"Well, it's my last one" - Olympic Bronze medallist Kate Douglass says 2023 NCAA Championships will be her final collegiate competition
Kate Douglass is a star for the future in the sport of swimming. She has showcased massive improvements in her performances whenever she enters the swimming arena. Douglass won a bronze medal at her debut Olympics in Tokyo.
The Olympic bronze medallist has revealed that the 2023 NCAA Championships will be her last collegiate competition. She told Swimswam that she doesn't have any plans of using her fifth-year eligibility.
The fifth-year eligibility is offered to all NCAA winter student-athletes who competed during the COVID-affected 2020-21 NCAA season, according to Swimswam.
In a recent video posted on YouTube for the Social Kick podcast, Kate Douglass said:
"Well, it's my last one, which is kind of crazy. I think it's going to be really emotional, especially just with the other girls in my class. You know, this will be our fourth one, our last one. I'll be really sentimental probably, so I'm kind of just looking forward to just really trying to enjoy the moment with my teammates and taking it all in. It's just kind of crazy that this will be my last college meet ever."
Douglass said that her performances last year were great and she doesn't know how to perform better than last year. The 21-year-old stated that she will try and have fun and see what she is capable of.
The Olympic bronze medallist also said that she is still trying to figure out which event to participate in on the first day of the NCAAs.
Douglass also said that the relays at the NCAA this year are going to be a lot more competitive. At last year's NCAA Championships in Atlanta, she clinched three singles and four relay titles. The talented youngster won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.84 and the 100 butterfly with a time of 49.04.
Douglass also won the 200 breaststroke by clocking a time of 2:02.19. According to Swimswam, she lowered her NCAA breaststroke record to 2:01.87 at the 2022 Tennessee Invite. She is also a part of the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay teams of the University of Virginia.
These teams won the NCAA titles. Her impressive performance last year even resulted in her being awarded the 2022 CSCAA Female Swimmer of the Year award and the 2022 Honda Sport Award for swimming and diving.
Kate Douglass' absence will be a massive loss for the University of Virginia next season. But this will provide her with ample time to prepare for the 2024 Olympics.
How many medals did Kate Douglass win at last year's FINA World Swimming Championships?
Kate Douglass competed at the 2022 Short World Swimming Championships in Melbourne. She won two individual medals and five relay medals at the event.
Out of the seven medals, five are golds. Douglass clinched two individual gold medals by emerging victorious in the 200-meter individual medley and 200-meter breaststroke events. She won three more gold medals in relay events.
Kate Douglass and her teammates helped Team USA win gold medals in the 4x50-meter mixed medley, 4x50-meter freestyle and 4x100-meter medley events. She also claimed two silvers. The Olympic bronze medallist helped Team USA finish second in the 4x100-meter freestyle and 4x50-meter medley events.