American superstar Kate Douglass was one of the top performers at last week’s Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont, winning four races and setting three world-leading times.
In the final women’s race of the meet on Saturday, Douglass took on a loaded field in the 50 freestyle and pulled out the victory despite it being her 10th swim of the competition.
Going head-to-head with the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the event, Australian Meg Harris, two-time World Championship 50 free medalist Kasia Wasick, and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Simone Manuel, Douglass had a strong start and maintained her slim lead down the stretch to touch first by the smallest margin possible in the sport.
Douglass posted a time of 24.62, edging out Harris (24.63) by one one-hundredth of a second with Wasick (24.79) and Manuel (24.79) close behind.
RACE VIDEO
Courtesy: USA Swimming on YouTube
The performance ranks Douglass #1 in the world for the 2024-25 season, with Harris moving to #2, Wasick to #4 and Manuel to #6.
2024-2025 LCM Women 50 Free
Qingfeng
24.44
| 2 | Cheng Yujie | CHN | 24.47 | 03/20 |
| 3 | Milou van Wijk | NED | 24.48 | 03/14 |
| 4 | Florine GASPARD | BEL | 24.53 | 03/14 |
| 5 | Kate Douglass | USA | 24.62 | 03/08 |
| 6 | Meg Harris | AUS | 24.63 | 03/08 |
The competition marked the first time that Douglass had raced the 50 free in long course meters in more than 12 months, with her last appearance coming at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, where she won the silver medal and broke the American Record in a time of 23.91. Manuel held the previous national mark of 23.97 from 2017.
In Westmont, Douglass also won the 100 breast (1:06.51), 200 breast (2:22.60) and 50 fly (25.71), moving into #1 in the world in the two latter events and #2 in the 100 breast.
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