Berkoff sets new series record in 50m backstroke
Katharine Berkoff dominated once again in the women's 50m backstroke to break her own Pro Series record, while marking the third fastest performance all time.
Video Transcript
We're ready to start the women's 50 meter backstroke final.
Kaylee McKeown, the world record.
Kathryn Berkoff, the American record holder and reigning world champ is here, there in lane number four.
25-year-old from Wolfpack Elite and NC State, but she's not the only past world champion of this race.
In it, there's Olivia Smoliga, won the title in 2019.
Her return to the sport right now after stepping away for a bit for the 31-year-old.
In qualifying third quick, she'll be in lane number three.
Caitlin Owens from Texas A&M, there in lane one.
Alongside in lane two, it's Ryan White, fourth in the 100 and 200 backstrokes at the Tokyo Olympics.
For the Utah native, Alabama Swim alum, trains at Wolfpack Elite.
There's Olivia Smoliga, now training at Texas Forward Aquatics.
Two-time Olympian relay gold medalist for Team USA.
Berkoff set a new Pro Swim Series record in the heats, 27.05.
Top time in the world this year.
Isabelle Stadden been on a tear as she won the 100 back last night.
Now, third fastest time in the world this year, what she did in prelims.
Claire Curzan, another past world champion- of the 50 back in this race.
There can't be any more.
She, she won bronze at the 200 back last summer at Singapore.
Maggie Mundszug, third in the 100 back already at this meet.
And Leah Shackley getting World University Games gold in the 50 and 200 back last summer in Germany.
I'd say this is a pretty good field.
Three world champions- Yeah all in this event, right?
Absolutely.
Did you get that right?
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
And how about Isabelle Stadden, Rowdy?
Yeah.
she was basically thinking of stepping away from the sport.
She stepped away for five months, changed her training home to the University of Virginia.
Going faster than she's ever gone.
She said just swimming freely, and the practice times that she was doing are now finally translating to races.
Yeah, I know you talked to her last night, and she is, one of those great backstrokers that the United States now has.
Take your marks.
I, I think with these three world champions, I think Berkoff is the one to beat.
Stadden's right there.
She went her best time in the preliminaries.
Won the 100 backstroke earlier and has shown that speed.
Great 200 backstroker as well, but Berkoff really is so good in the 50.
I don't know.
Right there, Berkoff inching ahead of Stadden at the end and holds her off by about two-tenths.
Great race.
Curzan in the mix there in third.
Wow, and what a time.
She almost broke her own American record.
Jason, one-one hundredth of a second off of that.
And Isabelle Stadden goes another PB in the 50 backstroke, and she becomes the third fastest.
Well, stays the third fastest swimmer in the world, only behind McKeown, the world record holder.
What a swim by this pair of Americans, and you can see them right there, lanes four and five.
Berkoff off to that fantastic start.
So good at the underwaters.
Improving dramatically, though, is Stadden.
She was out of the sport pretty much last year, right?
You said that she was thinking about quitting.
Took five months off.
Has come back, swimming for guess who?
Todd DeSorbo.
Big surprise there.
And the two of them come stroke for stroke at 26.98.
Wow.
So concerned with who got there first, you don't realize Berkoff was a fraction away from breaking her own American record.
She's with Nicole.
Yeah, just one-hundredth of a second off of your lifetime best and the American record.
Incredible times, incredible race.
What were you happiest with there today?
just having two really good swims.
I wasn't sure how it was gonna go, and I feel like I really have been nailing my start this week, so it felt really good.
It, it's always a loaded field whenever we look at these backstrokes, but certainly the 50 back field that you were just in with three world champions.
How do these types of races, these finals, help prepare you as you head further into the summer?
I mean, every meet is, like, basically the big meet lineup, so I think it's really good that we all have each other to push each other to keep getting better.
And certainly you did.
Congrats.
Thank you
