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At the Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday, Kate Douglass shattered the world record in the women’s 50-meter freestyle during the preliminary heats. The 24-year-old Pelham, New York native clocked an impressive 23.49 seconds at the outdoor pool in Irvine, California.
Douglass’s time surpassed the previous world record of 23.55 seconds, set just a few months ago by her teammate Gretchen Walsh at an international meet in Rome. This marks the second occasion Douglass has broken the world record in this sprint event; she initially set a new standard of 23.59 seconds at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis in June before Walsh briefly reclaimed it.
A five-time Olympic medalist, Douglass won silver in the 50 free at the 2024 World Championships, though she did not compete in this event at the recent Paris Olympics. Walsh followed Douglass in the heats, posting a strong 23.78, securing the top two qualifying spots for the final later that evening.
This achievement represents the first individual world record of the meet, which features top swimmers from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, China, and other nations. The stage is set for an exciting final as the competition wraps up in Irvine.