Pan Pacific Championships Day One Finals: Women’s 100 Backstroke
The women’s 100 backstroke was destined to be fast at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships. So fast that a meet record didn’t make the finals.
Three successive meet records by U.S. swimmers during prelims set the table for a speedy final on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
In the final, Taylor Ruck led at the turn ahead of Katharine Berkoff and Regan Smith. But Berkoff touched in 57.93 ahead of Regan Smith (58.11). Ruck earned her second medal of the night with a 58.40.
The records started to fall early in the morning session.
Claire Curzan broke the meet record in the 100 backstroke in the prelims, going a 58.21 to break the mark set by Canada’s Kylie Masse in 2018.
Berkoff then set a new record with a 58.09 swim in the next heat. Smith broke Berkoff’s meet record with a 57.86 to keep Curzan out of the finals with only two swimmers from each country allowed in the finals at the Pan Pacific Championships.
Showcasing the depth of the USA in the backstroke, Leah Shackley, Rylee Erisman and Phoebe Bacon all finished in the top eight during prelims and also had to set out the A final.
