Kathleen Baker Lowers 200 Back Pan Pac Record In 2:06.14

2018 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 9 – Tuesday, August 14, 2018
• Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center, Tokyo, Japan
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Kathleen Baker starched the women’s 200 back meet record to win gold at the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo in a time of 2:06.14, lowering fellow American Elizabeth Pelton‘s previous mark of 2:07.48 from 2010.

Facing off against a loaded field that included teammate Regan Smith, Canadians Kylie Masse and Taylor Ruck, and the two-time defending World Champion in the event Emily Seebohm of Australia, Baker got out to the lead right from the hop and managed to hold off a big push from Ruck and Smith at the end to win the gold. Ruck and Smith won silver and bronze in 2:06.41 and 2:06.46 respectively, with Masse (2:07.00), Kaylee McKeown (2:07.01) and Seebohm (2:07.12) also under the old meet record.

Improving her previous personal best of 2:06.38 from last year, Baker jumps past Elizabeth Beisel (2:06.18) and Pelton (2:06.29) to become the 4th-fastest American in history, and also moves into 10th among the fastest performers in history in the event.

Baker now sits 2nd in the world rankings for 2018, with only Masse (2:05.98) faster with her swim from the Commonwealth Games in April.