McKeown Is The Boss Of Backstroke & Doubles
"Something I’ve been really working on is focusing on my own race. I think it really helped me on the outside lane, not seeing the other girls around me, and just really focusing on what I’ve been working on.” - Kaylee McKeown
This time the rivals were seeded far apart and there was no drawing off each other, nor trying to work out who might be ahead or now. The latest battle Kaylee McKeown Vs Regan ended in yet more gold for the Australian quadruple Olympic champion.
Smith, in 2, built an advantage of 0.73sec over McKeown, in 6, by the halfway mark, Claire Curzan another American ahead of the Australia. A length later, Smith and McKeown were just 0.03sec apart; and a lap later on the Australian was the champion by a margin of 0.96sec.
The 2023 champion add the 2025 crown to her collection in 2:03.33, a championship record just 0.19sec shy of her own 2023 World record and the third facets off her career.
The Australian bonds of backstroke now owns seven out of the fastest 10 200.backstroke swims ever ... and 17/30, and just over a quarter of the entire top 100 swiftest efforts.
The Americans, led by Smith took the minor spoils, the splits telling of the ebb and flow of the race:
Read on ...
