Olympic breaststroke champion Douglass stuns with 50m freestyle world record

American swimmer Kate Douglass achieved a stunning upset at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis, shattering the women's 50-meter freestyle world record with a time of 23.59 seconds. The Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter breaststroke expressed her disbelief at the unexpected performance.

"I never expected to break the 50 free world record, I never thought I would in my life," Douglass stated. She had previously shared the American record of 23.91 seconds with her teammate Gretchen Walsh. In a dramatic finish, Douglass surged in the final 15 meters to overtake Walsh, her face reflecting pure astonishment as she saw her record-breaking time.

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I never expected to break the 50 free world record, I never thought I would in my life.

Douglass, 24, who also won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay, had initially aimed only for a personal best and a national record. "Tonight's time was much faster than I expected," she admitted. Walsh finished second with 23.78 seconds and congratulated Douglass after the race.

The previous world record of 23.61 seconds was set by Sweden's Sarah Sjöström at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka. Douglass's new record shaved 0.02 seconds off Sjöström's mark, showcasing her versatility across different swimming strokes.

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Tonight's time was much faster than I expected.