Olivia Smoliga looked absolutely sensational in the women’s 100 back prelims during the opening session of the Short Course World Championships in Hangzhou, touching in a new American Record time of 55.47.

Smoliga, who won the world title in this event six years ago at the championships in Istanbul when she was just 18, was nearly a body length ahead of everyone in her heat off the start, and now sits over a second and a half clear of everyone else heading into the semis. Her opening 50 of 26.77 was under world record pace (26.93) and was almost a full half second faster than the next best in the heats (27.24, Baker).

She lowers Kathleen Baker‘s American Record of 55.91 set back in September, and moves into #4 all-time in the event after previously sitting 25th with her old best of 56.58 from last year.

Emily Seebohm of Australia and Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, two of the three swimmers who have been faster than Smoliga was this morning, qualified 2nd and 3rd into the semis in 57.08 and 57.09 respectively. Baker qualified 5th in 57.16.

ALL-TIME PERFORMERS, WOMEN’S 100 BACK

1. Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 55.03
2. Shiho Sakai, JPN, 55.23
3. Emily Seebohm, AUS, 55.31
4. Olivia Smoliga, USA, 55.47
5. Gao Chang, CHN, 55.48

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