History of Kate Douglass in Timeline

American swimmer Kate Douglass is known for her versatility across multiple events. She won her first major international medal, a bronze in the 200m individual medley, at the 2020 Olympics. She continued her success with medals at the 2022 (3), 2023 (6, including 2 golds), and 2024 (5, including 2 golds) World Championships.

November 17, 2001: Birth of Kate Douglass

Katherine Cadwallader Douglass was born on November 17, 2001.

2014: Katinka Hosszú's World Record

In 2014, Katinka Hosszú set the world record in the women's 200m individual medley, a time that remained unbeaten as of Kate Douglass's performance at the 2022 Short Course World Championships.

November 2016: Record-Breaking Performance

As a high school sophomore in November 2016, Douglass broke Olympian Dara Torres' 34-year-old 13–14 national age group record in the 50-yard freestyle.

2016: U.S. Olympic Trials

A young Kate Douglass participated in the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials, competing in the 50 m freestyle, 100 m breaststroke, 200 m breaststroke, and 200 m individual medley. Although she didn't make the Olympic team, she gained valuable experience.

2017: World Junior Championships

Douglass represented the United States at the 2017 World Junior Championships, reaching the semifinals in the 50 m freestyle and earning a silver medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay.

2017: Move to Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club

In 2017, Douglass transitioned from the Westchester Aquatic Club to the Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club in Connecticut.

2018: Youth Olympic Games

Douglass participated in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, securing a seventh-place finish in the 50 m freestyle final.

October 2019: Breakthrough Performance at Dual Meet

Douglass showcased her versatility by achieving impressive times in the 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard breaststroke at a dual meet in October 2019.

November 2019: ACC Conference Record

Douglass set a new ACC conference record in the 200-yard individual medley in November 2019.

2019: U.S. National Championships

Douglass competed at the 2019 U.S. National Championships in July and August.

2019: Top Recruit Recognition

Douglass was named SwimSwam's #2 girls' recruit in their class of 2019 rankings due to her impressive times.

2019: Start of NCAA Career at University of Virginia

Kate Douglass began her NCAA swimming career with the University of Virginia, marking the beginning of her journey as a collegiate athlete in 2019.

2019: High School Graduation

Kate Douglass graduates from Pelham Memorial High School in 2019.

January 2020: Improvement in 200-Yard Breaststroke

In January 2020, Douglass further improved her best time in the 200-yard breaststroke.

November 2020: Tennessee Invitational and Record-Breaking Performance

At the Tennessee Invitational in November 2020, Douglass became the third-fastest performer of all time in the 200-yard individual medley and achieved the fastest-ever 50-yard butterfly split.

2020: 2020 Olympic Games

At the 2020 Olympic Games, Kate Douglass won a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley, finishing behind teammate Alex Walsh (silver) and Japan's Yui Ohashi (gold). Notably, she achieved the fastest times in both the preliminary and semifinal rounds.

2020: ACC Championship Success and Canceled NCAA Championships

Douglass had a successful 2020 ACC Championships, winning titles and setting records. However, the NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Olympic Debut and Bronze Medal

Kate Douglass won her first major international medal, a bronze, in the 200 m individual medley at the 2020 Olympic Games.

2020: Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi

The Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, where Kate Douglass won two gold and a bronze medal, were originally scheduled for 2020 but were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

February 2021: Top Ranking in 200-Yard Breaststroke

Douglass's impressive time in the 200-yard breaststroke during a February 2021 time trial placed her among the top performers in the event's history.

June 2021: 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials

In June 2021, Kate Douglass participated in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, competing in four events: the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, and 200m individual medley. She secured a spot on the Olympic team with a second-place finish in the 200m individual medley.

2021: NCAA Championship Success

At the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships, Douglass won one gold and six silver medals, contributing to the University of Virginia's team victory.

2021: 2021 Tennessee Invite

At the 2021 Tennessee Invite, Kate Douglass broke Sophie Hansson's ACC record in the 200-yard breaststroke, achieving a time of 2:03.58.

2021: First NCAA Title and Team Championship

Douglass secured her first individual NCAA title in the 50-yard freestyle at the 2021 NCAA Championships, contributing to the University of Virginia's first-ever team national championship.

2021: ACC Championships: Record, Upset, and Victories

Douglass's performance in the 2021 ACC Championships was a mix of record-breaking achievements, an unexpected upset, and individual victories.

2021: Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi

In 2021, Kate Douglass participated in the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, earning two gold medals in relay events and a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley.

2022: 2022 NCAA Championships

At the 2022 NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Kate Douglass had a historic performance, winning seven titles, including three individual events (50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 breaststroke), and becoming the first Division I collegiate swimmer to win NCAA titles in three different strokes.

2022: 2022 U.S. International Team Trials

At the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials, Kate Douglass qualified for the World Championships in Budapest in the 200m breaststroke and as part of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay team.

2022: Seven Gold Medals at NCAA Championships

Douglass achieved a remarkable feat by winning seven gold medals at the 2022 NCAA Championships.

2022: World Championship Success

Douglass earned three medals at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

2022: Post-NCAA Championships Recognition

Following her exceptional performance at the 2022 NCAA Championships, Kate Douglass received numerous accolades, including Swimmer of the Meet, NCAA Female Swimmer of the Year, and the Honda Sport Award for Swimming and Diving.

2022: 2022 Cavalier Invite

In February 2022, at the Cavalier Invite, Kate Douglass further improved her time in the 200-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 2:03.14, making her the second-fastest performer of all time in the event.

2022: 2022 Short Course World Championships

Kate Douglass achieved a significant milestone at the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne, winning her first individual global title in the 200m individual medley and setting a new Americas record.

2023: 2023 Cavalier Invitational

At the 2023 Cavalier Invitational, Kate Douglass further lowered the U.S. Open and American records in the 200-yard breaststroke to a time of 2:01.43, becoming the fastest ever in the event. However, this time was not recognized as an NCAA record as it was achieved during a time trial.

2023: 2023 U.S. National Championships

At the 2023 U.S. National Championships, Kate Douglass won gold medals in the 100 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley. She also secured a silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke and bronze medals in the 50 m freestyle and 100 m butterfly, setting personal bests in five events. Her outstanding performance led to her selection for the World Championship team.

2023: End of NCAA Career and Recognition

By the end of her NCAA career in 2023, Kate Douglass was recognized as one of the greatest swimmers in NCAA history.

2023: Verbal Commitment to University of Virginia

Douglass verbally committed to swimming for the University of Virginia's class of 2023 during her junior year of high school.

2023: Multiple Gold Medals at World Championships

Douglass won six medals, including two gold medals, at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.

2023: Post-NCAA Championships and Graduation

Kate Douglass concluded her collegiate swimming career with a historic performance at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Her achievements were widely recognized, and she graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in statistics.

2024: Pursuing Master's Degree and Research

After graduating, Kate Douglass continued her studies at the University of Virginia, pursuing a master's degree in statistics while researching data analytics in competitive swimming with Ken Ono. A profile in UVA Today in 2024 highlighted her achievements, referring to her as the "Fastest Mathematician In The Pool".

2024: 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials

At the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials in June, Kate Douglass participated in the 100 m freestyle, 200 m breaststroke, and 200 m individual medley. Demonstrating her exceptional skills, she clinched gold medals and secured her qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in all three events. Notably, Douglass broke the championship record in the 200 m breaststroke and set new U.S. Open and championship records in the 200 m individual medley.

2024: Continued Dominance at World Championships

Douglass secured five medals, with two being gold, at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.

2024: 2024 World Championships

In 2024, at the World Championships, Kate Douglass competed in six events, winning five medals. On February 12, she successfully defended her World Championship title in the 200 m individual medley, achieving a personal best time of 2:07.05. She then secured a gold medal in the mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay on February 14. On February 16, she attained fourth place in the 100 m freestyle and later won a silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke. On February 17, Douglass won bronze in the mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. She concluded her competition on February 18 by winning the silver medal in the 50 m freestyle, setting a new American record with a time of 23.91.