Regan Smith shaved 0.11sec off the World short-course record with a dominant 1:58.83 victory over 200m backstroke in the curtain-closing session of the 2024 World Cup tour in Singapore.

The American's bravura blast added the eight-length little-pool standard to her global marks in the 100m in both short- and long-course pools.

Smith Shaves Her Week-Old 100m S/C WR Back To 54.27 In Singapore

Regan Smith laid down the first World s/c record of her career in 54.41 at the second round of the Cup in Incheon last week. Today’s gain was made at the front end of challenge: she turned 0.61 faster at half-way

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

In a 200m race a league ahead of the rest, Smith coached by Bob Bowman, attacked the pioneering quadruple Olympic champion's 2020 standard from the gun, turning 0.51sec inside McKeown's pace at 50m before maintaining that standard of gain over the next 100m and then hanging on for dear life in the dash for home and celebration of her third World short-course record of this tour and career.

The splits compared:

• 27.89; 58.18; 1:28.47; 1:58.83 Smith, Nov 2, 2024
• 28.40; 58.59; 1:29.00; 1:58.94 McKeown, Nov 28, 2020