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Kate Douglass Becomes Third Fastest American Ever in 200 IM With 2:08.29

2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 5 Prelims Heat Sheet

Kate Douglass swam a personal best Saturday morning in Indianapolis in the women’s 200 IM as she swam a 2:08.29. That time makes her the third fastest American ever.

All-Time Top American Women’s 200 IM

  1. Ariana Kukors 2:06.15, 2009
  2. Alex Walsh 2:07.13, 2022
  3. Kate Douglass 2:08.29, 2023
  4. Kathleen Baker 2:08.32, 2018
  5. Regan Smith 2:08.48, 2023

Split Comparison:

Indy Olympics
Fly 27.15 27.43
Back 33.09 33.93
Breast 37.24 36.87
Free 30.81 30.81
2:08.29 2:09.04

The biggest difference today for Douglass was her front half. She had a huge improvement on her backstroke split as it was faster by 0.84 seconds.

Douglass broke the American Record in the SCY 200 IM this past spring at NCAAs. She swam a 1:48.37, breaking the 1:50 (and 1:49) barrier.

Notably, Douglass’ old best time won her a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Douglass will be the top seed heading into tonight’s final as she swam the fastest time in prelims by almost three seconds. She will be next to Virginia training partner Alex Walsh who finished just ahead of Douglass back in 2020 as Walsh won silver.

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Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Missing out on the W 100 FL seems to have been a blessing in disguise.

Ol' Longhorn
1 year ago

Walsh seems off (actually all year), KD will beat her by at least 2 seconds, but she’ll still make the team. She’ll likely be better at Worlds, but still not a 2:07.

jeff
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
1 year ago

based off just this meet? in long course, she swam a 200 breast PB and was 0.04 off her 200 free PB a month ago and in short course, she PBed in all 3 of her events again at NCAAs

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  jeff
1 year ago

Alex Walsh was off in the W 200 FR at the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships.

jeff
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

that’s why I said “based off just this meet?” because that one swim seems to be the only “off” performance she’s had so far, not that a quarter of a second slower than her best is really even that off for an event that she doesn’t focus on much

Yikes
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

She was off her time from last year by a few tenths

Viking Steve
1 year ago

K8 = Fire.

She will lay the hammer down more on breast and free tonight.

She is not holding anything back for worlds. She wants to beat Walsh.

snailSpace
1 year ago

I’ve predicted a 2:07 low earier today but after calculating her drop percentages in her 3 other events she could be going a 2:06.3. So that’s my new prediction.

Chris
1 year ago

Kate will do great things but unfortunately I don’t think she has enough for Summer. Podium without a doubt and possible American Record.

Chris
1 year ago

no WR but she’ll either match or just beat Alex W’s 207.1.

4 kick pullout
1 year ago

I wouldn’t be shocked to see a WR, but I’m gonna let sanity prevail and call a 2:06.9

gitech
1 year ago

Predicitions for 200 im?
I Will say 2.07 for douglass and walsh, 2.08 for Hayes and 2.09 for huske.
But I could see and would love Kate in 2.06🙏🏼

Last edited 1 year ago by gitech
Yikes
Reply to  gitech
1 year ago

I’m not sure Walsh and Hayes are on best time form, but I agree Kate runs away with it.

gitech
Reply to  Yikes
1 year ago

Yes, i predicted
Walsh: 2:07.8/2:08.30
Hayes: 2:08:80/2:09.50

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  gitech
1 year ago

For some reason, Alex Walsh seems a little off.

JVW
Reply to  gitech
1 year ago

Would love to see Leah Hayes make the team. It would be great for her to get that LC World Championship experience in advance of next year’s Olympics.

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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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