At just 23 years old, it might be easier naming medals Kate Douglass hasn’t won than those she has. First earning a bronze at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Douglass took home an incredible seven gold medals at both the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Championships, five golds and two silvers at the 2022 Short Course World Championships, and two golds each at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, finally becoming a gold medalist in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Since then, she has twice shattered the world record in the 200-meter breaststroke. We caught up with the two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Swimmer of the Year to find out details on how she got her start, her rise to the top, and what she does when she’s not in the pool.
How did you start swimming?
My parents put me in swim classes because that’s what all their friends were doing with their kids, who then became my friends. So, it was a big social thing. As I got older, I struggled with a love/hate relationship with swimming, as I think a lot of swimmers do. But I was just addicted, and I loved competing and obviously winning. But I think anyone who has swam their whole life understands that it’s a grind and it’s not always fun. Most of my practices are about pushing my body the entire time until I feel like I have nothing left to give. There are hard days in practice where I wonder why I do this to myself, but then I wake up the next morning and do it again.
Talk to us about how growing up in Westchester shaped you.
I loved swimming at Westchester Aquatic Club [in New Rochelle]. I ultimately ended up leaving the club during my sophomore year of high school and switching to a different team, honestly, because a lot of my friends had quit the sport…but I feel Westchester Aquatic Club was a great builder program for younger swimmers.
What would you tell girls hoping to follow in your footsteps?
I was always afraid to set goals because I didn’t want to disappoint myself, and then I would end up surprising myself. Being able to set high goals is huge for training and for performance. Also, something that honestly took my entire swimming career to learn, was how to love being uncomfortable in practice. When I was younger, I hated swimming because every day I would go to practice and when it got hard, I was like, ‘I hate this, and I don’t want to keep trying. My body hurts and my muscles are sore.’ But I’ve learned that when your body is sore and your muscles are sore, that’s when you get better.
So what do you do when you’re out of the pool?
Swimming takes up most of my time right now. Otherwise, I’m hanging out with my friends. A lot of them still live in Charlottesville, Virginia [where Douglass currently trains], which is awesome, or they live in DC, which is super close. I also live alone and love my own company and just being in my apartment by myself, cooking dinner and watching TV. I like to bake cookies and recently attempted making pasta. I watch a lot of shows, but my comfort show is probably The Office.
And, obviously, I love traveling home. My parents still live in Pelham and my brother is a sophomore at Pelham High School. I always make it home for the holidays and during time off in the summer. I sometimes come home for a quick weekend trip during the year, but I wish I got to spend more time there.
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