Phoebe Bacon is a competitive swimmer that represents the United States internationally. She is a 2021 Olympian and NCAA Champion in the 200 back.
High School
Phoebe Bacon was ranked #5 on SwimSwam’s Girls High School Class of 2020, and announced her verbal commitment to swim for Wisconsin on April 21, 2019.
2019 NCSA Spring Championships (Orlando, Florida)
Bacon had a full meet in Orlando, competing in several events across multiple strokes. She placed 2nd in the 100 IM (54.34), 2nd in the 200 back (1:50.71), 9th in the 100 breast (1:01.80), 9th in the 50 breast (28.11), 3rd in the 50 fly (23.74), 2nd in the 100 back (51.58), 2nd in the 100 fly (52.33), 1st in the 50 back (24.38), and 2nd in the 200 IM (1:57.62).
2019 US Open (Atlanta, Georgia)
To put a bow on what had been a breakout international year for her, Bacon competed at the US Open. She had said she had unfinished business in the 100 backstroke after not breaking 59 seconds during the summer, and it showed. In the final of the event, she upset world record holder Regan Smith and World Champs Medalist Olivia Smoliga by touching 1st in a time of 58.63, smashing the 59 second barrier.
2020 High School Season
At the 2020 Independent School League Swimming Championships in January, Bacon took down her first National High School record, breaking Olivia Smoliga’s 100 back record of 51.5 and touching in at 51.32. Just 2 weeks later, at the 2020 DC Metro Championships, Bacon lowered her own record again, touching at 50.89.
College (Wisconsin)
2020-2021
At the 2021 Big Ten Championships, Bacon took titles in the 100 back (51.32) and 200 back (1:50.90). She also placed 2nd in the 200 IM (1:55.55).
At her first NCAA Championships, Bacon finished 4th in the 200 IM (1:54.55) on day 1 and 3rd in the 100 back (50.39) on day 2. On the final day of the meet, Bacon asserted her dominance, touching first in the 200 back with a 1:48.32.
2021-2022
Swimming at the 2022 Big Ten Champs, Bacon defended her titles in the 100 back (51.58) and 200 back (1:51.23) as well as placed 4th in the 200 IM (1:55.64). She also swam on Wisconsin’s 3rd place 400 free relay and 4th place 200 free, 800 free, and 200 medley relays.
At her 2nd NCAAs, Bacon placed 10th in the 200 IM (1:54.39), 9th in the 100 back (50.83), and 2nd in the 200 back (1:49.29).
2022-2023
During her junior season at the 2023 Big Ten Champs, Bacon placed 2nd in the 200 IM (1:55.06) and 3rd in the 100 back (51.96). She ended up DFSing the 200 back due to illness.
At that years NCAA Champs, Bacon placed 5th in the 200 IM (1:53.56), 4th in the 100 back (50.54), and 2nd in the 200 back (1:49.28).
2023-24
Bacon’s first big swims came at the Texas Invitational in November. She opened the meet with a 1:44.17 split on Wisconsin’s 800 free relay. That time was 4.24 seconds under her PB of 1:48.41 set earlier in the season against Minnesota. On day 2, she was a solid 1:55.14 in the 200 IM. Later, Bacon hit a season-best of 51.43 in the 100 back final. She lowered it to a 51.32 in the 100 back leading off in the 400 medley relay. Bacon’s big swim came in the 200 back with a 1:50.36, way faster than she had ever been at mid-season.
Bacon was solid through the winter, hitting a 51.69 100 back and 52.17 100 fly against Northwestern, a 51.37/1:52.96 100/200 back and a 52.34 100 fly against Louisville and Indiana.
Bacon continued to roll at Big Ten Conference championships. From the first night, Bacon was fast, splitting 1:43.21 on the Wisconsin 800 free relay. She crushed the 200 IM, winning by over a second with a season-best 1:54.29. That was her 1st Big 10 title in the 200 IM after placing 2nd as a freshman, 3rd as a sophomore, and 2nd last year. Later in that session, Bacon helped the Badgers sneak under the ‘A’ cut in the 400 medley relay with a speedy 50.24 fly split.
The next night, Indiana’s Kacey McKenna (50.49) dropped .84 seconds off her PB to prevent Bacon (51.14) from reclaiming the Big Ten title. Bacon snuck under her season-best. On the 200 free relay later that night, Bacon was Wisconsin’s only sub-22 second split with a 21.81.
It was all Bacon in her signature 200 back after failing to contest the event in 2023. She led by half a second at the 50 and widened that to a 2.32-second margin at the finish to win in 1:50.05. That time marked a small season best as Bacon claimed her 3rd Big Ten title.
Bacon proved a potent force for the Badgers at NCAAs individually and on relays, netting 49 points. On the opening night, Bacon’s swift 1:42.99 200 free powered Wisconsin’s 800 free relay to a 10th-place finish on night one. In the 200 IM prelims the next day, Bacon shaved .03 seconds off her PB with a 1:53.53. She dropped further to a 1:53.16 in the final to secure a 5th-place finish. Bacon later split a 21.87 to help Wisconsin just sneak into scoring position in 15th.
In the 100 back on day 3, Bacon dropped her 3rd-fastest 100 back ever to secure a spot in the A final with a 50.48. Despite adding a hair in finals, Bacon moved up one spot to place 4th in 50.55.
Bacon’s triumph came on the final day. She went for it in prelims, posting a 1:48.81 to claim pole position. That swim marked her fastest swim since she set her PB of 1:48.32 to win the 2021 NCAA title as a freshman. A consistent finals performer, Bacon turned at the 50 in a tight race with Bella Sims, Kennedy Nobel, Josephine Fuller, and Isabelle Stadden. Sims and Bacon separated themselves from the pack by the 100. Bacon dropped a 27.68 3rd 50 to get some separation from Sims. Down the stretch, Bacon held Sims and a charging Noble to win the NCAA title in 1:48.23, a new PB.
Bacon ended up being the #2 scorer in the HS class of 2020 with 179 NCAA Points across her career. After NCAAs, Bacon announced her intent to return to Wisconsin for the 2024-25 season, utilizing the 5th year granted to her by the NCAA for the COVID-19 pandemic.
National/International Competition
2018 Summer Nationals (Irvine, California)
In Irvine, Bacon placed 4th in the 100 back (59.30), 9th in the 50 back (28.44), and 18th in the 200 back (2:12.09). For her finish in the 100, she earned a place on the 2018 Jr Pan Pac team and 2019 Pan American Games team.
2018 Jr Pan Pacific Championships (Suva, Fiji)
Bacon took the 100 back title in Fiji, going 59.72 to touch ahead of teammate Katharine Berkoff. She also placed 9th in the 200 back (2:10.65, 2nd fastest time of the field), and led off USA’s winning 4×100 medley relay (1:00.49).
2019 Pan American Games (Lima, Peru)
Bacon won the 100 backstroke (59.47), beating her nearest competition (Canada’s Danielle Hanus) by 0.87 seconds.
She also was a member of Team USA’s gold medal women’s 4×100 medley relay team alongside Anne Lazor, Kendyl Stewart and Margo Geer, setting a games record with a 59.02 split.
2021 Olympic Trials
After having solid swims throughout the week in Omaha, Phoebe Bacon saved her best for last, touching 2nd in the 200 back on night 7 in 2:06.46 to make her first Olympic team.
2022 World Championship Trials
On night 2 in Greensboro, Bacon rebooked her spot in the 200 back on Team USA, breaking a US Open record in finals with a huge PB of 2:05.08.
2022 World Championships
In Budapest, Bacon had strong showings throughout the prelims and semis, heading into the final as the first seed at 2:05.93. In the final, she placed 2nd overall in 2:05.12, just .04 away from a PB as well as gold medalist Kaylee McKeown.
2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
After she finished 6th in the 100 back (59.37) Bacon took on her signature 200 back. With Regan Smith firing on all cylinders, Bacon had her work cut out for her in the 200 back. She was 4th in 2:09.14. In semis, she clocked a confidence-boosting 2:07.23 for 2nd seed behind Smith but with 3 other swimmers sitting within a second of her. It was all Smith in the final. Bacon was out 5th at the 50 with a 29.67. She moved into 3rd with a big 31.44 split, .23 seconds back of 2nd-place Claire Curzan. Bacon lowered that gap to just .03 seconds at the 150 with a 32.24. Bacon out split Curzan by .10 seconds down the stretch with a 32.92 to beat her by a mere .07 seconds in 2:06.27 to qualify for her 2nd straight Olympics.
