Regan Smith Breaks Maggie MacNeil’s World Record With 25.23 50 Backstroke, Earns WR Sweep

2024 Short Course World Championships

• December 10-15, 2024
• Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Roster Index
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick’em
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1  | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Women’s 50 Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 25.25 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 26.08 – Sara Curtis, ITA (2024)
• World Championship Record: 25.25 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2022)
• 2022 World Champion: Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 25.25

Final:

1. Regan Smith (USA) — 25.23 ***WORLD RECORD***
2. Katharine Berkoff (USA) — 25.61
3. Kylie Masse (CAN) — 25.78
4. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) — 25.88
5. Analia Pigree (FRA) — 25.94
6. Sara Curtis (ITA) — 26.26
7. Maaike de Waard (NED) — 26.28
8. Iona Anderson (AUS) — 26.31

Regan Smith broke another SCM backstroke World Record, this time breaking the 50 backstroke swimming a time of a 25.23. That broke the previous record of a 25.25 that Maggie MacNeil swam to win the 2022 World Championships.

Smith now holds all three SCM backstroke World Records. Smith set the 100 and 200 back World Records this fall at the World Cup stops with a 54.27 in the 100 and a 1:58.83 in the 200.

The swim was a huge personal best for Smith as her old best time was a 25.48 that she swam this fall at the World Cup stop in Singapore.

Top 5 All-Time 50 Back Performers

1. Regan Smith, 25.23 (2024)
2. Maggie MacNeil, 25.25 (2022)
3. Kaylee McKeown, 25.36 (2024)
4. Gretchen Walsh, 25.37 (2024)
5. Mollie O’Callaghan, 25.49 (2022)

With her World Record, Smith earns the $25,000 World Record bonus. The swim marks the 14th World Record of the 2024 SC World Championships. Smith just missed out on the crown bonus as she finished 2nd at the first World Cup stop swimming a 25.70 as Australia’s Kaylee McKeown swam a 25.36.