06/20/2026
Kate Douglass breaks world record in 50m freestyle
American star Kate Douglass shattered the women’s 50m freestyle world record with a blistering 23.59 seconds at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis on Friday night. The 24-year-old from Pelham, New York, and University of Virginia alumna edged out Swedish legend Sarah Sjöström’s previous mark of 23.61 set in 2023 by two-hundredths of a second. A five-time Olympic medallist and 2024 Paris 200m breaststroke champion, Douglass became the first American woman to hold the record in swimming’s fastest event in 40 years. Teammate Gretchen Walsh placed second in 23.78 as the Indiana University Natatorium erupted in celebration. Douglass admitted she was still in shock after the stunning performance.