Kate Douglass Swims 2:14.16 200 Breast, Breaking Rebecca Soni’s Super-Suited World Record

2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Incheon

Make that two short-course world records in one week for UVA-based swimmers as Kate Douglass adds her name to the world record book for the first time in an individual event. Douglass dismantled the super-suited women’s 200 breaststroke world record, which Rebecca Soni held at 2:14.57 since December 2009.

Douglass earned her first individual Olympic gold medal in the long-course 200 breaststroke in Paris. Two years ago, she won the 2022 SC world title in a championship record 2:15.77, which stood as her lifetime best until her swim in Incheon. Given the improvements that Douglass has made in the 50-meter pool in the almost two years since that meet, there was plenty of anticipation to see what she could post in the lead-up to this year’s edition of the Short Course World Championships in December.

Douglass neared her best time last week in Shanghai, swimming 2:15.96. In the Incheon final, she jumped on the race from the start, opening in 30.68—well under world record pace.

Split Comparison:

Douglass — 2024 Incheon World Cup Soni — 2009 Duel In The Pool Douglass — 2022 SC World Championship
50 30.68 31.05 30.96
100 1:04.75 (34.07) 1:05.18 (34.13) 1:05.35 (34.39)
150 1:39.20 (34.45) 1:40.00 (34.82) 1:40.65 (35.30)
200 2:14.16 (34.96) 2:14.57 (34.57) 2:15.77 (35.12)

Douglass turned at the halfway point in 1:04.75, .43 seconds ahead of Soni’s 1:05.18 opening 100 meters. Douglass’s third 50 was remarkable—she split 34.45, extending her lead over the world record line to .80 seconds. Not only was she .37 seconds ahead of Soni’s pace, but the third 50 split was a big drop from 2022, as she out-split herself by .85 seconds.

Then, she managed to keep herself sub-35 seconds over the final 50 meters of the race. Soni’s world record crept up, but Douglass built a big enough lead over the first 150 meters of the race that she was able to stave off the world record line. She stopped the clock at 2:14.16, breaking Soni’s world record by .41 seconds.

Douglass is now the world record holder and world champion in the 25-meter pool, the Olympic champion and American record holder in the 50-meter pool, and the NCAA and American record holder in the 200-yard breaststroke. She cements herself as arguably the best 200 breaststroker across all three pool sizes we’ve ever seen.

By wiping Soni’s record off the books, only one supersuited short course meters world record remains on the women’s side: Therese Alshammar’s 24.38 mark in the 50 butterfly from the Singapore stop on the 2009 World Cup.

Douglass won the Shanghai World Cup on the women’s side. Through one day of racing, she’s leading the Incheon standings with 39.7 points and remains undefeated on the 2024 World Cup series through six events.

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Thomas The Tank Engine
8 days ago

Is this Kate Douglas’ first individual World Record?

Admin
Reply to  Thomas The Tank Engine
8 days ago

Yes I believe so. She’s got a couple of SCM relay World Records, but first individual.

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
8 days ago

Damn! The race wasn’t even close. Maybe Alex Walsh will provide better competition at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in December.

Robbos
8 days ago

Well done Rebecca

Hmm
8 days ago

Where are the bathtub comments?

oxyswim
Reply to  Hmm
8 days ago

People stopped those a long time ago with Kate, Gretchen is the one who still gets some of that BS. There are some morons who still just look at SCM as the larger bathtub and LC as the only “real” swimming, so a SCM world record wouldn’t change their views anyway.

Swimnerd
8 days ago

Just a reminder of how ahead of her time Rebecca Soni was. Incredible swim by Douglass.

Really hoping Douglass gives us one meet of 100,200 breast 100,200 IM 50,100 fly and 50,100 free

Nora
Reply to  Swimnerd
8 days ago

Yea for sure, but it was also a super suited world record so not sure how much it means.

Swimdad
8 days ago

A world record in a regular season meet? Nothing these UVA ladies do surprises me anymore. Hopefully the 200IM is next.

Swimmer
Reply to  Swimdad
8 days ago

It would be a huge drop from her Shanghai time if she did it. I’m not sure she’s there yet.

Pea brain
Reply to  Swimmer
8 days ago

That’s what I thought last weekend too about her 200 breast

Miss M
Reply to  Swimdad
8 days ago

Will she even swim the 200IM? In her interview after Shanghai she made it clear she wasn’t loving the 200IM right now.

doe
Reply to  Miss M
8 days ago

$$$$$

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
9 days ago

Next up for Kate Douglass, the W 50 FL.

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
9 days ago

Meanwhile, Gretchen is scrambling for a plane ticket to Singapore. Virginia versus North Carolina, blow it off!

VA Steve

Job first.

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Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

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