2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- February 11th – February 18th, 2024
- Doha, Qatar
- LCM (50m)
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- Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Recap | Day 5 Finals Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Recap | Day 6 Finals Recap
- Day 7 Prelims Recap | Day 7 Finals Recap
WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE — FINAL
- World Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
- Championship Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
- World Junior Record: 24.17 — Claire Curzan, United States (2021)
- 2023 World Champion: 23.62 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden
- Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 24.70, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 24.82
Final:
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) — 23.69
- Kate Douglass (USA) — 23.91
- Kasia Wasick (POL) — 23.95
- Shayna Jack (AUS) — 24.27
- Taylor Ruck (CAN) — 24.50
- Anna Hopkin (GBR) — 24.51
- Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (POL) — 24.69
- Michelle Coleman (SWE) — 24.79
Kate Douglass set a new American Record on the final night of competition in Doha as she touched in a 23.91 in the women’s 50 freestyle.
Douglass’s swim broke Simone Manuel‘s American Record of a 23.97 that Manuel swam to win bronze at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
No other American besides Manuel had ever been under the 24-second mark until Douglass did so today. Coming into the meet, Douglass had a personal best time of a 24.40 that she swam in May 2023. That swim made her the #9 American all-time. Douglass moved up to the 5th fastest American all-time with her time of a 24.19 from prelims.
Douglass’s swim also moved her up to the 8th fastest swimmer in the event all-time.
All-Time Top Women’s 50 Free Performers
- Sarah Sjostrom, 23.61 Sweden
- Britta Steffen, 23.73 Germany
- Pernille Blume, 23.75 Denmark
- Cate Campbell, 23.78 Australia
- Emma McKeon, 23.81 Australia
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 23.85 Netherlands
- Therese Alshammar, 23.88 Sweden
- Kate Douglass, 23.91 USA
Tonight’s swim was notably Douglass’s first time ever competing in the 50 free at a major international meet. Douglass had a packed schedule in Doha as she also swam the individual 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 IM. This swim marks Douglass’s second LCM American Record as she set the 200 breast record at a 2:19.30 just last month.
Douglass really breaks the mold of sprinter vs mid-d swimmer. Better at sprinting freestyle, but better at mid-d breaststroke. I don’t understand how it’s possible, but she’s a great talent.
Awesome picture for the story!
im so happy for her but very disappointed that she will retire after Paris. Would live her to just swim for another year, train for a 50 and 100 free/fly. She just keeps getting better.
She’s not retiring after the Olympics. It was a joke, so I’ve heard
To mother (v.) – to act as a figure of admiration, an example to follow, or otherwise gain the fervor and love of a large audience from extraordinary actions.
Ex. “Kate Douglass won the 200 IM with a personal best and broke the American Record in the 50 free this week in Doha. Mother is mothering.”
KD continuing to dine at the mother buffet
And leaves no crumbs
And she is humble and seems to have a great perspective about her racing.
How many events could she make our Olympic team in?
50 free
100 free
100 fly
100 breast
200 breast
200 IM
All relays?
100 breast and 800 free relay would be longshots, but the rest are likely.
I was just about ready to say the same thing, Steve.
Summer is more versatile than Kate, shame the schedule doesn’t allow her to compete in all events.
200 FR
400 FR
800 FR
200 BK
200 FL
200 IM
400 IM
All relays
Summer has nothing to do with Kate’s versatility, so why bring her up? Stop comparing and just enjoy the talent.
Summer stayed home and Kate showed up. So there’s that.
She’s too busy training for the OLYMPICS unlike Douglass. So there’s that.
Racers gonna race…
This, this…. aaaaaaaaand THIS!
They are actually great complements of each other. I root for both. Cool that they potentially come together in the 200IM. I say potentially because both have alternatives in Paris.
Well said VA Steve. Kate along with Summer and Kaylee are the three most versatile women swimmers in the world currently and to have all three swimming the 200IM in Paris will be a treat to watch.
Yeah I’m excited. Hopefully it’ll live up to the hype.
oh god, i’m having this exact argument in a different post.
Douglass also has 7 individual events that she could A final in, and they are more varied than Summers. KD is also more useful on two of three relays, and significantly more so in the medley.
(This is just a stupid argument who cares.)
Except 1 is a top 5 swimmer all time in 5 events while the other is not.
And the events on the KD list are in general a lot more competitive than those on Summers, again whomst care.
200 and 400 free aren’t competitive. wow.
You said top 5, bruh.
You think the top 5 in the 800 free, 400 IM, 200 back, 200 fly are as deep as those two events, too?
Actually Summer ranks among the top 5 performers in history in 6 LCM events. I’m not sure where that would rank all time but it puts her in pretty elite company I would imagine.
I believe we are currently in a golden age of special female swimmers just by looking at the recent swimswam top 10 list including both Kate and Summer.
But wouldn’t be on US 400 relays
Whoaaaall. ….and out of left field comes your comment, phelpsfan. Sorry – but why bring up Summer? She’s wonderful but why try to dull Kate’s shine in some way? Summer wasn’t mentioned in the article and she wasn’t even swimming at Worlds…
Trust me when I say I totally understand what it means to be a super-fan for someone, but perhaps it is best to keep in mind that the simple act of discussing a sport does NOT mean that, in the end, there is a winner and a loser (as opposed to competing in the actual sport). Summer doesn’t need you to “fight for her honor” or come to her defense….especially at the ‘expense’ of Kate’s recent, incredible… Read more »
I honestly think she is still figuring out what the best mix is. That is in part what this meet was about. Both the combination of events and her performance in individual events (e.g., the 50LCM). So many don’t understand what she is capable of, whereas if you watched her in the ACCs you certainly do.
100 breast- not at this point in time. But if she had a great swim then she could take out one of the top girls.
… Kate could also qualify in the 100FL. It is the one event she was national champ in that she hasn’t pursued with vigor. Be interesting for sure.
YAS queen
Such a fan…not for her swimming, but for how she handles her business….