Kate Douglass breaks American record in 200m breaststroke
Kate Douglass broke a 12-year-old American record in the 200m breaststroke on the last day of a Tyr Pro Series top in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday night.
Douglass, arguably the world’s most versatile swimmer, clocked 2 minutes, 19.30 seconds. That bettered Rebecca Soni's previous record of 2:19.59 in repeating as Olympic champion in 2012.
The 22-year-old Douglass took 1.92 seconds off her personal best and moved from No. 15 to to No. 4 on the all-time fastest performer list, moving past Americans Annie Lazor, Lilly King and Soni.
Russian Yevgeniya Chikunova lowered the world record to 2:17.55 last April 21.
SWIMMING: Full Results
At last July's world championships, Douglass won the 200m individual medley, took silver in the 200m breast and was fourth in the 100m freestyle.
Also Saturday, Katie Ledecky won the 800m free in 8:14.97, adding to her total of the 50-plus fastest times in American history since she broke Janet Evans' previous American record in her Olympic debut in 2012 at age 15.
The Tyr Pro Series resumes March 6-9 in Westmont, Illinois.
