INDIANAPOLIS — Regan Smith first set an American record, then a world record, while also qualifying for her second Olympic Games.
Smith broke the world record in the women's 100-meter backstroke on Tuesday night at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium, lowering her time to 57.13 seconds and setting another world record.
The previous record was 57.33 seconds, set by Australian swimmer Kayleigh McKeon in 2023. Smith held the 100m backstroke world record in 2019, but McKeon broke that record in 2021 and then broke it again in 2023.
“It was all part of the plan,” Smith told NBC Sports about regaining her world record. “I'm very proud of myself. Backstroke is hard for me sometimes, so to fight back like this and get it back means a lot.”
Smith broke his own American record on Monday night in 57.47 seconds to qualify for the qualifying final, setting a time that was close to the world record at the time. All of those records now belong to the 22-year-old former Stanford University swimmer, who is set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I'm just going to take two minutes here and be really proud of what I've accomplished,” she said, “and then I'll get back to work. There's still a lot I want to accomplish this week.”
At the Olympic Trials, Smith also competed in the 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly. She previously attempted to qualify for Paris in the 100 butterfly, but fell just short, finishing third behind new world record holder and Olympic debutant Gretchen Walsh and current two-time Olympian Tori Huske.
Katherine Berkoff placed second in the 100 backstroke final on Tuesday in 57.91 seconds, and would have been the second U.S. swimmer to win the event in Paris. In Monday's semifinals, Berkoff qualified in 57.83 seconds, becoming just the fifth woman in history to break the 58-second barrier, according to NBC Sports' Rowdy Gaines.
