This week’s ZUMO Performance of the Week goes to Regan Smith for her junior world record in the 100 back at the 2019 Counsilman Classic in Indianapolis.
Regan Smith once again demonstrated she is ready to carry on the tradition of American dominance in backstroke, dropping her own world junior record twice over the weekend in the 100 back. Smith touched in 58.55 in the morning heats before taking the record all the way down to 58.45 at night.
Her time moves her to #2 in the world rankings, behind only former world record holder Kylie Masse and ahead of the two Americans swimming the event at Worlds: Kathleen Baker, who also happens to be the world record holder and is ranked just outside the top 5 with a 59.05, and Olivia Smoliga, who is currently fourth with a 58.73 from April.
That time also moves her up to #7 on the all-time list, tied with Hungarian Katinka Hosszu who won gold in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in an identical time to the 17-year-old. Notably, that still puts Smith about a tenth off of the 17-18 NAG record, which belongs to Missy Franklin from her 58.33 gold medal performance from the 2012 London Olympics before FINA recognized junior world records.
While Smith is not slated to swim the 100 back individually at Worlds, she is certainly making a case for getting a swim in the 400 medley relay, depending on how both the 100 back and 200 back performances pan out. The 400 medley relay is the final event on the World Championships schedule.
Congratulations to Regan Smith on earning ZUMO’s Performance of the Week!
