North America: USA Makes A Meet Comeback With Dressel/Smith World Records

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
• Meet site
• Competition Schedule
• FinaTV Live Stream
• Entry Lists
• Results

After a slow start to the championships, Team USA has pulled out some thrilling record-breaking swims. The meet started off with Simone Manuel not only defending her 100 free world title but also taking down the American record.

The next 2 records came during semifinals, where Caeleb Dressel and Regan Smith earned their first world records that stood for many years. Dressel lead the 100 fly semifinals with a 49.50, taking down Michael Phelps‘ 2009 supersuit world record. Then, 17-year-old Regan Smith led the 200 back semifinals with a time of 2:03.35, breaking Missy Franklin‘s 2012 world record from she was also 17 years old.

Both Dressel and Smith’s world records also broke the world championships record in their events. Out of all the LC championship records set, the two American’s new records are now part of 25 world records set at the LC Worlds meets. Seven of those championship records were set during the event semifinals.

Looking at American-held records, 17 of the overall championship records are claimed by the USA. Meanwhile, Dressel and Smith are the only Americans to set world/championship records at the World meets during the semifinals.

More North American Notables:

• Sydney Pickrem of Canada won bronze in the women’s 200 breast, becomig the first Canadian woman to earn 3 individual LC world medals.
• The US men’s 4×200 free relay of Andrew Seliskar, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, and Townley pursued on to earn a bronze medal in the final.

Broken North American Records:

• Women’s 100 Free: American/North American Record, Simone Manuel (52.04)
• Men’s 100 Fly: World/American/North American Record, Caeleb Dressel (49.50)
• Women’s 200 Back: World/American/North American Record, Regan Smith (2:03.35)

North America — Day 7 Medal Table