Kate Douglass Sets New World Record in Women’s 50-Meter Freestyle

On Saturday, at the Pan Pacific Championships, Kate Douglass achieved a significant milestone in competitive swimming. The 24-year-old from Pelham, New York, set a new world record in the women’s 50-meter freestyle with a time of 23.49 seconds. The event took place at the outdoor pool in Irvine, California.

This time surpassed the previous record of 23.55 seconds, established by Gretchen Walsh in June at an international meet in Rome. Douglass’s achievement marks the second time she has set a new benchmark in this event. Her first record-breaking performance occurred on June 19 at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet in Indianapolis, where she clocked a time of 23.59 seconds. Nine days later, Walsh improved upon it.

Douglass’s accomplishments include five Olympic medals. Although she secured silver in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2024 World Championships, she did not compete in this event at the 2024 Paris Games.

After Douglass’s record-setting swim, Walsh competed in the same heat and achieved a time of 23.78 seconds. Both swimmers emerged as the top qualifiers for the evening final at the Pan Pacific Championships, which featured participants from countries including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, and China.

This world record was the first individual achievement of its kind at the meet, highlighting the exceptional competition and talent present among the athletes.