UVA’s Kate Douglass takes top honors in second event at U.S. Olympic trials

UVA swimmer Kate Douglass will now represent Team USA at two events in the 2024 Paris Games.

Douglass won the 200-meter breaststroke on Thursday at the U.S. Olympic trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Douglass, competing among four members of the four-time national champion UVA Swimming team in the final, won with a time of 2:19.46, almost two-and-a-half seconds ahead of runner-up Lilly King (2:21.93), an Indiana University swimmer who, after the race, was proposed to by her boyfriend, James Wells, a former IU swimmer.

UVA’s Alex Walsh was third in the race with a time of 2:22.38, a personal-best time. Ella Nelson placed fourth (2:23.95) and Anna Keating was sixth (2:29.54).

Douglass had previously picked up the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle to qualify for her second Olympic games.

Also on Thursday:

UVA swimmer Jack Aikins was third in the 200-meter backstroke with a UVA record time of 1:54.61. Keaton Jones, a freshman at Cal, beat him out for the second spot on the U.S. roster in the competition by .17 seconds.

Claire Curzan advanced to the finals of the 200-meter backstroke with a third-place semifinal finish in 2:07.47.

On Friday, UVA Swimming will compete at 11 a.m. in the prelims for the men’s 100 fly, the women’s 200 IM and the women’s 800 free. The 8 p.m. evening session will feature the finals in the men’s 50 free, women’s 200 back, men’s 200 IM and the semifinals of the men’s 100 fly and women’s 200 IM.