Kate Douglass Swims Fastest 50 Fly Split in History at Tennessee Invite

TENNESSEE INVITE (DOUBLE DUAL)

  • Thursday, November 19-Saturday, November 21, 2020
  • Allen Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN
  • SCY
  • Double Dual format
  • Results on Meet Mobile as “2020 UT Double Dual”
  • Live Results
  • Thursday Finals Live Stream

University of Virginia sophomore Kate Douglass had two swims on Friday evening that rank her among the best all-time.

First, on the butterfly leg of Virginia’s 200 medley relay, she split 21.95 en route to her team’s winning time of 1:34.35. That ranks as the fastest-ever split in the history of the relay, and joins her with Kelsi Dahlia (then Kelsi Worrell) as the only women to split under 22 seconds on that leg.

Douglass’ reaction time of .23 seconds (Dahlia had a reaction time of .14 seconds) means that if she really pushed that exchange, she could take that split even lower.

Top 10 All-Time Butterfly Splits, Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay:

  1. Kate Douglass, Virginia – 21.95
  2. Kelsi Dahlia, Louisville – 21.96
  3. Alyssa Marsh, Duke – 22.05
  4. Kelsi Dahlia, Louisville – 22.07
  5. Kelsi Dahlia, Louisville – 22.21
  6. Louise Hansson, USC – 22.23
  7. Hellen Moffitt, UNC – 22.29
  8. Liz Li, Ohio State – 22.32
  9. (TIE) Louise Hansson, USC/Kate Douglass, Virginia – 22.33

Douglass’ fly split in that relay was faster than all of the freestyle anchor legs except that of her own anchor, Alex Walsh, who split 21.75.

Later in the session, Douglass swam, and won, the women’s 100 fly in a new Meet Record of 49.73, clearing Erika Brown’s swim from last year’s meet. That’s also an NCAA “A” cut in the event.

The swim ties her with 16-year old Claire Curzan as the #5 time in the history of the event at any age.

Top 10 Women’s All-Time Performers, 100 Yard Fly

  1. (TIE) Louise Hansson/Maggie MacNeil – 49.26
  2. Erika Brown – 49.38
  3. Kelsi Dahlia (Worrell) – 49.43
  4. (TIE) Claire Curzan/Kate Douglass – 49.73
  5. Katie McLaughlin – 49.97
  6. Natalie Coughlin – 50.01
  7. Farida Osman – 50.05
  8. Rachel Komisarz – 50.10

Douglass’ previous best time entering the meet was a 50.30 that she did at this same meet last season. She won the ACC title in that event in 50.83 last season.

The versatile teen is a former National Age Group Record holder in the 50 free, and last season was seeded 1st in the 200 IM, 4th in the 100 fly, and 3rd in the 200 breaststroke entering the NCAA Championship meet – though that meet was eventually canceled.

Douglass’ other results this week include a Meet Record of 1:50.92 that is within 3-tenths of a second of the NCAA Record, a 21.42 relay leadoff leg on the 200 free relay, and a 50.09 butterfly split on Virginia’s 400 medley relay, at the end of a 3-swim session.

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Mnswim
3 years ago

Great swim!

If we have national championship meet look out for UVA! 😁

Swimfan
Reply to  Mnswim
3 years ago

They win easily this year. Stanford missing too many people. Next year could be an epic battle.

leisurely1:29
3 years ago

Fastest 50 fly split, and also one of the best 200 breaststrokers in history… WHAT?

Will 37
Reply to  leisurely1:29
3 years ago

This combination of strength is always rare, no matter where. I do find some swimmers to be particularly powerful in “Short-axis strokes”, while still perform at a high level in free/back. My assumption is that these swimmers are physically better at being powerful “synchronously” than other elite IMers, while others rely more on rotations.

Steven
3 years ago

Wish we got to see what she could do leading off the 8 free relay! Looks like UVA was on the bus early for that one. They swam incredible though, that’s for sure.

Go Horns
Reply to  Steven
3 years ago

They did not swim an 800 FR last year either.

SwimFani
Reply to  Steven
3 years ago

Smart move on their part. The UVA athletes probably got back to the hotel an hour earlier for food, rest and a “PUMP YOU UP” coaching talk!

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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