SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers who the most versatile female swimmer in the world:
Question: Is Kate Douglass the most versatile female swimmer in the world?
RESULTS
- Yes – 53.0%
- No (McIntosh) – 43.8%
- No (McKeown) – 1.8%
- No (Other) – 1.4%
Let’s start by clarifying that there’s no wrong answer. It’s just a classic sports-talk question that’s made for fans to debate.
The question of whether or not Kate Douglass was the most versatile female swimmer in the world came to the forefront two weeks ago when she stunned everyone (including herself) by breaking the world record in the 50 freestyle.
As the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 200 breaststroke, Douglass becoming the fastest swimmer in history in the 50 free made for perhaps the rarest two-event combo possible in the sport. It’s hard to find a world-class 200 breaststroker who’s competitive in another single-stroke event, or even IM, making Douglass’ climb to the top of the mountain in the 50 free all the more remarkable.
Of course, Douglass’ reign as the 50 free world record holder only lasted just over a week, as her Virginia training partner Gretchen Walsh took down her newly-minted mark of 23.59 nine days later at the Sette Colli Trophy in 23.55.
Regardless, it doesn’t diminish Douglass’ accomplishment, and the rarity of her abilities fuelled the debate about whether or not she’s the world’s most versatile female swimmer.
Her only real rival in the conversation is Summer McIntosh, who has a more wide-ranging skill set as the world record holder in the 400 free, 200 IM and 400 IM, being the second-fastest swimmer ever in the 800 free and 200 fly, and also ranking #5 all-time in the 200 free.
Douglass, on the other hand, is a two-time LC world champion in the 200 IM, won silver in the 100 breast at the 2025 World Championships, and ranks 8th all-time in the 50 fly, 15th in the 100 free and 21st in the 100 fly.
In the poll, although it was close, Douglass came out on top with 53% of voters picking her as the most versatile female swimmer in the world, with McIntosh trailing at 43.8%.
Of course, the question was framed around Douglass, and perhaps if it was asked differently, the results could’ve been a bit closer. When we’re looking at versatility, McIntosh has the argument that she’s the best swimmer in the world (by a lot) in the 400 IM, which some would consider makes her the most versatile swimmer, no questions asked.
At the end of the day, they’re just different swimmers. Douglass excels across the 50, 100 and 200-meter distances, while McIntosh ranges from 200 up to 800. Putting Douglass over the top in the poll was presumably the rarity of her abilities in the 50 free and 200 breast.
Australian Kaylee McKeown picked up a handful of votes (1.8%) in the poll, and given that she’s the best backstroker in the world and also ranks #3 all-time in the 400 IM and #4 in the 200 IM, it felt necessary to include her.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Which of the three world record swims we’ve seen in the last two weeks caught you off guard the most?
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
2:0165 summer great world record swim in 2fly tonight in Montreal Just continue to have fun. Stay in the moment Enjoy
Depends on what your definition of ‘versatile’ is. I’d go with McIntosh because she 3 events where shes the WR holder and another 2 where she’s the 2nd fastest ever. Douglass isn’t close to that.
Top end it’s McIntosh
Rankings all time
#1 200/400 IM, 400 Fr
#2 200 Fl, 800 Fr
Not sure her ranking but the 200 free is up there
If you factor in how events Douglass is top 5 in the world it’s probably her
50/100 Fr
100/200 Br
50/100 Fl
200 IM
“It’s hard to find a world-class 200 breaststroker who’s competitive in another single-stroke event, or even IM…”
Excuse me? What about World Record holder and 2004 Olympic Champion in the 200 breast Amanda Beard, who also took silver in the 200 IM?
Excepting Michael Phelps (who’s the exception to so many general rules), most great IMers are also great breaststrokers, in my experience.
So you had to go about 22 years to find another swimmer who was 200 breast stroker + something else – kinda proves the point no?
Love to see what Kate could do in 200 lcm free & 400 IM. Maybe she has?
According to Swimcloud, she hasn’t really swum it since high school, 2:01 in the 200 FR and 4:58 in the 400 UM Based more less on 100/200 free times of the established relay members on the US Nationalteam, I find it hard to expect that Kate Douglass to be more than 1:56 in the 200 FR and even with her weak backstroke, I cannot realisficslly call see anything lower than 4:50 in the 400 IM, mostly for the fact that Douglass doesn’t really train for that. McIntosh is notorious for slow reactions and less than stellar underwaters. That might change with Bowman. If Bob can fix that, she could be a force in sprints.
Do the ‘Murica and UVA… Read more »
“Much ado about nothing” Both are great.
Look at Paris, where both were oh so close in the 200im – call it even. Summer has the advantage in 400im and fly, and Kate has it in the sprint and breaststroke.
Since I view versatility as ‘mastering’ all 4 required strokes, I give Summer the edge. I give Kate the uniqueness factor.
Let’s see what Summer does tomorrow (Sunday) at CDN trials – first up, I believe, is the 200fly. And I read that Bob B will be in Montreal for that race.
“Much tdo about nuttin” is a great quote from a famous movie or book – Thanks for your shinky message.
The main problem in this poll is versatility seems to be defined by the number of different strokes a swimmer can swim at the very top level whereas from my point of view, to be able to swim the 100m free, 200m free, 400m free and 800m free at the very top level is versatility too !
By the way, let’s just appreciate the extraordinary talents of these two ladies !
It’s clearly McIntosh then Kate.
It’s clearly McIntosh in second.
Kate rules all pools.
GW is also amazing.
MP still the greatest swimmer of all time.
I forget who I voted for. I knew it would be a close tally. In a poll like this the winner will most often be the one who did something great most recently. Hence the edge to Douglass and why the result might have flopped if taken next week.