Kate Douglass breaks 50m freestyle world record twice in one day

American swimmer Kate Douglass set two world records in the women’s 50-meter freestyle in a single day during the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California. During the preliminary heats, Douglass clocked 23.49 seconds, reclaiming the record from teammate Gretchen Walsh, who had previously set a mark of 23.55 seconds in June.

Douglass improved her own performance in the evening final, winning gold with a time of 23.19 seconds. This time shaved 0.30 seconds off her morning mark and significantly lowered the previous world record. Gretchen Walsh finished second in 23.74 seconds, while Australia’s Meg Harris took the bronze with a time of 23.89 seconds.

The event featured top competitors from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and China. In addition to her freestyle success, Douglass also secured a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke during the same competition.