Regan Smith Breaks Own American Record With 57.51 100 Backstroke

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 NOVA SPEEDO GRAND CHALLENGE

• May 24-26, 2024
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center Pool, Irvine, California
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 CA NOVA-Speedo Grand Challenge”
• Psych Sheets
• Preview
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap
• Live Stream

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• Meet record: 59.23 – Regan Smith, 2024
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 1:01.89

Top 4:

1. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 57.51
2. Justina Kozan (TROJ) – 1:02.08
3. Delaney Herr (CITI) – 1:03.20
4. Caroline Famous (TROJ) – 1:03.60

Regan Smith broke her own American Record in the women’s 100 backstroke as she swam a 57.51, breaking her previous record of a 57.57 that she swam leading off the US Women’s 4×100 medley relay at the 2019 World Championships. She also broke her own US Open Record of a 57.64 that she swam in March of this year at the Pro Series stop in Westmont.

Split Comparison:

Smith was more conservative on the front half of the race today and charged home to earn the touch, 0.06 seconds ahead of her old record. At the time she set her old record, it also stood as a World Record for almost two years as in 2021 Kaylee McKeown swam a 57.45. The 2019 World Championships were also the same meet where Smith set the World Record in the 200 backstroke, although she did not compete in the event this weekend.

Smith already sat at #2 in the World so far this season, only behind Australia’s Kaylee McKeown who swam a World Record of a 57.33 last October.

The battle between the two swimmers in Paris later this summer is currently shaping up to be a good one. Last year, McKeown swept the backstroke events at the 2023 World Championships while Smith earned silver in all three as well. Smith won bronze in the 100 backstroke at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while McKeown won gold.

This was not Smith’s first best time of the meet as she also fired off a best time in the 100 butterfly (56.26) and 200 freestyle (1:57.23) last night.

SwimSwam: Regan Smith Breaks Own American Record With 57.51 100 Backstroke