Regan Smith takes out the US Open record at 200 again at PSS

2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

Regan Smith She started under the world record pace and finished ahead of the US record in the 200 backstroke race Saturday night in Westmont, Illinois, marking the fastest swim ever on US soil and the ninth fastest ever performed anywhere in the world.

Smith swam 2:04.76, including the 100-meter opening split of 1:00.38. That was a staggering 0.35 seconds under the world record set by the Australian in March Kylie McCune When it finished at 2:03.14.

This opening split 100 is a big stepping stone for Smith: When she set the world record in the event in 2019, she opened in 1:00.37.

In the finals at that meet, she opened in a ridiculous 59.45, but ended up a few tenths slower overall in 53.69.

Split comparisons:

At the end of last summer, Smith, 21, left Stanford after one season to turn pro and train with Bob Bowman and his staff at Arizona State.

This decision was well timed, drawing a surge of momentum in Tempe that included one of the most dominant NCAA performances in recent history from Leon Marchand a few weeks earlier.

For Smith, the rebound began with the US Open, where she swam 57.95 in the 100 backstroke and 2:05.28 in the 200 backstroke, her best time in the event since her world record in July 2019.

After a stomach bug held up the 2023 opener in Knoxville, Smith has now swam well in two consecutive Pro Swim Series streaks — including hitting the regular 57-second backstroke. in season.

Now her backstroke is 200 and it’s the most exciting swim we’ve seen from her in years – although we’re still two months away from the World Championships trials.

At that time he could have won the World Championships last year (although McCune, the winner, focused on the Commonwealth Games later in the summer). Bacon, a former U.S. record holder and silver medalist at last year’s World Championships, finished fifth on Saturday with a time of 2:11.98, though out of the NCAA Championships she’s in a very different place than Smith.

Top 10 performances of all time, women’s 200m backstroke:

1. Kylie McCuneAustralia – 2:03.14 (2023 NSW State Championships)
2. Regan SmithUSA – 2:03.35 (2019 World Championships – Semi-final)
3. Regan SmithUSA – 2:03.69 (2019 World Championships – Finals)
4. Missy Franklin, USA – 2:04.06 (2012 Olympics)
5. Kylie McCuneAustralia – 2:04.28 (2021 Australian Olympic Trials)
6. Kylie McCuneAustralia – 2:04.31 (2021 Sydney Open)
7. Kylie McCuneAustralia – 2:04.49 (Queensland 2020 medal shots)
8. Kylie McCuneAustralia – 2:04.68 (2020 Olympics)
9. Favorite Regan SmithUSA (2023 PSS – Westmont) & Missy Franklin, USA (2013 World Championships) – 2:04.76

Earlier this week, Smith won the 100 fly (56.92), 200 fly (2:07.92), and 100 fly (57.90); She also had the second fastest preliminary time at 50 minutes (27.54) but she missed the final.