By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam
2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE
- Thursday, October 31st – Saturday, November 2nd
- OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore
- Prelims at 9:30am local (9:30pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30pm local (6:30am ET)
- SCM (25m)
- Meet Central
- Competition Schedule
- Entries Book
- Day 1 Finals Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
- Live Results
Make that two world records in a week for Regan Smith.
At the final stop of the World Cup in Singapore, Smith continued to wreak havoc on the record books with a new short-course 100-meter backstroke world record of 54.27. The swim betters the 54.41 she swam for a world record in Incheon by .14 seconds.
The women’s 100 backstroke all-time rankings have been in a constant state of flux to begin the short-course meters season. Just over a month ago, Kaylee McKeown first broke the world record with a 54.56 at the Australian Short Course Championships in late September.
Smith moved closer to that standard in Shanghai with a 54.89, tying the American record and #2 all-time performance Gretchen Walsh clocked stateside earlier in the day. She broke through McKeown’s world record in Incheon, slicing .15 seconds off McKeown’s mark with her 54.41.
Now, Smith has separated herself even further in the event as she sits .29 seconds ahead of McKeown.
All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Backstroke (SCM)
- Regan Smith (USA), 54.27 –2024
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 54.56 – 2024
- Minna Atherton (AUS) / Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.89 – 2019 / 2024
- –
- Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 55.03 – 2014
- Olivia Smoliga (USA), 55.04 – 2020
- Kira Toussaint (NED), 55.17 – 2019
- Louise Hansson (SWE), 55.20 – 2021
- Kylie Masse (CAN), 55.22 – 2021
- Shiho Sakai (JPN), 55.23 – 2009
Smith’s world record in Incheon marked the first short-course meters world record of her career. But her mark in Singapore is her third 100 backstroke world record of the year; in long course, she swam a 57.13 at the U.S. Olympic Trials to break a standard also set by McKeown.
Split Comparison
| Smith – Singapore, New WR | Smith – Incheon, Old WR | Smith – Shanghai, Old AR | |
| 50 | 26.06 | 26.67 | 26.59 |
| 100 | 54.27 (28.21) | 54.51 (27.74) | 54.89 (28.30) |
Smith let it rip on the opening 50 meters, flipping at the halfway point in 26.06. It’s by far the fastest opening 50 of her three swims on the World Cup, a full .53 seconds ahead of her Shanghai pace, and .61 seconds ahead of her world record pace from Incheon. Her “to the feet” 50 split would have taken fourth in yesterday’s women’s 50 backstroke final.
She followed up her opening speed with a 28.21 closing split. That allowed the her world-record pace to creep up on her, but her opening 50 was so fast that she was still able to get her hand on the wall in record-setting time. While she certainly felt the price for going out that quickly, she was still able to come back faster than she did in Shanghai, which at 28.30 is her slowest closing split across the competition.
In addition to the prize money she receives for setting a world record, this swim completed Smith’s 100 backstroke Triple Crown, earning her another $10,000.
This was the second world record in as many events in Singapore. The event before, Leon Marchand broke Ryan Lochte‘s 200 IM world record.
Race Video
Courtesy: NBC Sports
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Regan Smith Swims 54.27 To Lower SCM 100 Backstroke World Record For Second Time In A Week