Kate Douglass continued the U.S. women’s impressive run of performances at the 2025 World Championships on Friday night in Singapore, dominating the final of the 200 breaststroke.
Douglass produced the second-fastest swim in history in 2:18.50, shattering her own American Record of 2:19.24 set en route to winning gold at last summer’s Olympics. The 23-year-old also erased the 12-year-old World Championship Record of 2:19.11 set by Dane Rikke Pedersen in 2013.
Going head-to-head with world record holder Evgeniia Chikunova, Douglass made it look easy, winning the world title by nearly a second and a half, with Chikunova the distant runner-up in 2:19.96.
A Russian native representing Neutral Athletes B in Singapore, Chikunova set the world record of 2:17.55 in 2023.
With this swim, Douglass becomes just the third woman in history to break 2:19 in the event, joining Chikunova and retired South African Tatjana Smith, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo and was the silver medalist last summer behind Douglass.
All-Time Performances, Women’s 200 Breaststroke (LCM)
- Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS), 2:17.55 – 2023
- Kate Douglass (USA), 2:18.50 – 2025
- Tatjana Smith (RSA), 2:18.95 – 2021
- Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS), 2:18.98 – 2024
- Tatjana Smith (RSA), 2:19.01 – 2024
This victory marked the first long course world title in the 200 breast for Douglass, adding it to her Olympic victory from last summer and the back-to-back short course world titles she won in 2022 and 2024. She was also the silver medalist in the 200 breast at the 2024 LC World Championships in Doha.
RACE VIDEO:
Courtesy: NBC Sports on YouTube
Courtesy: CBC Sports on YouTube
Just minutes after winning the 200 breast, Douglass was back in the water in the semi-finals of the women’s 50 fly, missing out on a spot in the final, placing 14th in 25.74—just 12 one-hundredths back of eighth place.
With her individual schedule now wrapped up, having also won silver in the women’s 100 breast, Douglass will turn her focus to the women’s 4×100 medley relay on Sunday, where she’ll likely be swimming the breaststroke leg in the final. She could also make an appearance in the mixed 4×100 free relay on Saturday after she played a crucial role on the U.S. women’s 4×100 free relay that won the silver medal on the opening day of competition.
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