INDIANAPOLIS – Olympic medalist Regan Smith reclaimed ownership of the 100-meter backstroke world record Tuesday night at the United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.
Smith swam a time of 57.13 seconds, beating the previous record of 57.33 set by Australian rival Kaylee McKeown last year. Smith won the event, which guaranteed her a spot at the 2024 Paris games, her second Olympics.
Smith also beat her own best time of 57.47 seconds, recorded in the semifinals of the 100-meter back at the swim trials.
Smith first claimed the 100-meter backstroke world record when she led off the women’s 4 by 100 medley relay at the 2019 World Championships. At this meet, she was the first swimmer in history to break the 58 second barrier, swimming 57.57.
Smith held the world record for two years until McKeown swam 57.45 at the 2021 Australian Olympic Trials. McKeown lowered the record again to 57.33 at the Budapest stop of the 2023 World Cup.
In a press conference after Smith’s race, she said the main things that have changed between 2019 and now is her confidence.
“There were many years that went by after 2019 where I thought that I would never do that ever again, so this was a long time coming,” Smith said. “After 2019, and then heading into the 2021 trials, I was at my absolute lowest point confidence-wise. I just didn’t want to be there. I wasn’t excited, and I had no faith in myself. I’ve always had it, but I just didn’t have it up here (in my head).”
Smith is the second swimmer to break a world record at the Olympic Trials this year. Gretchen Walsh set the 100-meter butterfly world record on Saturday in the semifinal of the event. With a time of 55.18, Walsh broke the previous record of 55.48, which was set at the 2016 Rio Olympics by Swedish swimmer Sarag Sjostrom.
The last time a world record was broken at the U.S. Olympic Trials was in 2008.
Earlier in the week, Smith finished third in the Olympic Trials in the 100-meter butterfly. She is the top seed in both the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter backstroke, both scheduled for Wednesday night.
As for Paris, Smith believes she has more in her.
“I think a 56 is a possibility for sure,” Smith said. “Whether it’s me or whether it’s one of my competitors, who knows? But I’m not going to sell myself short -- absolutely not. That was an amazing race, but it wasn’t a perfect race.”