Kate Douglass Races First Long Course 200 IM Since Olympics at Atlanta Classic
After winning Olympic bronze in the 200 IM in 2021, Kate Douglass did not race the event at all in 2022, skipping her chance to aim for a spot on the World Championships team last April. But after winning a short course world title in the event and clobbering the fastest time ever in the 200-yard IM at the NCAA Championships, Douglass looks ready to return to the long course medley with a vengeance.
With four victories already secured at the Atlanta Classic, including wins in the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly Friday evening before strong times in the 50 freestyle and 200 breast Saturday, Douglass clocked the top qualifying effort in the 200 IM prelims at 2:12.46. Her best time in the event is the 2:09.04 from Tokyo. Florida-trained Isabel Ivey was more than two seconds behind in prelims (2:14.75).
Douglass will also race in the 100 free final after swimming a time of 55.79 for the third seed. Maxine Parker, Douglass’ teammate at Virginia, led the way in 54.96, while Gator Swim Club’s Natalie Hinds took second in 55.20.
The men’s 100 free will feature plenty of big names, most of whom train at the University of Florida. Macguire McDuff led the way in 49.29, with teammates Kieran Smith (49.75) and Josh Liendo (49.88) just behind him. Zane Grothe finished fourth in 50.01, and Caeleb Dressel swam a time of 50.29 for the fifth seed. Dressel is the American-record holder in this race at 46.96, and he is the Olympic gold medalist from 2021.
Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller posted a time of 2:11.26 to top qualifying in the women’s 200 backstroke, with the versatile Summer McIntosh claiming second (2:13.46). There was a tie for first in the men’s 200 back between Jack Aikins and Sam Powe, with both clocking 2:01.29, and Georgia’s Zach Hils went 2:02.65 for the top spot in the men’s 200 IM.