1 week Ago By BILL SPELTZ 406 MT Sports
MISSOULA — Missoula swimmer Katharine Berkoff's dream year has continued this week in the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Berkoff, a Hellgate grad who earned gold and bronze at the Paris Olympics this summer, helped set a world record for the United States in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay Tuesday. She posted a time of 51.
38 on her leg and teamed up with Kate Douglass (50.95), Alex Shackell (52.01) and Gretchen Walsh (50.
67). Their time of 3:25.01 broke a record held by Australia (3:25.
43) that was set in 2022. The United States had never held the world record in short course meters, but did win five world titles between 2004 and 2021. On Wednesday, Berkoff took second place in the 100-meter backstroke in 54.
93. American teammate Regan Smith won the event with a championship record of 54.55.
Berkoff and Smith are also scheduled to compete in the 50 backstroke final this week. Berkoff earned the top seed with a mark of 25.51 and Smith was the No.
2 seed at 25.66. Berkoff secured her first Olympic medal (bronze) in the 100 backstroke this summer, clocking 57.
98. Australia's Kaylee McKeown earned gold with a 57.33 and Smith mined silver in 57.
66. Berkoff then when team USA earned first in the 4x100 medley relay. Although she wasn't a member of the winning four, as she only , she still took home the rarest medal in sports.
As a college swimmer at North Carolina State, Berkoff earned five NCAA championships, six Atlantic Coast Conference championships and 30 All-American nods. Bill Speltz is Missoulian sports editor. Contact him at or on Twitter @billspeltz Get local news delivered to your inbox!.
