The energy is cutting through the roof at the Lucas Oil Stadium, where the US Olympic Swimming Trials are underway. With a record-breaking 20,689 attendance on day one, one can only judge how excited fans are to watch their favorites pierce through the waters. However, recent news that is incoming from Indianapolis is indicating a huge setback for the fans. On day 2 of the trials, Kate Douglass has chosen to opt out of the 100m breaststroke prelims.

As per the recent X post by Virginia Swimming and Dive, the Tokyo Olympic bronze winner has scratched out of the category. The University of Virginia swimmer was slated to appear at 5 events at the team trials, including the 100m breaststroke. Just a few days back, Douglass had recorded a 1:06.36 timing at the NCAP Elite Qualifier in the same division. However, this last-minute withdrawal is surely something that the swimming buffs did not anticipate.

Kate Douglass is one of the most promising swimmers to onboard Team USA’s contingent for the Paris Olympics. She is a multi-event swimmer, with her expertise ranging across categories- from freestyle, to breastroke, IM, and butterfly. Consequently, at the US Olympic Team Trials, her wide participation list promised that she would show up to compete on 6 days. And it seemed that the ambitious 22-year was looking forward to such a hectic schedule.

As per Olympics.com, Douglass had remarked that her versatile involvement helps her to “switch up training a lot.” It also makes her feel nice by giving her “different things to look forward to” at her practice sessions. Moreover, she even claimed that the challenge of switching her mindset for different races throughout a meet is something she would finds fun. “It’s definitely a unique thing and not something that everyone understands,” she admitted to donning her multi-discipline cap.

And indeed, Douglass’ recent records show how this x-factor has worked for her. While 200m breastroke is the category where Douglass stands a high chance to bag gold at the Olympics this year, her recent feats cater to multifold categories.

Kate Douglass: a diverse swimming luminary

Starting the Olympic year with a bang, Douglass shone at the 2024 TRY Pro Swim Series. Registering 2 minutes and 19.30 seconds in the 200m breastroke event, she capped Rebacca Soni’s 2012 timing to revise the American Record. Moreover, she stood unbeaten in the 100m freestyle, bagging a gold for herself.

Keeping up the intensity at the Doha World Championships, she again had a multi-medal haul. She started with a gold in 200 individual medley and went on to bag silver in 200m breastroke. She racked up another silver in 50m freestyle with a 23.91 finish, while Sarah Sjostrom held onto the gold. However, Kate did set the new American record with this timing, surpassing Simone Manuel.

Therefore, with the 22-year-old scratching out of the 100m breastroke prelims, not all is lost. The divisions where she reigns an elite record holder are lined up ahead at the Trials. And hopefully, fans get to breathe a sigh of relief with another one of her Douglass-special performances.