University News

Swimmer Kate Douglass Is First Hoo To Win Individual Gold in Paris

August 2, 2024 • By Jane Kelly, jak4g@virginia.edu Jane Kelly, jak4g@virginia.edu

UVA 2023 graduate Kate Douglass struck gold Thursday in the 200-meter breaststroke, breaking her own American record. (Photo by Clive Rose, Getty Images)

Day six of the 2024 Paris Olympics was a big one for the University of Virginia, as Class of 2023 graduate Kate Douglass won the gold medal in the 200-meter breaststroke Thursday, becoming the first female to win an individual gold medal in UVA history.

Pumping along in lane four, the 22-year-old bested Tatjana Smith of South Africa and Tes Schouten of the Netherlands to clinch the gold in 2 minutes, 19.24 seconds.

“I feel like this was a long time coming,” Douglass told NBC sports correspondent Melissa Stark, herself a 1995 UVA graduate. “I kind of feel like I was physically ready for this race. Just what I’ve done in practice these last few months leading up to this meet, I knew if I executed that race well, I would win it.”

KATE DOUGLASS STRIKES GOLD IN THE 200M BREASTSTROKE. 🥇🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/ZtNpUGcnjg
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 1, 2024

Douglass was the subject of an NBC feature before her race was replayed in prime time. She recounted her youth swimming days while being interviewed in the Dome Room of the Rotunda, where she watched a videotaped greeting from current members of her former swim team.

The action didn’t stop there. 2021 UVA graduate Paige Madden won a silver medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay, helping Team USA teammate Katie Ledecky become the most decorated American woman in Olympic history, with 13 medals.

𝐖𝐀𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀!!!!
🥈 PAIGE MADDEN 🥈 wins silver with the 4x200 Free Relay #OlympiansMadeHere | #Paris2024 | #GoHoos https://t.co/dtYIk6ZsVk
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) August 1, 2024

Madden, swimming the second leg, entered the pool in third place behind Australia and China. She closed the gap on China before giving way to Ledecky, who moved the U.S. into second place. The Americans managed to hold onto silver from there, just behind the heavily favored Australians.

That marked Madden’s second silver medal in the event. She was a member of the American team that also took second in the 2021 Tokyo Games.

Paige Madden, left, swam the second leg for the United States’ silver medal-winning 4x200-meter freestyle relay team on Thursday, helping her teammate, Katie Ledecky, become the most decorated U.S. female athlete ever. (Photo by Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)