WATCH: Kate Douglass Drops 51.7 Fly, 21.6 Free in Ithaca

2019 SPEEDO SECTIONALS ITHACA

UVA commit Kate Douglass had a big weekend at the 2019 Speedo Sectionals in Ithaca, hitting several best times. Among her top swims were her performances in the 100 fly and 50 free — in the 50 free, she shot up to #3 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

100 FLY

Douglass, who in prelims shaved .09 from her best time in the 100 fly with a 51.86, skirted past that in finals. She won the race easily, going out in 23.96 and finishing up with a 27.78 back half to clock a 51.74. 16-year-old Vanessa Chong of Laguardia Aquatic Club finished in 2nd with a 53.52, a 1.13-second drop from prelims.

Douglass is in lane 5 (fifth from the top)

50 FREE

Douglass followed that up with a new best time in the 50 free at 21.67. She was 21.73 in prelims, a significant drop from her best coming in of 21.89, and her time in finals moves her to #3 all-time in the 17-18 age group, behind only Olympians Simone Manuel and Abbey Weitzeil.

For some recent context for Douglass’s swim, she would’ve placed 8th at the NCAA Women’s Championships.

U.S. 17-18 ALL TIME TOP PERFORMERS – 50 FREE

  1. Simone Manuel – 21.32 (2015)
  2. Abbey Weitzeil – 21.49 (2014)
  3. Kate Douglass – 21.67 (2019)
  4. Grace Ariola – 21.73 (2018)
  5. Maddie Murphy – 21.76 (2017)

Douglass is in lane 5 (fifth from the top)

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ERVINFORTHEWIN
5 years ago

Amazing talent !! No doubt about that . Raw speed , great stroke technique , power & endurance .

Tiger fan
5 years ago

What a shame shes going to UVA

Greg
Reply to  Tiger fan
5 years ago

Yeah such a shame she’s going to one of the best schools in the country And one of the best swim programs in the country, competing for team titles.

Show a little class, Tiger Fan.

WahooWa83
Reply to  Tiger fan
5 years ago

Tiger Fan…… your jealousy is deafening and doesn’t become you!! UVA is a great institution with a Top 6 (and quickly rising) women’s program and an incredible university. The coaching staff and support from the swimming family is outstanding…..

DravenOP
Reply to  Tiger fan
5 years ago

Better than any university with a “Tiger” as their mascot.

ACC Fan
Reply to  Tiger fan
5 years ago

Invoking a Tiger only makes me think of a program on the rise that is destined to compete for a national title. The academics combined with young dynamic coaches will only continue to impress and distress their competition!

Swim Theorist
5 years ago

Kate’s other swims were also astounding: 100 Free 47.98Y as leadoff is top 0.02% of 17 year old girls, 200 IM 1:56.29Y is top 0.03%, and 200 Free 1:45.16Y as leadoff is top 0.04%.

SwimCoachDad
Reply to  Swim Theorist
5 years ago

Very true. She was impressive in everything she swam really. She swam the 200 IM in prelims only so it would have been fun to see how she swam in finals.

Hswimmer
5 years ago

Dang

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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