2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS
WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – BY THE NUMBERS
- World File: 57.33, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023 World Cup – Budapest
- American File: 57.51, Regan Smith – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Problem
- U.S. Open File: 57.51, Regan Smith – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Problem
- World Junior File: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: 57.47, Kaylee McKeown (AUS)
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: 58.35, Regan Smith
- 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Minimize: 1:01.89
- 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time (‘A’ Minimize): 59.99
The ladies’s 100 backstroke is one of many deepest occasions within the U.S. proper now, with three swimmers ranked inside the prime eight on this planet this season.
Regan Smith Stakes Her Declare with Newly-Minted American File
Regan Smith has been a mainstay on this occasion since bursting onto the scene in world file vogue in 2019. Main off the U.S.’s 400 medley relay, she grew to become the primary lady to dip underneath the 58-second barrier in what was then a mind-boggling time of 57.57.
Since then, sub-58 swims have grow to be nearly commonplace for Smith and her largest worldwide rival, Kaylee McKeown of Australia who now holds the trifecta of backstroke world data. The one different swimmer to log a 57-point swim within the 100 again is Olympic silver medalist Kylie Masse.
Smith has logged three 57-point swims already this season, culminating with a brand new American file on the NOVA Speedo Grand Problem, her first private finest within the occasion since 2019.
Now nicely into her second season with legendary coach Bob Bowman, Smith has not solely proven enchancment in her instances, however her race technique as nicely. Try the cut up comparability under; she confirmed much more restraint on the front-half of her race in comparison with her swim 5 years in the past.
Cut up Comparability:
| New File (2024) | Previous File (2019) | |
| 50 | 28.11 | 27.74 |
| 100 | 29.40 | 29.83 |
| 57.51 | 57.57 |
Smith was already the heavy favourite to qualify for her second Olympic staff on this occasion, however this end result lower than a month out from Trials solely separates her extra from the sector.
Presuming Smith has extra to present, it additionally begs the query of if she will problem for the Olympic title. After all, she’ll should get by way of the aforementioned McKeown, who appears to have the uncanny capability to drop world file swims irrespective of the circumstance.
Curzan Leads Wolfpack Duo After Worlds Sweep
Claire Curzan made her first Olympic staff within the 100 butterfly three years in the past, however has since emerged as a triple-distance menace in backstroke as nicely. On the 2024 World Championships in Doha, she grew to become the second lady behind Kaylee McKeown to finish the backstroke sweep, profitable the 50-100-200 with finest instances in all three.
Her time from Doha is ranked #2 this season. Curzan is dealing with extraordinarily crowded fields in her finest occasions, however she appears to have extra momentum in backstroke within the lead-up to Trials.
One other competitor to control is Katharine Berkoff, who took residence her third NCAA title within the yards model of the occasion this March. She was already the #2 performer of all-time, however continued to stake her declare as considered one of solely two ladies to ever break 49 seconds behind NCAA and American file holder Gretchen Walsh.
Whereas Walsh doesn’t deal with this occasion in lengthy course, Berkoff has efficiently carried her momentum from yards to meters for the previous two seasons. In 2022, she earned a silver medal within the 50 again at Worlds. The subsequent season at 2023 U.S. Nationals, she grew to become the #3 U.S. performer of all time and booked one other ticket to Worlds (58.01). She finally completed third within the occasion, behind McKeown and Smith.
She hasn’t been fairly as quick this season, clocking in at #3 with a 58.61 from the U.S. Open, however primarily based on her earlier performances she has the potential to make her first Olympic staff.
Lastly, we are able to’t depend out Rhyan White, who claimed the second spot on this occasion behind Smith in Tokyo. After wrapping up her NCAA profession with Alabama in 2023, she moved her coaching base to the NC State professional group, the place Berkoff can also be primarily based. White hasn’t logged a sub-59 swim because the summer time of 2022, however not too long ago popped a 59.20 on the San Antonio PSS to take a seat at #4 this season.
NC State has a powerful presence on this occasion; together with Berkoff and White, there are 5 current and future Wolfpack members ranked within the prime 16 this season.
2023-24 U.S. Rankings, Ladies’s 100 Backstroke (LCM)
- Regan Smith, 57.51 – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Problem
- Claire Curzan, 58.29 – 2024 World Championships
- Katharine Berkoff, 58.61 – 2023 U.S. Open
- Rhyan White, 59.20 – 2024 PSS – San Antonio
- Isabelle Stadden, 59.22 – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Problem
- Olivia Smoliga, 59.25 – 2023 U.S. Open
- Kennedy Noble, 59.45 – 2024 Phoenix Could Cray
- Teagan O’Dell, 59.51 – 2023 World Junior Championships
- Leah Shackley, 59.57 – 2024 Charlotte Open
- Josephine Fuller, 59.67 – 2023 Pan American Video games
School Rivals Jostling for Place
When Katharine Berkoff took residence the NCAA title earlier this 12 months, she led the sector by practically two seconds. The subsequent 4 rivals completed lower than two-tenths aside and also will look to translate their yards success into meters later this month.
Of the 5, Phoebe Bacon is the one one with Olympic expertise. She certified for Tokyo within the 200 again, the place she finally completed fifth. Her finest time within the 100 comes from all the best way again in 2019, when she bested then-world file holder Regan Smith on the U.S. Open.
Bacon solely has one different 58-point swim to her title, additionally from pre-pandemic instances in 2020, however primarily based on her earlier Trials expertise she appears prone to make the ultimate.
Isabelle Stadden completed 2nd at NCAAs. She’s been a mainstay within the backstroke occasions all through her profession with Cal, and not too long ago introduced she can be taking her Covid fifth-year with the Bears.
At Wave 2 Olympic Trials in 2021, Stadden made it to the championship remaining in each the 100 and 200 backstroke. She set a PB within the shorter occasion in semifinals (58.99) and went on to complete fifth general, simply forward of Bacon. She appears on monitor to make one other finals look this 12 months, as her time from the NOVA Grand Problem sits at #5 this season.
Kennedy Noble can also be using some momentum from the NCAA season. The NC State sophomore made her first A remaining look within the 100 again, after ending fifth within the 200 in her freshman marketing campaign.
Since competing at Trials in 2021, she’s dropped her 100 again time by simply over two seconds from 1:01.12 to 59.11. This season, she ranks #7 with a 59.45 from earlier in Could. Noble may make it a season of firsts and vie for her first Trials remaining.
Josephine Fuller began out her season with a finest time en path to Pan American gold within the 100 again (59.67) and capped off her NCAA marketing campaign with one other finest time within the yards model of the occasion. She slots in at #10 this season along with her time from Pan Ams.
Teenage Expertise Seeking to Rise
In complete, 13 American ladies have been underneath the Olympic A-cut of 59.99 this season, one other testomony to the depth of home expertise on this occasion. Of these 13, 4 are nonetheless in highschool (or are freshly graduated).
The youngest of that group is Teagan O’Dell, who represented the U.S. on the 2023 World Junior Championships. She set her finest time at that meet, blazing 59.51 on the blended medley leadoff that finally gained gold. O’Dell is arguably higher within the 200 again, the place she’s the World Jr. champion, however must be within the combine within the shorter distance as nicely. O’Dell is ready to hitch Cal beginning within the fall of 2025.
Subsequent up are two athletes who will be part of the Wolfpack within the fall: Erika Pelaez and Leah Shackley.
Erika Pelaez additionally clocked an OQT at World Juniors, the place she earned a bronze medal with a PB of 59.94. Pelaez not too long ago improved her finest time within the 100 free on the 18 & Beneath Spring Cup – Fort Lauderdale, in addition to sweeping the remainder of her occasions. If she will discover a comparable drop within the 100 again, she could possibly be within the combine to problem for a finals spot as her present time locations her at #13 this season.
Leah Shackley has the #9 time this season with a 59.57, simply two-hundredths off her PB from 2023. She was additionally current at World Juniors, choosing up a gold medal within the 50 fly and a silver within the 100 fly.
Lastly, Maggie Wanezek, who’s headed to Wisconsin within the fall, slots in at #12 this season due to a 59.90 from 2024 NCSAs in March. She additionally clocked a 200 again PB at that meet, and has good momentum to make a semi, or the ultimate, within the shorter distance later this month.
Smoliga Trying to find Third Olympic Berth
Olivia Smoliga is the one swimmer within the discipline who has represented the U.S. on the final two Olympics. She made her Olympic debut in 2016, competing within the 100 backstroke, and in 2021 completed third within the 100 free to earn a spot on the 4×100 free relay.
Her finest time of 58.31 places her proper within the combine for the second spot, however she’s solely been as quick as 59.25 this season on the 2023 U.S. Open.
Nevertheless, Smoliga appears to have gone all-in on the 100 free, the place there are probably six spots up for qualification. She hasn’t swum the 100 again because the U.S. Open.
The Verdict
It’s arduous to wager towards Regan Smith taking the highest spot right here, as she’s been precisely 0.5-seconds quicker than Berkoff’s finest time.
Talking of Berkoff, we’re giving her the sting right here over Curzan. Her worldwide breakout in 2022 got here on the heels of a stellar NCAA season, and she or he’s solely gotten higher since then. (I’ll additionally throw in a mushy prediction that she dips into the 57-second territory sooner or later between semis and finals, changing into the second American lady to take action.)
The rest of the sector appears to be depending on who has the new hand. Any variety of these swimmers could possibly be on the surface wanting in with regards to securing a lane for finals. All in all, it’s shaping as much as be an thrilling race you gained’t wish to miss.
SWIMSWAM PICKS
Darkish Horse: Rylee Erisman – Earlier than this 12 months, Erisman had by no means swum underneath 1:02 on this occasion. She threw down a 1:00.58 on the NCSA Spring Championships, and then two months later grew to become the quickest 15-year-old American ever within the 100 free. She is ranked #16 this season within the 100 again, and appears to have all the things pointing in her favor to be proper within the combine come Trials.
