SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 19: Regan Smith of the United States competes in the Women’s 100m … [+]
Regan Smith’s performance continues to improve with each season. The 22-year-old swimmer secured another win in the 100-meter backstroke by touching the wall in 54.89 at the first leg of the Swimming World Cup held in Shanghai. With this performance, she set a new American record and tied with Gretchen Walsh’s time recorded on Friday at Virginia’s dual meet against Florida.
As Smith’s long-time in-pool rival Kaylee McKeown decided to cut short her 2024 World Cup series after winning gold in the 50-meter back, she was followed by team member Beata Nelson in the 100-meter race, who claimed silver in 56.26. 26-year-old Ingrid Wilm clinched bronze for Canada in 56.64.
“It was a good swim. That was about what I thought I could be tonight. I am glad that I executed a good race.” Smith stated, as she didn’t expect to set any records this early in the season.
This win comes for her after claiming two medals on the first night of the World Cup. She secured gold in the 200-meter butterfly in 2:01.85, followed by Chen Luying from China (2:02.71). In her expertise technique, 50-meter backstroke, Smith clinched silver for the United States in 25.70 as Kaylee McKeown placed first with a new world cup record of 25.35.
SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 18: Kate Douglass of the United States reacts after winning the Women’s … [+]
In the 50-meter butterfly, Kate Douglass placed first, breaking the previous American record set two years ago. 22-year-old Douglass touched the wall in 24.54 in Shanghai waters, lowering Claire Curzans’ record of 24.55. Douglass won the gold by surpassing Zhang Yufei by half a second, 24.94. Yufei claimed three silver medals at the 2023 World Cup in the 50-meter event.
Interestingly, this was Douglass’ second record-breaking win in the 2024 World Cup series. On the first night, she also claimed gold in the 100-meter individual medley in 56.99, setting a new American record under her name. In the prelims, Douglass had tied the record with Beata Nelson with a 57.72 and managed to lower it at the finals. She is now the first American woman to go under the 57-second barrier in the individual medley event.
As of now, the United States leads the medal table with seven gold and four silver medals (11) followed by China (16 medals). Team Australia, whose many top-notch athletes, including Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus, have decided not to participate in the series, are currently placed third with a total of seven medals.
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