ZUMO Performance of the Week: Regan Smith Breaks Baker’s American Record

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This week’s ZUMO Performance of the Week goes to Regan Smith for setting a new American record in the 200 back at the 2019 Cary Sectionals.

The 17-year old came into the meet with a lifetime best of 1:48.30, exactly one second off of Kathleen Baker’s then-American record of 1:47.30. Smith had just narrowly missed the American record in the 100 back the day prior, hitting two sub-50 second 100 backstrokes for the first time in her career to make her the third-fastest performer ever (49.74) and smash the 17-18 NAG record.

The 200 back was Smith’s last individual finals swim of the meet and she didn’t disappoint. Splitting 25.05/26.49 on the way out (51.54), Smith was under Baker’s record pace by more than a second (52.77). She was able to hold on with closing splits of 27.59 and 28.03 to get to the wall in 1:47.16, taking .14 off of Baker’s record and breaking her first short course yards American record of her career.

That makes her the fourth woman to swim under 1:48 in the 200 yard back, and also gave her the 17-18 NAG record that had belonged to Missy Franklin. You can check out the race video of Smith’s swim below:

But Smith’s evening didn’t stop there. Coming off that final, she had another crack at the 100 back leading off the 400 medley relay. Smith broke her second American record of the night in a stunning 49.66 to leave the meet as the fastest ever in the 100 and 200 back.

Congratulations to Regan Smith on earning ZUMO’s Performance of the Week!

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