MELBOURNE – Senior Kate Douglass and junior Alex Walsh both won gold with Team USA’s 4×50-meter mixed medley relay at the 2022 FINA World Championships (25m) in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Douglass swam the butterfly leg during prelims and finals, setting a world record of 1:35.15 with the relay team to win gold in finals. Douglass swam a split of 24.09, marking one of the fastest 50-meter butterfly splits in history and sits just behind the fastest ever from Sarah Sjostrom (23.96) set in 2021.
It is the first time a Virginia women’s swimmer has been part of a World Record and only the second time in program history. Ed Moses set a short course world record in the 100-meter breaststroke in 2002.
It is the second gold medal of the short course worlds for Douglass, who won individual gold in the 200-meter individual medley. She also won silver with the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
Walsh picked up her first gold medal of the 2022 Worlds with her swim on the anchor leg of the 4×50-meter mixed medley relay in prelims that put Team USA as the top qualifier for finals. Walsh added a bronze medal and an American Record to her resume, swimming the leadoff leg of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.