Regan Smith, a talented swimmer from Minnesota, made history at the U.S. swimming trials by breaking the world record in the women’s 100-meter backstroke. Her time of 57.13 seconds easily surpassed the previous record set by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown. Smith, who struggled with confidence after experiencing sudden fame at a young age, has worked hard both mentally and physically to regain her dominance in the event.
Smith’s journey to this world record was not without challenges. Despite setting a world record at the 2019 world championships, she faced setbacks and struggled to maintain her success. With the help of a sports psychologist and her coach Bob Bowman, Smith was able to overcome her mental barriers and focus on her physical training.
After narrowly missing out on a spot in the U.S. team for the 100 butterfly, Smith bounced back in the 100 backstroke final to set her second world record of the trials. Alongside Katharine Berkoff, Smith secured her place on the U.S. Olympic team for the upcoming Paris games.
In another event, Bobby Finke secured his spot to defend his 800 freestyle gold from the Tokyo Olympics, while young swimmer Luke Whitlock set a national age-group record and is likely to make his Olympic debut. The trials also saw impressive performances from Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel, who are working towards qualifying for the Paris Olympics after overcoming personal challenges and setbacks.
As Smith looks ahead to Paris, she remains determined to continue improving and pushing herself to new heights in the pool. With a renewed sense of confidence and a strong support system behind her, Smith is ready to take on the world’s best swimmers and strive for even greater success in the future.