Kate Douglass Blasts 24.42 50 Fly To Break American Record, Narrowly Miss Super-Suited WR

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE

After taking one of the three remaining super-suited world records off the books last week in IncheonKate Douglass nearly broke another on Friday in Singapore.

Douglass fired off a time of 24.42 in the women’s 50 fly, falling just four one-hundredths shy of the super-suited world record of 24.38 set by Sweden’s Therese Alshammar in 2009.

The swim for Douglass did re-break the American Record of 24.54 she set at the opening leg of the series in Shanghai, and moved her into #2 all-time in the event, overtaking the likes of Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Sarah SjostromClaire Curzan, who held the American Record prior to Douglass lowering it the first time, ranks #5 all-time.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Butterfly (SCM)

  1. Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.38 – 2009
  2. Kate Douglass (USA), 24.42 – 2024
  3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.44 – 2021
  4. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.50 – 2021
  5. Claire Curzan (USA), 24.55 – 2021

In terms of all-time performances, Alshammar, Kromowijdojo and Sjostrom dominate the top 10, with Douglass’ swim on Friday the only to crack that list outside of the European trio.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 50 Butterfly (SCM)

  1. Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.38 – 2009
  2. Kate Douglass (USA), 24.42 – 2024
  3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.44 – 2021
  4. Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.46 – 2009
  5. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.47 – 2018
  6. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.49 – 2020
  7. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.50 – 2021
  8. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) / Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.51 – 2021 / 2018
  9. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.52 – 2017

Douglass’ victory completed the Triple Crown for the World Cup series, having won the event last week in Incheon (24.73) in addition to her previous American Record swim of 24.54 from Shanghai.

Since we have access to 25-meter splits at the World Cup meets, we can dive deep into how Douglass split each of her 50 fly victories at the series.

It was her opening 25 in Singapore that made the difference, as she was out in 11.15—more than two-tenths faster than Shanghai and three-tenths faster than Incheon.

Split Comparison

Shanghai Incheon Singapore
11.37 11.45 11.15
24.54 (13.17) 24.73 (13.28) 24.42 (13.27)

In Incheon, Douglass broke Rebecca Soni‘s super-suited world record in the 200 breast in a time of 2:14.16, a mark she absolutely obliterated on Thursday in Singapore, clocking 2:12.72.

In lowering Soni’s record last week, it left only two SCM world records from the super-suit era on the books: Alshammar’s record in the women’s 50 fly, and Paul Biedermann‘s mark in the men’s 200 free.

Although Douglass narrowly missed out on taking down the last remaining women’s SCM record, it’s possible she adds the 50 fly to her schedule for the Short Course World Championships after Gretchen Walsh was the only American entered in it when the U.S. roster was released last month.

Walsh will be a prime candidate to take aim at Alshammar’s record as well, given what she’s done in the short course yards pool, having smashed the NCAA, U.S. Open and American Record in the 100 fly (previously held by Douglass) at the NCAA Championships last year.

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saltie
21 days ago

Imagine if Sarah Sjoestrom went 2:01, 2:12, or 2:18 in the 200 breaststrokes. That’s what this swim is like for KD. I don’t say that to diss SS, obviously shes the sprint GOAT, but its absolutely insane for the 200 breast Olympic Champion to almost break the SCM 50 fly WR. Breast/fly is already a rare combo, but the fact that its the 50 and the 200 is insane. such a unique and talented swimmer

Anthony
Reply to  saltie
21 days ago

Comparisons like this are kind of pointless. You can just take any unusual combination of events and say the same thing.

MOC is a 57 100 back and 1:52 200 free. The other 4 women to have a 57 100 back are 1:56, 1:58, 2:03 and 2:03 in the 200 free.

Guess that makes her just as unique?

Connor
21 days ago

Love Kate, she is crazy. And also sooo wished Gretchen went pro before the Olympics.

Last edited 21 days ago by Connor
Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
21 days ago

I’m still curious the times Kate Douglass could throw down in the W 100 BR (SCM, LCM).

W 200 BR – check
W 50 FL – check
W 100 IM – check
W 200 IM – check

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
22 days ago

The FINA points in chronological order for Kate Douglass at the Singapore stop:

1042
996
995

Amazing!

Octavio Gupta
22 days ago

Gretchen Walsh 23.xx confirmed

Andysup
22 days ago

It is always mind blowing to think about how small a hundredth of a second is and to think two people can swim something as complex as a 50m short course butterfly race within 4 hundredths of a second of each other 15 years apart.

tea rex
22 days ago

Is she eligible to swim it at SCM Worlds, or does the stupid USA selection criteria strike again?

Swimmerfan
Reply to  tea rex
22 days ago

I think Huske and Walsh will go swimming. Although I think Douglas has a lot of potential to make that world record, I also think both Walsh and even Huske do as well.

cynthia curran
Reply to  Swimmerfan
22 days ago

Yeah, I wanted someone that had a breaststroke world record to get it in fly.

Kevin
Reply to  tea rex
22 days ago

Douglass should be eligible since she has a qualifying SCM time now so she passes the meet barrier. I believe Huske or Walsh would have to decline it, which the initial roster makes it seem like Huske may have done, so I think that let’s Douglass pass the USA dumb selection criteria barrier as well.

Pulled from: https://swimswam.com/usa-releases-selection-procedures-for-2024-short-course-worlds/

Selection of Non-Olympic Events

The first “Opportunity” to swim a 50 of stroke will go to the swimmer with the fastest time in the corresponding 100, should they have the AQUA time standard in the 50. The second “Opportunity” would go to an athlete already selected to the team that has the fastest time in the event in LCM. The

… Read more »

Last edited 22 days ago by Kevin
Khase Calisz
Reply to  Kevin
22 days ago

Or just swim it at another SCM meet? There are many SCM meets coming up this month

Pea brain
Reply to  tea rex
22 days ago

I’m pretty sure the 2 IM is the same session, and no one is beating Gretchen in the 50 Fly so she i s probably going to swim the 2 IM anyway

Last edited 22 days ago by Pea brain

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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