Paris. With a thrilling comeback, Australian Kaylee McKeown on Tuesday retained the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke, in which she broke the Olympic record. McKeown completed the first half of the event in fourth place, but was the first to touch the wall with a time of 57.33 seconds.
Behind her came her great rival, the American Regan Smith (57.66), the current world record holder. The also American Katharine Berkoff (57.98) completed the first podium of the three swimming finals on Tuesday.
McKeown, 23, broke her own Olympic record, which she set at 57.47 in Tokyo 2020, and consolidates her position as the best backstroke swimmer in recent history.
In Tokyo 2020 she was able to capture the two golds in the 100 and 200 meters and at the World Championships in Fukuoka in 2023 she managed to do the triple by adding the title of the 50 m. All within the same style.
But the recent progress of Smith, 22, has seen the two push the boundaries of the sport, taking turns to break the last four world records. The Minnesota swimmer had been seen as a major threat to the Australian after taking the record in June.
The clash between Smith and McKeown, which will continue in the 200-meter backstroke, also embodies the battle between the hegemonic United States and the emerging Australia for the triumph of the Paris swimming competition.
Australia currently leads the table in the swimming pool at the Défense pavilion with four golds and three silvers.
Tuesday’s second final also saw another Olympic record broken with Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen winning the 800m freestyle.
The reigning world champion clocked 7 minutes and 38.19 seconds, obliterating the record of 7:41.28 set by Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk in Tokyo 2020.
American Bobby Finke, the defending champion, took silver, 0.56s behind Wiffen, and Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri took bronze.
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– 2024-08-02 10:09:57
