INDIANAPOLIS — Kate Douglass’s perpetually understated demeanor finally cracked, just a little. The 24-year-old swimming savant touched the wall here at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet, looked at the scoreboard and actually covered her mouth with her hand. She was stunned.
Two letters on the board told a story that electrified the crowd at historic IU Natatorium: “WR.” The Virginia alum and Pelham, N.Y., native set a world record of 23.59 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle—something that hadn’t even been her best event until Friday night.
“Complete shock,” Douglass tells Sports Illustrated. “I obviously did not expect the world record in the 50 free. Ever. In my life.”…