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American Record Holder Kate Douglass No-Shows 50 Free Prelims

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

WOMEN’S 50 FREE — PRELIMS 

Despite saying in February 2024 that she wouldn’t swim the 50 free at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, Kate Douglass was still entered in the event up until Saturday morning. However, she did not race preliminary heats of the event, getting labeled as a “DNS” (did not swim) on the scoreboard.

As the American record holder and the second woman in United States history to break 24 seconds, Douglass would have been the favorite to win the 50 free at trials had she swam it. However, the 50 free semi-finals falls right before the 200 IM, the event where she is a two-time reigning world champion in.

Headed into finals, Douglass is the top seed in the 200 IM with a time of 2:08.53. She is already qualified for the Paris Olympic team by virtue of winning the 100 free and 200 breast earlier in the meet.

Without Douglass, the top seed in the 50 free from prelims is Torri Huske, who went 24.47. Ironically, she scratched the final of the 200 IM in order to focus on the 50 free — the opposite of what Douglass did.

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31bimmer
4 months ago

Can she still be a part of the 200 Free relay Olympics team?

Aragon Son of Arathorne
4 months ago

she’s ready to go under 2:07 in the 2IM

M C
4 months ago

Who are the wizards who put the meet schedule together? They lengthen the meet out but still schedule the 50 free and 200 IM right next to each other? Knowing that Douglas would be in the mix for gold in both?

That guy
Reply to  M C
4 months ago

They’re not going to change a meet schedule for those few swimmers that have that conflicting double

Swimfan27
Reply to  M C
4 months ago

It’s a pretty rare double. Douglass is a uniquely versatile swimmer so they can’t change around the schedule just for her

Last edited 4 months ago by Swimfan27
Sub13
Reply to  M C
4 months ago

Trials is following the actual Olympic schedule. The Olympics aren’t going to change their schedule just to benefit one swimmer who isn’t coached by Bob Bowman

Summer Swim Fan
Reply to  Sub13
4 months ago

Nice one!

Dawg Talk
4 months ago

Torri scratching the IM gives us another look at one of the futures of the event in Lilla Bognar tonight. Perhaps we’ll see another one in the 50 tomorrow because of Kate’s not being entered. Just think what a second or third swim would mean to a younger athlete like Rylee Erisman.

1500m Free Semifinals
Reply to  Dawg Talk
4 months ago

Does the 200 IM potentially conflict with the 4 x 100 Mixed Medley Relay in Paris? With the USA finally realizing that some attempt at MMFF relay order would be most logical, it’s possible Huske realizes relay duty, at least in prelims, may be on the docket (with likely medal prospects) and she decided to reduce the event conflicts there.

Kudzai Makova
Reply to  1500m Free Semifinals
4 months ago

MMFF for mixed medley isn’t the most efficient, rather FMMF.
Backstroke and freestyle should have women while the complex breast and fly tackled by the guys

Eagleswim
Reply to  Kudzai Makova
4 months ago

Back and fly don’t matter but you really need a guy on breast and a gal on free

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Eagleswim
4 months ago

Nic Fink better eat his Wheaties.

oxyswim
4 months ago

Kate knew she wasn’t swimming this way back in February. Glad they still couldn’t scratch.

Load em
Reply to  oxyswim
4 months ago

She may have scratched … hard copy heat sheets weren’t being reprinted and resold throughout a massive football stadium upon a scratch and re-seed though. This goes for anyone who scratched an event the entire meet — no way they were re-printing heat sheets. Sorry, get over Foster’s back everyone; he’s going to Paris!

Masters swammer
4 months ago

Hoping Catie Deloof can come up with something special. Losing out by hundreds in a swim-off has to be heartbreaking, but I am glad she bounced back and had a good prelims swim in the 50.

M C
Reply to  Masters swammer
4 months ago

Yes! Go Catie!

Beginner Swimmer at 25
4 months ago

hiding from that Sjostrom smoke 💨

Breezeway
4 months ago

Come on Yanyan, Simone was the former AR with 23.97. Sprinting didn’t start with UVA

Yanyan Li
Reply to  Breezeway
4 months ago

Sorry, fixed 🙃 I remembered her 2019 worlds time and mixed it up with the AR.

Last edited 4 months ago by Yanyan Li
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Yanyan Li
4 months ago

2017 Worlds Aquatics Championships
W 50 FR
Sjostrom – 23.69
Kromowidjojo – 23.85
Manuel – 23.97

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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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