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WATCH: Kate Douglass Swims Fastest 50 Freestyle In History At NCAA Prelims

2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

University of Virginia junior Kate Douglass had a phenomenal start to her individual program at the 2022 Women’s NCAA Championships, blasting her way to the fastest swim of all-time in the 50 freestyle preliminaries.

Douglass put up a time of 20.87, breaking the previous NCAA, American and U.S. Open Record of 20.90, set by former University of California star Abbey Weitzeil in 2019. Read more on the record swim here.

Race videos courtesy of UVA Swimming on YouTube.

Race Video – Women’s 50 Free, Heat 9

Watch the race video below, as Douglass dominates the ninth and final heat over UNC’s Grace Countie (21.53) and NC State’s Katharine Berkoff (21.56).

Race Video – Women’s 50 Free, Heat 8

One heat earlier, UVA freshman Gretchen Walsh posted the second-fastest time of the session in 21.09.

Race Video – Women’s 50 Free, Heat 7

In the first circle-seeded heat, Alabama’s Cora Dupre (21.47) touched first from Lane 1 to qualify third into the final, while Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil (21.53) was second to advance into the final tied for fourth.

Race Video – Women’s 200 IM, Heat 10

In the women’s 200 IM, Virginia sophomore and defending champion Alex Walsh cruised to the top time in 1:53.00, leading Stanford freshman Torri Huske (1:54.05) by over a second.

Race Video – Women’s 200 IM, Heat 9

Watch Huske win the penultimate heat below, with Texas’ Kelly Pash (1:54.18) and UVA’s Ella Nelson (1:54.49) close behind.

Race Video – Women’s 200 IM, Heat 8

In the first circle-seeded heat, Louisville junior Abby Hay (1:54.33) touched first and advanced into the final in fourth, while Tennessee’s Ellen Walshe added over two and a half seconds to her time from SECs and finished 15th in 1:55.63.

Race Video – Women’s 500 Free, Heat 8

In the 500 free, Penn’s Lia Thomas qualified first in 4:33.82, while a trio of freshmen in Texas’ Erica Sullivan (4:36.79), UVA’s Emma Weyant (4:37.25) and Wisconsin’s Paige McKenna (4:37.36) advanced second, third and fourth.

Watch Thomas win Heat 8 and Sullivan and Weyant go 1-2 in Heat 7 below.

Race Video – Women’s 500 Free, Heat 7

For a full recap of the preliminary session on Thursday morning, click here.

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IU Kicker
2 years ago

Wow! I don’t know many who are that strong underwater in a 50 free!

HOO love
2 years ago

excited to see what the hoos do tonight!

Awsi Dooger
2 years ago

Douglass’ launch didn’t look as dominant here as in the relay, where it seemed to defy gravity

2Fat4Speed
2 years ago

That breakout off the turn for Douglas was awesome.

swimcoach29
2 years ago

Douglass is RAZOR thin to that 15 meter mark. She’s clean, but man that’s cutting it close!!!

I’m thinking she’s gonna be right on 20.0 if they have her anchor their 200 free relay tonight. Gonna be fun to watch!

Sir Swam-A-Lot
2 years ago

Oh, man…

(500 free)

Last edited 2 years ago by Sir Swam-A-Lot

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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