World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Incheon: Regan Smith surprises herself with 100m backstroke world record 

Smith now holds world records in both the long and short-course 100m backstroke events, while Leon Marchand extended his undefeated streak in the individual medleys.

5 minBy Lena Smirnova
Regan Smith set a world record in the women's 100m backstroke at the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
(Shi Tang/Getty Images)

Regan Smith might have only trained for a few weeks in the lead up to the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Incheon, Republic of Korea, but once in the pool, there were no cobwebs in sight.

The Olympic multi-medallist blasted to a short course world record of 54.41 in the women's 100m breaststroke on Friday, 25 October to improve on the World Cup record she set at the Shanghai stop of the three-leg competition last week. Smith also holds the world record in the long-course version of the event.

The USA swimmer changed up her tactics from Shanghai, swimming slower at the start to have a stronger finish, shaving 0.15 seconds off a record previously held by Australia's Kaylee McKeown. McKeown competed on the first day of the Shanghai World Cup before announcing that she will withdraw from the next competitions to take a mental health break.

After touching the wall and receiving congratulations from fellow swimmers, a delighted Smith had nothing but praise for her long-time rival.

“She is incredible and she is so consistent," Smith said after the race. "I wish she could be here.”

Smith shared with Olympics.com earlier that she had also considered taking time out after competing at Paris 2024, where she won five medals in five races, but ultimately decided to enter the short-course World Cup and swim there stress-free.

“This summer was so big for me and I really wanted to take a mental break," Smith told Olympics.com. "So, I'm here competing and that's what's important, but if I get last place or first place or if I break a world record or add 15 seconds, it doesn't matter to me. I'm really just here to travel and see new places and spend time with friends. That was what I promised myself that I would do after the big summer that I had.

“I just really want to enjoy swimming. I love to swim. It's a fun passion of mine and sort of like a hobby in some ways. And so I'm not really concerned with breaking records or going best times or anything like that this year. The end of this year my goal is just to enjoy myself.”

Canada's Ingrid Wilm finished 1.73 seconds behind in second, with USA's Beata Nelson wrapping up the podium.

Leon Marchand continues clean sweep of medley events

Meanwhile in the men’s races, four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand continued his golden streak in the individual medley events as he defended his 200m medley crown from Shanghai. The French star also won the 100m and 400m medley events in the People's Republic of China and shared gold with Switzerland's Noe Ponti in the 100m event in Incheon on Thursday, 24 October.

The reigning Olympic champion in the 200m IM, Marchand looked at ease as he strolled out to the blocks wearing an Arizona State University swim cap in a nod to his college team and the start of what appears to be a new tradition for the French swimmer. Marchand also raced in swim caps he swapped with USA’s Caeleb Dressel and Republic of Korea’s Lee Yooyeon on previous days of the short-course World Cup.

The first 50m of the race saw Marchand trailing in third place behind Olympic medallists Duncan Scott of Great Britain and Japan's Seto Daiya, who was making his season World Cup debut. As in Thursday's race, the French swimmer made a late surge to win the race, spurring on enthusiastic cheers among the French fans in the stands.

“It was a really close one again," he said after the race. "It was really fun and I just want to say 'merci'. I’m practicing everyday so I try to enjoy.”

While Marchand's time of 1:50.91 was 0.61 seconds over his mark last week – a World Cup, European and French record – Marchand remains the only swimmer to go under 1.51 in the event.

Marchand, Scott and Seto will next face off in the men's 400 medley. This race and action from another 10 finals will conclude the Incheon leg of the World Cup on Saturday, 26 October.

Results from the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 in Incheon, Republic of Korea - Day 2:

Women’s 1500m freestyle

  1. Kim Chaeyun (KOR) - 16:43.29
  2. Ng Lai Wa (HKG) +12.86
  3. Nikoleta Trnikova (SVK) +20.03

Women’s 400m medley

  1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) - 4:26.23
  2. Yu Yiting (CHN) +01.58
  3. Tara Kinder (AUS) +02.79

Men’s 50m backstroke

  1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) - 22.80
  2. Isaac Cooper (AUS) +00.30
  3. Thierry Bollin (SUI) +00.40

Women’s 200m freestyle

  1. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (HKG) - 1:51.02
  2. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) +03.09
  3. Milla Jansen (AUS) +03.96

Men’s 200m medley

  1. Leon Marchand (FRA) - 1:50.91
  2. Duncan Scott (GBR) +00.34
  3. Seto Daiya (JPN) +01.45

Women’s 100m backstroke

  1. Regan Smith (USA) - 54.41
  2. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) +01.73
  3. Beata Nelson (USA) +02.00

Men’s 50m breaststroke

  1. Qin Haiyang (CHN) - 25.76
  2. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) +00.02
  3. Choi Dongyeol (KOR) +00.29

Women’s 50m butterfly

  1. Kate Douglass (USA) - 24.73
  2. Sara Junevik (SWE) +00.54
  3. Lily Price (AUS) +00.54

Men’s 100m freestyle

  1. Jamie Jack (AUS) - 46.48
  2. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) +00.12
  3. Pieter Coetze (RSA) +00.26

Women’s 100m breaststroke

  1. Tang Qianting (CHN) - 1:02.82
  2. Alina Zmushka (NIA) +01.30
  3. Sophie Angus (CAN) +02.59

Men’s 200m butterfly

  1. Trenton Julian (USA) - 1:51.00
  2. Chad Le Clos (RSA) +00.07
  3. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) +01.23
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