American Kate Douglass broke the women's 50m freestyle world record twice in one day at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, finishing with a time of 23.19 seconds in the final.
Key facts
- Kate Douglass, 24, broke the 50m freestyle world record twice in one day at the Pan Pacs in Irvine, California.
- She first set the record at 23.49sec in the morning heats, taking the mark from teammate Gretchen Walsh.
- Douglass lowered it again to 23.19sec to win the evening final.
- Gretchen Walsh was second in 23.74sec and Australia's Meg Harris third in 23.89sec.
American swimmer Kate Douglass broke the women’s 50m freestyle world record twice in a single day at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, according to the BBC.
In the morning preliminaries, the 24-year-old swam 23.49 seconds to take the world record away from teammate Gretchen Walsh, the Guardian reported.
Douglass then went even faster in the evening final, winning in 23.19 seconds to lower her own newly set mark.
Walsh finished second in the final in 23.74 seconds, while Australia’s reigning world champion Meg Harris took third in 23.89 seconds, according to the Guardian.
The performance capped a dominant day for Douglass at the championships. Al Jazeera reported that the meet also saw US star Katie Ledecky upstaged by Lani Pallister in the 800m freestyle.
Why it matters
Setting a world record twice in one day is a rare feat that underlines Douglass's dominance in the sprint freestyle event. Her swims signal shifting form among top international competitors ahead of future major championships.
Frequently asked questions
What times did Kate Douglass swim to set the records?
Douglass swam 23.49 seconds in the morning heats and then 23.19 seconds in the evening final, breaking the world record both times.
Who finished behind Douglass in the final?
Gretchen Walsh of the US finished second in 23.74 seconds, and Australia's Meg Harris was third in 23.89 seconds.
Where did the event take place?
The records were set at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California.