Kaylee McKeown Lowers Australian, Oceanian 50 Back Record To 25.36 In Shanghai | SwimSwam

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP-SHANGHAI

• Friday, October 18th – Sunday, October 20th
• Shanghai, China
• Prelims at 9:30 am local (9:30 pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30 pm local (6:30 am ET)
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries Book
• Live Results

The 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series got underway today from Shanghai and right off the bat Australian Kaylee McKeown made some of her usual noise in the women’s backstroke.

Racing in the final of the 50m back, 23-year-old McKeown unleashed a new personal best of 25.36 to reap the gold.

Her time established a new World Cup Record, as well as a new Australian national and Oceanic record in the process.

American Regan Smith, McKeown’s international rival across all backstroke events, settled for silver this evening in 25.70 while Canada’s Ingrid Wilm bagged the bronze in 26.08. Smith’s result represents a new lifetime best.

Entering this competition, McKeown’s career-quickest rested at the 25.40 she notched just last month at the Australian Short Course Championships.

That effort overtook the 25.61 Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan put on the books at the 2022 Short Course World Championships. Prior to that, McKeown’s best stood at the 26.00 turned in at the 2020 Queensland Virtual Short Course Championships.

McKeown also destroyed the previous World Cup Record of 25.81 Dutch Olympian Kira Toussaint registered in 2021.

With tonight’s performance, McKeown remains the #2 performer of all-time, sitting only behind World Record holder Maggie MacNeil, the Canadian Olympic gold medalist who recently announced her retirement. MacNeil’s WR also represents the current Commonwealth Record

Top 10 Women’s SCM 50 Backstroke Performers All-Time

1. Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 25.25, 2022
2. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 25.36, 2024
3. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 25.49, 2022
4. Claire Curzan (USA) – 25.54, 2022
5. Marila Kameneva (RUS) – 25.60, 2022
6. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 25.60, 2020
7. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 25.62, 2021
8. Etiene Medeiros (BRA) – 25.67, 2014
9. Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) – 25.70, 2009 & Regan Sith (USA) – 25.70, 2024
10. Olivia Smoliga (USA) – 25.74,2020

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Kaylee McKeown Lowers Australian, Oceanian 50 Back Record To 25.36 In Shanghai