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

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE

• Thursday, October 31st – Saturday, November 2nd
• OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore
• Prelims at 9:30am local (9:30pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30pm local (6:30am ET)
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Competition Schedule
• Entries Book
• Day 1 Finals Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Live Results

After taking one of the three remaining super-suited world records off the books last week in Incheon, Kate 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 Sjostrom. Claire 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. –
10. 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

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.