Kate Douglass Breaks 100 Free American Record on Day 3 of Pan PacsKate Douglass Breaks 100 Free American Record on Day 3 of Pan Pacs

Kate Douglass Breaks 100 Free American Record on Day 3 of Pan Pacs

Kate Douglass broke the 100m Free American record while helping to set another American record in the 4x100 Free Relay on Friday at the Pan Pacific Championships

IRVINE, Calif.  – Virginia women's swimming alumnae Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh combined to help Team USA set an American record in the 4x100m Free Relay on the third night of the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships, being held August 12-16 at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, Calif.

Douglass also set the 100m Free American record with her leadoff leg time of 51.69, a mark that was .01 shy of the world record. Walsh swam the second leg, splitting 52.23.

This was the second relay gold and relay record set by Walsh and Douglass at the meet. The two combined to help set a world record in the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay on Wednesday night (Aug. 12). Walsh swam the butterfly leg of the relay (54.99) with Douglass anchoring, splitting 51.01 on the freestyle to touch the wall in world record time of 3:36.70. Walsh helped set the previous record of 3:37.43 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Douglass' mark in the 100m Free broke the American record set by fellow Cavalier Anna Moesch (51.88) in that same pool two weeks earlier at the US National Championships.

Walsh also won gold in the 100m Fly (55.15) on Friday night. She won gold in the 50m Fly (24.65) on Wednesday night, with Douglass taking silver (25.06).

Walsh earned silver in the 100m Free (52.78) on Thursday night. Douglass did not compete in the event.

Three other Cavaliers have won medals at the meet. Claire Curzan took silver in the 200m Back (2:06.44). Tess Howley took bronze in the 200m Fly (2:07.43), and Jack Aikins earned bronze in the 100m Back (53.46).

Ten Virginia swimmers are representing Team USA at the championships.

Prelims are at 1 pm ET each day, with the finals session starting at 10 p.m. ET.

All sessions will stream on USA Swimming's YouTube Channel. Finals will stream on Peacock.

 

Friday, August 14 Recap

  • Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass won gold in the 4x100m Free Relay, setting the American record with a time of 3:29.32. Douglass also broke the 100m Free American record with her split of 51.69 on the lead leg
  • Gretchen Walsh won gold in the 100m Fly (55.15)
  • Claire Curzan picked up her first medal of the championship, taking silver in the 200m Back (2:06.44)
  • Thomas Heilman won the B Final of the 100m Fly, breaking his own program record with a time of 51.20
  • Emma Weber won the B Final of the 50m Breast (30.97)
  • Jack Aikins won the B Final of the 200m Back (1:57.47)

Thursday, August 13 Recap

Wednesday, August 12 Recap

  • Gretchen Walsh won the first gold medal of the meet, winning the 50m Fly (24.65). Her time is a Championship record
  • Kate Douglass won silver (25.06) in the 50m Fly behind Walsh. Douglass posted a 24.99 in prelims of the event, making her the third woman ever to swim the 50m Fly in under 25 seconds
  • Tess Howley won bronze in the 200m Fly (2:07.43)
  • Jack Aikins took the bronze in the 100m Back (53.46)
  • Claire Curzan won the B Final of the 100m Back (58.24). She set the UVA program record in prelims with a time of 58.21
  • Thomas Heilman won the B Final of the 200m Fly (1:55.57)

Monday, August 10 Recap

Friday, August 14: 400 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, 200 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, 400 Freestyle Relay

Saturday, August 15: 200 Individual Medley, 50 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, M 1500 Freestyle, W 800 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay