With two Olympic gold medals and 34 World Championship medals, Kate Douglass has already achieved what many swimmers never will. But does that mean she will retire soon? She used to think so. In 2023, the 24-year-old shared, “I see retirement in the near future.” Fast forward two years, and the picture looks very different.

Recently, Swim Updates revisited the topic after sharing remarks from her primary coach, Todd DeSorbo. DeSorbo, the head coach of the University of Virginia Swimming and Diving and her coach on the U.S. National Team, brushed off the retirement talk by saying, “She’s trolling.” Coming from someone who has coached the five-time Olympic medalist since 2019, the message was loud and clear.

“I don’t know when, but it’s coming. And I’m looking forward to it,” joked Douglass about retirement two years. But she herself later clarified, saying, “I always joke about retiring because I’m like, I can’t wait for retirement. But at the same time, I mean, I have no idea. I definitely wouldn’t retire after this summer.”

Still, doubts started to surface after she didn’t compete for over a year after the Paris Olympics.

Fans began asking questions online. Some wondered, “Where is Douglass… is she retired?” while others doubted whether she would perform at the same level again.

Those questions were also put to rest at the US Open in Austin. Because there, Douglass returned to the pool for her first 200 IM since the Paris 2024 Olympics and won with a time of 2:07.85.

That swim set a US Open championship record and ranked as her seventh fastest performance ever in the event. Kate Douglass later shared that stepping away from the sport after Paris was intentional and a break that she truly needed.

So, yes, retirement may still be a running joke, but her latest performance makes one thing clear. Kate Douglass is not done yet, and if retirement does come, it won’t be anytime before 2028.

What’s next for Kate Douglass?

From a Tokyo 2020 bronze in the 200 IM to Olympic gold in the 200 breaststroke in Paris, Kate Douglass’ has been moving from strength to strength. So, what’s next, and will she still be there when the Olympics come to Los Angeles in 2028?

After Paris, Douglass was refreshingly honest about where her head was at. “Last year I had to make a lot of sacrifices to be fully committed to the goal of doing well in Paris,” she said. “But I don’t want to make sacrifices forever for the next four years…Yes I can go a few more years but I just cant be locked in all the time. That’s not how I saw my life going.”

Training flat-out for another four-year Olympic cycle can suck the life out of anyone, Douglass understands. Rather than constantly driving herself to her limit, she is living a somewhat balanced lifestyle. Kate Douglass does want to compete a little more, but she also wants to have a life outside of swimming too. So is LA 2028 the finish line? Maybe.

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Douglass has hinted as much, saying, “That’s probably where I will end my swimming career,” before laughing and adding, “Who the hell knows! But yeah, that’s kind of in the distant future.” It is not a firm goodbye, but with Douglass anything can happen. What feels clear right now is this. Retirement is not coming before LA.

Kate Douglass is in the water; she is still motivated, only that she is moving at a speed that she feels comfortable with. She is now back in her home in Charlottesville, Virginia, working out, exploring the city, and finding the best cappuccino and warm pain au chocolat. LA 2028 is on her radar, and she is currently very much in the game.