W100 back: McKeown Goes Back-to-Back, Double-Double In Sight
" I knew it was going to come down to the last five meters. We’re both extremely good athletes, and both extremely good trainers, so it’s just who feels better on the day, and she pushed me the whole way through.” - Kaylee McKeown on Regan Smith
Dolphins and Eagles, Sparring partners and friends; Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown Vs World record holder Regan Smith. It was always going to be thriller and for most of the two lengths, it was impossible to call - until McKeown thought it time to get going - and go she did.
In a pool whee records are hard to come by, 57.33, an Olympic record 0.14sec inside her own standard, and a match of her own Oceania and Commonwealth records, is a mighty swim.
The conditions were not conducive to challenging the 57.13 World record Smith set at U.S. Trials last month. Smith took silver in 57.66 today, her USA teammate Katherine Berkoff, daughter of David the Olympic backstroke medallist and skilful submariner of the late Eighties, on 57.98 for bronze, locking Canadian Kylie Masse out by 0.31sec.
In victory, McKeown took a step towards a feat no woman backstroke specialist and only one man have ever achieved: the double back-to-back. Roland Matthes (GDR) took the 100 and 200m men's titles in 1968 at 17 and backed up with another double in 1972.
The result in full:
