00.92).

Bacon also swam the 100 free in 50.29 – with her arms.

Phoebe Bacon‘s 100 yard backstroke kick, courtesy Neo Matsuyama:

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Swim dad coach
4 years ago

Just attention to detail…backstroke does not have a stroke cycle (2nd paragraph, last sentence). Better expressed will be..“using arms to complete a legal turn” . Breaststroke is the only stroke in which the rule book mentions a stroke cycle (arm pull, leg kick in that order).

Reply to  Swim dad coach
4 years ago

While “stroke cycle” might not be used in official rule books, it’s a pretty common way for coaches to describe a full cycle of any of the four competitive strokes.

Clock don’t lie
4 years ago

Looked like a 53.94 to me

JimSwim22
4 years ago

That’s just awesome!

Captain Ahab
4 years ago

She’s going to make someone quit the sport doing that. How many national team female backstroker’s our swimming for USA? Olympic Trials is going to be real interesting.

JCO
4 years ago

This is such a flex lol

Nate
4 years ago

At first I thought “kicking a 53” meant just chilling, but no it’s actually kicking it. It’s incredible to see her swim in person. At our allstars meet for the summer league she went a 56.71 scm without the new wedges and destroyed all the boys swimming. I’m honestly a little disappointed she’ll probably miss a lot of the season for OTs and maybe the Olympics if she’s lucky

FLSwimmer
Reply to  Nate
4 years ago

She has a chance behind Smith… Baker and Smoliga will be tough, but she definitely has the improvement curve bending in her favor at the moment

Miss M
Reply to  FLSwimmer
4 years ago

The depth of US women’s backstroke is amazing right now. Incredible to think of the talent that will be watching the Olympics from home. The Aussie women are not quite as deep, but 3 into 2 doesn’t go (Atherton, McKeown, Seebohm). No wonder Madi Wilson is concentrating on freestyle!

Nate
Reply to  FLSwimmer
4 years ago

She’s a bit of a hometown hero for me so I’m definitely biased, but she’s been pretty heavily improving in the 100. I’m hoping that because she’s so young and she’s been focusing more on lcm that she has more room in her skill ceiling still. Smoliga looks like she’s been stuck around 58.7 since 2017 so that might be around her cap. I think Bacon has it in her to beat that. The big question is Kathleen Baker and if she can recover from her injury enough to get back to her 58 flat, maybe even 57 high self. Of course you still have Stadden, Berkoff, and Beata Nelson in the picture.

BaldingEagle
Reply to  Nate
4 years ago

Do backstrokers in the MCSL still do a start by holding onto the legs of a teammate on deck? That’s how we did our starts in the 80’s.

N80M80
Reply to  BaldingEagle
4 years ago

Yep. Still start holding onto the legs of teammates, no blocks. I feel like she could have gone 55 with a wedge. I feel like we have so much talent in the Mcsl is unbelieveable

coachymccoachface
Reply to  N80M80
4 years ago

“Can you be my legs?”

Breaststrokesthebeststroke
4 years ago

Is this a legal swim with the few dolphin kicks done above the surface?

Kirk Nelson
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

It’s probably not as well known as it should be that really the only requirement in backstroke is that you stay on your back except on the turns. If you think you can go faster with a double-arm pull and a breaststroke kick, go for it!

Lpman
4 years ago

Impressive

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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