Kate Douglass After 200 Breaststroke Gold, “It’s Really Exciting To See It Happen.”

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Kate Douglass of the US swam to her first individual Olympic gold medal, winning the 200 breaststroke in a 2:19.24. That also broke her American Record in the event.

“For a while I wasn’t sure if Olympic champion was going to be possible for me to say,” Douglass said. “And now it’s really exciting to see it happen.”

South Africa’s Tatjana Smith swam to silver in the event after winning gold in Tokyo. Smith announced her retirement after the race. “That was an amazing race, so to end it off with a silver, but with a fight,” Smith said. “That’s the best way to end it.”

Tes Schouten of the Netherlands won her first Olympic medal finishing bronze in the 200 breast. “It feels a bit unreal. I don’t really know how to explain it,” Schouten said. “I am happy and I am really shocked. I don’t think it has really kicked in as yet. I feel a little weird, I can’t wait for the ceremony, and then I think everything will kick in. I will see my parents and coach, and then it will start to feel real. I am like, did this really happen or is it a dream?”

Also winning an event tonight was Hungary’s Hubert Kos. Kos won the 2023 World Championship title in the men’s 200 backstroke and captured gold tonight, marking his first Olympic medal.

“I knew I had to go fast so I didn’t really know where anybody else was,” Kos said. “I just kept swimming and swimming. I was happy to get my hand on the wall first. I haven’t really processed this. I need a little time. I am over the moon. I knew I had to have speed coming back. It doesn’t matter how I got there, it matters that I got there.”

Greece’s Apostolos Christou won silver in a historic swim. That marked the first medal for Greece in swimming since 1896. Christou also swam a personal best time and Greek national record, “It’s the best achievement in my career. I’m really happy. It’s the best day of my life, so I’m really glad, blessed, and very, very satisfied with my results.”

Roman Mityukov of Switzerland finished 3rd and spoke of his mental space the last 24 hours. “It really was not easy these last twenty-four hours. I haven’t slept,” Mityukov said. “I was only thinking, making scenarios in my head. In your head, you are already a medallist and you are thinking ‘that’s nice’. But at the same time, I was thinking ‘stop, if you finish fourth or fifth you will be destroyed’. I am really happy it’s finished. Now, I can enjoy and live my life peacefully.”

Zhang Yufei of China stood on the podium again in the women’s 200 butterfly. After winning gold in the event in Tokyo, Zhang won bronze here. She also spoke of her future plans for the race, “After this Olympic race, I probably won’t do the 200 butterfly again. Since I won a medal this time, I don’t have any regrets any more.”

Closing the night with a win was the Australian women’s 4×200 freestyle relay. Brianna Throssell helped the relay in their win and announced that this is her last Olympics, “It was amazing to win for Australia. To be honest, tonight means everything, racing in front of a crowd as big or as loud as that in my final Olympics, and to be able to stand on top of the podium, is such an honor.”