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)
- Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.38 – 2009
- Kate Douglass (USA), 24.42 – 2024
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.44 – 2021
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.50 – 2021
- 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)
- Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.38 – 2009
- Kate Douglass (USA), 24.42 – 2024
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.44 – 2021
- Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.46 – 2009
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.47 – 2018
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.49 – 2020
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.50 – 2021
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) / Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.51 – 2021 / 2018
- –
- 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.
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
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?
Love Kate, she is crazy. And also sooo wished Gretchen went pro before the Olympics.
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
The FINA points in chronological order for Kate Douglass at the Singapore stop:
1042
996
995
Amazing!
Gretchen Walsh 23.xx confirmed
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.
Is she eligible to swim it at SCM Worlds, or does the stupid USA selection criteria strike again?
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.
Yeah, I wanted someone that had a breaststroke world record to get it in fly.
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/
… Read more »Or just swim it at another SCM meet? There are many SCM meets coming up this month
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