Regan Smith Puts Up 54.41 100 Back For First SCM World Record

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – INCHEON

Regan Smith unleashed the fastest swim in history on Friday at the World Cup stop in Incheon, breaking Kaylee McKeown‘s less-than-a-month-old world record in the final of the women’s 100 backstroke (SCM).

Smith, 22, blasted her way to a time of 54.41, knocking 15 one-hundredths off McKeown’s record of 54.56 set 29 days earlier at the Australian Short Course Championships in late September.

The swim for Smith comes after she tied the American Record and moved to #2 all-time in the 100 back during the opening leg of the circuit last week in Shanghai, having gone 54.89 to match the time done by Gretchen Walsh earlier in the day.

In addition to lowering McKeown’s world record and the American Record, Smith also broke her own World Cup Record (54.89) set in Shanghai. That mark had previously stood at 55.23 from Japan’s Shiho Sakai in 2009.

Smith was actually slower than she was last week in Shanghai at the 50, turning in 26.67, but stormed home more than half a second quicker in 27.74, out-splitting McKeown on both of her 50s in the process.

Split Comparison

In the last month, the women’s 100 back all-time rankings have seen a massive shakeup. Prior to McKeown’s world record swim, Minna Atherton was the only swimmer in history having broken 55 seconds, and now there have been four, with Smith doing it twice in back-to-back weeks.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Backstroke (SCM)

1. Regan Smith (USA), 54.41 –2024
2. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 54.56 – 2024
3. Minna Atherton (AUS) / Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.89 – 2019 / 2024
4. –
5. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 55.03 – 2014
6. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 55.04 – 2020
7. Kira Toussaint (NED), 55.17 – 2019
8. Louise Hansson (SWE), 55.20 – 2021
9. Kylie Masse (CAN), 55.22 – 2021
10. Shiho Sakai (JPN), 55.23 – 2009

This is Smith’s second 100 backstroke world record of the year, having lowered the all-time mark in the long course pool at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June in 57.13—also previously a McKeown record.

Friday’s swim was Smith’s first SCM world record, having only raced the format at a handful of World Cups in 2016 and 2017 prior to the 2024 World Cup.

RACE VIDEO

Smith won the event decisively over Canadian Ingrid Wilm (56.14), while American Beata Nelson (56.41) rounded out the podium.

On Thursday, Smith won the 50 back (25.71) and was the runner-up in the 200 fly in Incheon. She is scheduled to swim the 200 back on Saturday.