Kate Douglass added to her impressive recent run by swimming the third-fastest 200m breaststroke in American history on Saturday.
Douglass clocked 2 minutes, 19.89 seconds on the final day of the last Tyr Pro Series meet before June’s Olympic Trials, where the top two in most events make the team for Paris.
Douglass won in San Antonio on Saturday by a massive 4.67 seconds over a field that included the second- and third-fastest Americans this year (Lilly King and Ella Nelson).
The only faster times in American history: Douglass’ American record (2:19.30 from January) and Rebecca Soni’s old American record (2:19.59).
SWIMMING: Full Results
Douglass, 22, is the world’s second-fastest 200m breaststroker this year behind Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Tatjana Smith (neé Schoenmaker) of South Africa, who earlier this week clocked the world’s third-fastest time ever (2:19.01).
In the last 13 months, Douglass won two world titles in the 200m individual medley, 11 world championships medals (in two meets), seven titles at the 2023 NCAA Championships (including relays) to close her University of Virginia career and broke American records in the 50m freestyle and 200m breast.
Also Saturday, Katie Ledecky won the 800m free comfortably in 8:12.95, the world’s second-fastest time this year behind 17-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, who in February became the first swimmer to beat Ledecky in the event since 2010.
McIntosh might forego the 800m free at the Olympics to swim the 200m IM. The two events are in the same finals session in Paris.
Regan Smith took the 100m backstroke in 57.74 seconds, distancing Katharine Berkoff by 1.03 seconds. Smith is the world’s second-fastest woman this year and second-fastest woman in history, behind Australian Kaylee McKeown on both lists.
Torri Huske swam a personal-best 2:08.47 to win the 200m IM over Olympic silver medalist Alex Walsh (2:08.60). Douglass and Walsh, former University of Virginia teammates who went one-two at last July’s worlds, remain the two fastest Americans this year.
In the men’s 200m IM, Chase Kalisz held off Carson Foster -- 1:57.51 to 1:58.31 -- in a duel between the two fastest Americans this year.
Matt Fallon swam the best 200m breast by an American man this year (2:08.18) to defeat Frenchman Léon Marchand (2:08.40). Fallon earned bronze at last July’s worlds.
Though there are no more Pro Series meets before trials, many swimmers are expected to compete in the May 15-18 USA Swimming Club Excellence Challenge Series with meets in Atlanta, Texas and California that week.
