FLASH! Kate Douglass Lowers World Record in 50 Free to 23.19
A world record still ringing in the air Saturday morning, Kate Douglass made sure not to start her warm down until after Gretchen Walsh was done swimming her 50 free.
Darn the double for which Douglass had to clear lactic acid – Douglass had to make sure that the time next to her teammate’s name read 23.5 or slower before she felt safe getting into the warmdown pool at the Woollett Aquatic Center.
Saturday night, Douglass had no worries.
Douglass destroyed her hours-old world record with a time of 23.19 at night. It’s three tenths quicker than the 23.49 she did Saturday morning, a stunning drop in an event where progress is usually measured in hundredths of a second.
Second was Walsh in 23.74, the former world record holder well back of her training partner. Meg Harris was third in 23.89, with Taylor Ruck fourth in 24.23, a best time by .03.
Sarah Sjostrom had held the world record since 2017, lowering it at Worlds in 2023 at 23.61. Douglass took it by going 23.59 in Indianapolis on June 19, then Walsh claimed it with a 23.55 in Rome on June 28. Walsh threatened to improve it with a 23.60 at Nationals on Aug. 1. The pair now own the five fastest swims in history.
Douglass is trying to pull off what could be a glorious triple. She’s the top seed in the 50 free, the second seed in the 200 breaststroke and part of the top-seeded U.S. 400 medley relay to finish the night.
Part of Douglass’ week has been overcoming a fourth-place finish in the 100 breast. She was the second seed out of prelims but finished off the podium, unable to keep up with the surge of countrywoman McKenzie Siroky, who won in 1:05.32. Tang Qianting’s 1:05.46 and a 1:05.65 by Satomi Suzuki kept Douglass off the podium.
“I was pretty disappointed,” Douglass said Saturday morning. “That race hasn’t really been feeling good all season, and so I thought that maybe some rest would make it better. But trying to not let that affect my 200 breaststroke mentality.”
Torri Huske won a battle of Americans in the B final, going 24.27. She bested Simone Manuel’s 24.40. Erin Gallagher was third in 24.88, .24 seconds off the South African record set in 2021 by Emma Chelius.
