2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Swimming the lead-off leg of the women’s 4 x 100 medley relay Sunday night at the 2019 FINA World Championships, American Regan Smith clocked a new World Record in the women’s 100 backstroke with a 57.57. The American team of Smith, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia, and Simone Manuel won the gold medal and set a new World Record women’s 4 x 100 medley relay at 3:50.40, the final race of the competition.

Smith’s was the only swimmer to go under 59 seconds on the lead-off leg. Australia’s Minna Atherton turned in the 2nd-fastest split with 59.06, and Canada’s Kylie Masse the 3rd-fastest with a 59.12.

Smith’s time surpasses the previous World Record of 58.00 set by U.S. teammate Kathleen Baker at the 2018 U.S. National Championships. Before today, Smith’s best time and former World Junior Record in the 100 backstroke was 58.45, registered in June at the Counsilman Classic.

Smith did not swim the individual 100 backstroke at the 2019 World Championship. Instead, the United States was represented by Kathleen Baker and Olivia Smoliga. Without Smith, gold went to Canada’s Kylie Masse in 58.60, silver to Australia’s Minna Atherton in 58.85, and bronze to Smoliga in 58.91. Baker finished in a tie for 6th in 59.56.

On Saturday, Smith won the 200 backstroke in 2:03.69, a full 2.57 seconds ahead of silver medalist Kaylee McKeown from Australia, whom she has previously exchanged the World Junior Record in the 200 backstroke with since the 2017 World Championships. Canadian Kylie Masse won bronze in 2:06.62, just ahead of Italian Margherita Panziera of Italy, who hit the all 4th in 2:06.67.

Though she blew away the field in the finals of the 200 backstroke, Smith set the World Record in the semifinals in an unprecedented 2:03.35. The previous World Record had stood at 2:04.06, set by Missy Franklin in the finals of the 200 backstroke at the 2012 London Olympics. Franklin was also the Olympic champion in the 100 backstroke at the 2012 Olympics, registering a time of 58.33.

Smith’s splits in both the semifinals and the finals of the 200 backstroke were aggressive: In the semifinals when she clocked an overall time of 2:03.35, the new World Record, Smith flipped at 100 meters at 1:00.37. In the finals, Smith rounded the 100-meter turn in 59.45, a time that would have qualified her 7th for finals in the 100 back and placed 6th overall in the final.

Smith’s 100 Backstroke Split Comparisons:

Smith 2019 Counsilman Prelims Smith 2019 Counsilman Finals Smith 2019 Gwagju Lead-Off 1st 50 28.46 28.30 27.74 2nd 50 30.09 30.15 29.83 FINAL TIME 58.55 58.45 57.57* WORLD RECORD

World Record Split Progression:

Masse – 2017 Baker – 2018 Smith – 2019 1st 50 28.51 27.90 27.74 2nd 50 29.59 30.10 29.83 TOTAL TIME 58.10 58.00 57.57

400 Medley Relay World Record Split Comparison:

Smith did not have the opportunity to swim the 100 backstroke individually at these World Championships; at the 2018 U.S. National Championships–the qualifying event for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, and, to an extent, the 2019 World Championships–Smith placed 3rd in the 100 backstroke behind Kathleen Baker, who set the World Record at 58.00, and Olivia Smoliga, who out-touched Smith 58.75 to 58.83. At Pan Pacs, Smith finished 4th in 58.95. Though a better placing than Smoliga at Pan Pacs, Smoliga’s faster time from U.S. Nationals won out, and Smith was bumped from the 2019 World Championships team in the 100 backstroke. Full team selection procedures can be found here.

With the 2019 World Championships finished, swimmers in the United States will reset and focus in on the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha next June, where Smith will undoubtedly be the favorite for the first Olympic berth in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, and potentially much more.

WOMEN’S 4 X 100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

World Record: 3:51.55, USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 2017

World Championship Record: 3:51.55, USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 2017

World Junior Record: 3:58.38, Canada (Hannah, Knelson, Oleksiak, Ruck), 2017

Defending 2017 World Champion: USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 3:51.55

Medalists:

GOLD- USA, 3:50.40 SILVER- Australia, 3:53.42 BRONZE- Canada, 3:53.58

Splits: