McKeown stunned as American star breaks world record in Olympic warning
By Tom Decent
Australian backstroke champion Kaylee McKeown has lost one of her world records to American star Regan Smith in a major wake-up call ahead of next month’s Olympics.
Since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, McKeown has been practically unstoppable in her 100m and 200m backstroke events – she is the reigning Olympic champion in both – but will now go to Paris as a slight underdog for the shorter race after a stunning swim from Smith at the US trials on Wednesday morning (Australian time).
Smith smashed McKeown’s 100m backstroke world record of 57.33 by two tenths of a second in Indianapolis to record a confidence-boosting victory and book her ticket to a second Olympics.
The time of 57.13 was a major improvement on Smith’s previous best of 57.47, which she posted in a semi-final a day earlier.
Smith held the 100m backstroke world record from 2019 to 2021 before McKeown lowered the mark from 57.57 to 57.45 at Australia’s Olympic trials in 2021.
“It was part of the plan,” Smith said on NBC’s broadcast. “I am so proud of myself. We’re gonna take a couple of minutes here to be really proud of what I accomplished and then it’s back to work. I’ve got more things that I want to accomplish this week.”
USA swimming star Regan Smith after breaking the world record in the women’s 100m backstroke.Credit: AP
McKeown had Smith’s measure at last year’s world championships in Japan, winning gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events. Smith picked up silver in each and clearly channelled that frustration into a performance that has the potential to spur McKeown onto even greater things.
At Australia’s Olympic and Paralympics trials last week in Brisbane, McKeown finished 0.08 seconds outside her world record in a time of 57.41.
Most swimmers would be satisfied with a time like that but McKeown holds herself to such high standards that she couldn’t hide her disappointment after the race.
“I’m not gonna lie, I was a bit disappointed with that,” McKeown told Channel Nine. “There is always room for improvement. My training has shown otherwise but I booked the ticket to Paris, so that’s just a chance to go faster.
“It’s so hard when people ask [for my] goal time. For me, it’s not necessarily a goal time, it’s the execution for the time. I was happy with it. I’ll see what the coach says.”
Kaylee McKeown at Australia’s Olympic trials in Brisbane. Credit: Getty Images
Smith finished third in the 100m backstroke final at the Tokyo Olympics as McKeown celebrated victory with her famous “f--- yeah” comment on live television while doing a poolside interview.
The pair are also rivals in the 200m backstroke and all eyes will be on Smith to see whether she can break another of McKeown’s world records.
McKeown has a personal best of 2:03.14, which is narrowly under Smith’s previous world record of 2:03.35, which she held from 2019 to 2023.
McKeown clocked 2:03.3 at the trials in Brisbane last week.
The 22-year-old was asked on Saturday about the prospect of Smith recording fast times at the US trials.
“I’m not watching nervously at all,” McKeown said. “I’m expecting world records to be broken. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. It makes me better as an athlete. I don’t want to go to the Olympics and not be challenged.
“I’ve got to keep my mentality of going to the Games and not putting pressure on myself.”
Meanwhile, Kyle Chalmers’ bid for another individual Olympic gold medal in the 100m freestyle is looking more difficult by the day.
Chalmers, who won gold in the event at Rio 2016, has a best time of 47.63 this year. He clocked 47.75 last week.
However, four US athletes went quicker than Chalmers this year in their semi-final races. They were Chris Guiliano (47.25), Jack Alexy (47.33), Caeleb Dressel (47.53) and Hunter Armstrong (47.59).
Alexy is the one to beat in Thursday’s final after equalling Chalmers’ personal best of 47.08 in the heats. With Chinese world record holder Pan Zhanle and Romania’s David Popovici showing excellent form, Chalmers faces an uphill battle for victory in Paris after his world championship gold medal in the event last year.
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