NC State’s Katharine Berkoff defended her NCAA title in the 100-yard backstroke on Friday, shattering the American, U.S. Open, NCAA and Meet records in the process.
Touching the wall in 48.74 seconds, Berkoff became the first woman to swim a 100 backstroke in under 49 seconds.
Katharine Berkoff is the first woman under 49 seconds in the 100y back with a 48.74! 🤯👏#NCAASwimDive x @packswimdive pic.twitter.com/qiH1srX5Li— USA Swimming (@USASwimming) March 18, 2022
Katharine Berkoff is the first woman under 49 seconds in the 100y back with a 48.74! 🤯👏#NCAASwimDive x @packswimdive pic.twitter.com/qiH1srX5Li
Gretchen Walsh of Virginia came in second, touching the wall at 49 seconds and also breaking the previous American, U.S. Open, NCAA and Meet Records. Walsh’s record-breaking swim comes on the heels of her historic 50-yard freestyle swim Thursday, the fastest ever by a freshman.
Regan Smith held the previous American and U.S. Open record in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 49.16 seconds in 2021 while she was in high school. Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson held the NCAA and Meet records with a time of 49.18 in 2019.