The 2024 Paris Olympics are inching closer and the sporting community is waiting with bated breath to witness some thrilling action. Along with others, the country’s top swimmers are eyeing the team trials in June to secure their spot in Team USA. The University of Virginia’s very own Olympic medalist Kate Douglass is also en route to the big stage and will be making some waves in Europe later this year.

Earlier this year at the Doha World Championships, Kate highlighted her determination to clinch an Olympic podium finish with a total of four medals (two gold, two silver). However, today marks the first anniversary of the feat that throttled Douglass to the national headlines. As the world gears up for phenomenal displays of skill at the Olympics, let’s take a moment to re-live the achievement that established Kate as one of the country’s elite swimmers.

Olympic medalist’s day of reckoning

A post on X (formerly called Twitter) by swimming journalist Yanyan Li has bumped the 2023 World Championships gold medalist Kate’s crowning achievement. “One year ago, Kate Douglass completed one of the most impressive swims in NCAA history“, reads the caption of the post, highlighting the high pedestal on which Douglass resides. The accompanying video clip shows the final lap of the 200y IM final race at the 2023 NCAA Championships.

Douglass’ challenges were tremendous, going against the 2022 world champion Torri Huske. However, Kate maintained a significant lead throughout the race, ultimately winning by a landslide. Her 1:48.37 finish etched her name in the history book as it smashed the previous NCAA, and US Open, records in the 200y IM. “Nothing will beat the pure shock value from seeing 1:48.3 on the clock and realizing, “yeah, she actually went that time”, mentions the post to elaborate on the staggering feat that Kate achieved on the day.

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While the last few years have been incredibly successful for Douglass, the upcoming team trials will present her with the opportunity to begin her journey for the maiden Olympic gold. And she looks to be more than up for the task!

Douglass running on a high horse

At the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville, Tennessee in January, Douglass kicked off the Olympic year in style by winning the gold in the 100m freestyle event. The win came as a culmination of a staggering seven gold medal-hauling run in the 2023 NCAA Championships, once again underscoring just how much steam the Virginia swimmer has in her engines. That was not the end of it.

Read more: ‘Extremely Painful’: Kate Douglass Reveals Unheard Side of World Aquatics Doha Championship Performance

Furthermore, only minutes after her win in the 100m free, Douglass once again showed her mettle by registering her personal best in the 100m breaststroke.”100m breast was a best time“, noted Kate after her swim, claiming the 100m free was just a good warm-up. Now, it waits to be seen if she can replicate her sensational NCAA record once again at the Olympic Team Trials to secure her berth in Paris.