Kate Douglass, Jack Aikins Join the Field for 2023 Atlanta Classic

The hosts of the 2023 Speedo Atlanta Classic have released a new version of the meet’s psych sheets. Besides fixing some of the questionable seeds at the top of the lists, the new update has added some big new names, including Olympic gold medalists and NCAA Champion Kate Douglass leads a contingent of Cavaliers to Georgia.

They add to an already-loaded field that includes stories like the return of Caeleb Dressel from almost a year away from racing, Summer McIntosh‘s first meet since setting World Records at the Canadian Trials in April, and World Record holder Katie Ledecky.

Douglass is entered in the 100 breast, 200 breast, 100 fly, 100 free, and 200 IM at the meet. The 200 IM is the event where she’s had the most success internationally and in which she was the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist.

She won the 100 fly, 200 breast, and 200 IM at the recent NCAA Championships, her last as a member of the varsity squad, and broke records in all three events.

She’s also one of the fastest 100 yard freestyler there and is part of an increasingly-crowded American field in that event. She’s seeded in yards in the 100 breaststroke

Heading into the summer, and ahead to Paris 2024, her long course prospects are among the most interesting in the world, and her transition into a primarily long course swimmer formally begins this weekend in Atlanta.

The Walsh sisters, her counterparts for the three-time defending NCAA team champions, are absent from the meet, but Douglass won’t be traveling alone.

Among the other new additions to the list:

• Jack Aikins from the Virginia men’s team is entered as the top seed in the men’s 100 back (53.75) and 200 back (1:56.29). He finished 6th in the 100 back and 3rd in the 200 back at last year’s International Team Trials to just-miss a spot on the World Championship Team.
• Maxine Parker, who started her career at Georgia before swimming for Virginia last season and swam on NCAA title-winning relays, is entered in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles. The 100 free is becoming one of the marquee races of the meet. Led by Natalie Hinds, the field now includes Douglass, Parker, Gabby DeLoof, and Isabel Ivey, among others.
• Matt Fallon from Penn, who has big Olympic-roster potential in the 200 breaststroke but has been a bit star-crossed, is entered in the 100 and 200 breast, 200 and 400 IM, and 400 free. He missed the NCAA Championships with an injury.

The meet is open to the public, there are no tickets, and it is free to attend.