American swimmer Kate Douglass has set a new women's 50-meter freestyle world record. Competing Friday at the U.S. Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis, the 24-year-old clocked 23.59 seconds.
This performance eclipses the 23.61 mark established by Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka. Douglass, who secured gold in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2024 Paris Olympics, expressed visible shock following the race.
She stated she had originally aimed only for a personal best and an American record. The historic swim places her ahead of teammate Gretchen Walsh, who touched the wall at 23.78 seconds. Both athletes previously shared the U.S. record of 23.91.