2024 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The US women hold almost half of the short course meter World Records and have already put on a show through just one day at the 2024 World Championships. The US women hold 10 out of the 23 records in total. With much debate coming from the collegiate system of short course yards, it seems that SCY has at least some benefit.
Ten records is almost double the number that the US holds in the long course pool, as the US women hold six (out of 20) LCM World Records. Although it should be noted that LCM has three less events with the absence of the 100 IM, the 4×50 free, and 4×50 medley relays, the US only holds one of those records. Even eliminating Walsh’s 100 IM, the numbers still compare with nine SCM and six LCM.
In addition to the US women holding 10 records, Maggie MacNeil of Canada swam SCY during her time at Michigan and LSU. MacNeil holds the 50 back and 100 fly SCM World Records. Fellow Canadian Summer McIntosh may also have seen the benefits of SCY as the teen trains out of Florida and notably competed at the 2022 Winter Junior Championships. Although there has been some discourse on “bathtub” swimming, it seems that there are benefits of training to race in a shorter pool.
All ten of the SCM records from the US women have been set in the last two years. Katie Ledecky set the 800 and 1500 freestyles back in 2022 while Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, and Gretchen Walsh each earned two individual records at some point this fall and now into the winter.
Women’s SCM World Records
- 800 freestyle, 7:57.42, Katie Ledecky, 2022 World Cup- Indy
- 1500 freestyle, 15:08.24, Katie Ledecky, 2022 World Cup- Toronto
- 100 backstroke, 54.27, Regan Smith, 2024 World Cup- Singapore
- 200 backstroke, 1:58.83, Regan Smith, 2024 World Cup- Singapore
- 200 breaststroke, 2:12.72, Kate Douglass, 2024 World Cup- Singapore
- 50 butterfly, 23.94, Gretchen Walsh, 2024 World Championships
- 100 individual medley, 55.98, Gretchen Walsh, 2024 Virginia vs Florida Dual Meet
- 200 individual medley, 2:01.63, Kate Douglass, 2024 World Championships
- 4 × 100 freestyle relay, 3:25.01, Kate Douglass, Katharine Berkoff, Alex Shackell, Gretchen Walsh, 2024 World Championships
- 4 × 100 medley relay, 3:44.35, Claire Curzan, Lilly King, Torri Huske, Kate Douglass, 2022 World Championships
