"The entire US Olympic Team needed that";" Kate Douglass for gold, USA back in the pool"- Fans react to swimmer upsetting OR holder at Paris Olympics

Kate Douglass turned heads at the Paris Olympics 2024 on day six of the competition by winning the gold medal in the 200m breaststroke finals. It marked the USA swimming team's third individual gold medal of the 2024 campaign, and Douglas received a huge amount of appreciation for the victory, which came over defending Olympic champion and record holder at the event, Tatjana Smith.

Douglass competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she won a silver medal in the 200m individual medley. The 22-year-old took the NCAA swimming by storm in the following years, winning more than 10 titles.

The Virginia swimmer also competed at multiple short and long-course World Championships. She won two gold medals last year and two more at the 2024 World Championships. After winning a silver medal in the women's 4x100m relay earlier at the Paris Olympics, the 22-year-old has now won her maiden Olympic gold.

Douglass swam a blistering 2:19.24 for the gold, breaking the American record in the distance as well. Defending champion Tatjana Smith finished second with a time of 2:19.60. Fans online lauded the 22-year-old for giving a boost to the USA's gold medal tally, which had been largely settling for silver and bronze over the last week.

"KATE DOUGLASS!!! The entire US Olympic Team needed that, and validates Douglass in the upper echelon of swimmers not just in the US but in the world. New American Record. Sets up for an absolutely insane 200 IM final," a fan wrote.

Another fan announced that the USA was back in the hunt for swimming dominance.

"Kate Douglas for gold, USA back in the pool," they wrote.

Here are some more reactions:

"KATE DOUGLAS OH MY GOD—YOU ARE BLESSED!!!! THANK YOU FOR THE GOLD UPSET!!!!!" a fan commented.

"Kate Douglas makes it look so easier," another fan commented.

"Douglas under water technique needs to be studied. Ain't no way," a user wrote.

"Absolutely lost it when she won. Was screaming the whole last 50. I went to UVA's sister school so any UVA swimmer on the (US) team is getting bonkers fan me," commented another user.

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What are the other events Kate Douglass is competing in at the Paris Olympics 2024?

Swimming - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 6 (Image via Getty)

Kate Douglass was scheduled to compete in three events at the Paris Olympics 2024. She was part of the USA's silver-winning 4x100m relay team and has now won the 200m breaststroke title in an American record time. The 22-year-old is also set to compete in the 200m IM.

The heats for women's 200m individual medley will take place on August 02. The semifinals of the event will take place later on the day, while the finals are scheduled on August 03. It is considered to be Douglass' premier event, and she is highly favored to take the gold in it.