Kate Douglass sets 50-meter freestyle world record at Pan Pacific Championships

Kate Douglass shattered the women's 50-meter freestyle world record during the preliminary heats of the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California. The 24-year-old swimmer clocked in at 23.49 seconds, shaving 0.06 seconds off the previous record of 23.55 set by her teammate Gretchen Walsh in Rome earlier this year.

This marks the second time Douglass has set the world record in the sprint freestyle event in 2026. She initially broke the mark on June 19 at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet in Indianapolis with a time of 23.59, only for Walsh to lower it nine days later. Douglass, a decorated five-time Olympic medalist, also earned a silver medal in the 50 free at the 2024 World Championships but did not compete in the event at the Paris Games.

Walsh qualified second for the evening final, swimming in the heat after Douglass with a time of 23.78 seconds. This achievement represents the first individual world record set at the championships, which feature swimmers from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and China, among other nations. The competition concludes on the final day in Irvine.

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Kate Douglass set the World Record for the Women's 50m Freestyle with a time of 23.49 at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.