In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges, Garrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
At the 2024 World Championships in Doha, Kate Douglass swam a 23.91 50 free, good for silver behind world record holder Sarah Sjostrom. That broke the previous American record held by Simone Manuel.
Douglass explains that getting through Sarah Sjostrom to reach the top of the podium is an obstacle that many have tried and few have succeeded. She has been training for the 200 IM and she is the reigning world champion in it, so she feels more confident in focusing on that event.
The 200 IM is on Day 7/8 at the Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games, while the 50 free is Day 8/9. The 50 free semi-final is directly before the 200 IM final on Day 8.
- 0:00 Kate Douglass Introduction
- 1:03 Managing School While at World Champs
- 2:37 Gretchen Walsh 19.9 Split & 20.5 50 Free
- 3:49 100 Free/200 Breast Double
- 7:10 Managing Time Difference/Travel
- 8:39 200 IM
- 9:39 50 Free
- 11:00 Olympic Trials Schedule
- 14:30 Mixed Relays
- 16:24 Takeaways
SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Google
- Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher
- Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora
Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
Good candid interview from her. I feel like she doesn’t disclose a lot in interviews but she was very open despite clearly being sick here.
While the 200IM makes more sense, couldn’t she have had some fun with YanYan by saying she might consider the 50 free instead?
I think the seed is planted for 2028 LA if Sarah is retired
Yup!
No inside knowledge other than what she has said publically but it seems Kate will likely be retired by then too.
Throwaway interview with swimswam in November 2023 asked her about retirement, she said she could see it in the near future.
The grind is tough and there’s not a lot of money in the sport, she wouldn’t be the first well educated swimmer to dip out after taking her shot at Olympic glory.
Enter Andrew Wilson and Seliskar
But counterpoint, enter Nic Fink
Not nearly as accomplished as KD. Different opportunities.
I think she’ll step away for the better part of a year, but will then miss it and feel the pull of LA. She’ll be back….
she is retiring after pareee
Even though it’s “just a 50,” it means having a morning swim then a semi right before going up against Alex, Kayleigh, Summer, and Yui. I’d want the morning off and no semi myself, especially on day 8 of the meet.
And I completely forgot about Regan at trials. There’s a very real risk of coming in 3rd if she’s not 100% on point.
Not just Regan, Huske and Hayes are no joke either. She’s making the right decision.
Abbey and Gretchen would beat her anyways. I’m serious.
Gretchen can. Abbey, I don’t think so.
I think it all depends on the number of events she’s interested in doing. 3 rounds of a 50 free at the Games is a lot less taxing. Conceivably she could be interested in the 1fr, 2br, 1fly plus any number of relays.
The only events that day at Trials are the 50 free and 1500. Why not give it a shot?
Because the 50 free semi final is directly before the 200 IM final on Day 8
Because on day 8 of trials and Olympics she would have to do the prelim & semi of the 50, with the semi immediately before the 200IM final. I think she knows she’ll need to be fresh, especially that late in the meet, to have her best shot in the IM. Trials would likely go her way, but in Paris the time that won in Tokyo will almost certainly be out of the medals.
Yeah I suppose she doesn’t have much choice. It’s a pity though that 23.91 at Doha was really impressive.
In addition to the individual event conflicts, at the Olympics the day ends with the 4×100 mixed medley relay, which Douglass may be racing as well.
Bruh