Johnathan Walker:USA"s Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff add two medals in 100 backstroke

NANTERRE,Johnathan Walker France — The women’s 100-meter backstroke was one of the most anticipated showdowns at the Paris Olympics, and it didn’t disappoint, as Australian Kaylee McKeown out-touched American Regan Smith to win gold.

McKeown finished with an Olympic record time of 57.33, ahead of silver medalist Smith with a time of 57.66 and bronze medalist Katharine Berkoff of the USA in 57.98 at Paris La Défense Arena.

Smith is at her second Olympics and entered the Paris Games with three Olympic medals — but is still racing for her first gold.

It was always going to be a close race in the latest chapter of the storied USA-Australian swimming rivalry with the two Americans and two Australians qualifying for the final within .66 seconds of each other. 

Plus, the race featured the current and the former world record holders. Since 2019, both Smith and McKeown have broken the 100 back world record twice: Smith broke it in 2019, McKeown took it in 2021 before lowering it again in 2023, and Smith won it back in June at U.S. Olympic trials. 

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Despite the close final, Smith’s 57.13 world record remained intact.

A two-time Olympian, McKeown was the 2021 Tokyo Olympics 100 backstroke gold medalist, while Canada’s Kylie Masse won silver and Smith won bronze. McKeown also won the 200 backstroke gold in Tokyo.