Kaylee McKeown made it a golden triple in the women’s 200m backstroke as she won her third world title in the event, at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Saturday, 2 August.
A two-time Olympic champion and world record holder in the event, McKeown touched the wall almost one second ahead of her top rival, USA’s Regan Smith, to set a new championship record of 2:03.33 with her mother cheering on from the stands.
McKeown shot off the blocks quickly, but it was Smith who led into the first turn. Swimming in Lane 2, the USA swimmer was 0.12 ahead at the 100m and increased that lead to 0.63 seconds at the 150 mark.
But when McKeown made her signature surge in the final 50m, Smith could not keep up and had to settle for silver in 2:04.29 once again, 0.96 seconds behind the swimming world record holder.
Smith also finished second to McKeown in the 100m backstroke earlier in the week despite being the 100m back world record holder. The USA swimmer leaves Singapore 2025 with silver medals across all three backstroke events as well as a silver in the women’s 200m butterfly.
Defending champion Claire Curzan (USA), who beat both McKeown and Smith in the second semi-final the night before, finished third in a time of 2:06.04.
Top qualifier Peng Xuwei of the Poeple’s Republic of China was fourth, almost four seconds behind McKeown’s time.