World Aquatics Championships 2024: Kate Douglass top qualifier for women's 200m IM final
The American swimmer and defending champion was the fastest qualifier for Monday's final, clocking in at 2:08.41.
Swimming
Kate Douglass and Sydney Pickrem look set for a classic head-to-head clash in the final of the women's 200m individual medley at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships after they finished one-two as the fastest qualifiers from both the heats and semi-finals on Sunday (11 February).
Douglass, the defending champion in the event, and Pickrem were the only swimmers to go under 2:11 in heats, before clocking times in the 2:08s in semis.
American Douglass was the fastest semi-finalist, winning the second heat in 2:08.41, while Canada's Pickrem, a bronze medallist in this event at the 2019 World Championships, took the first semi in 2:08.76.
Yu Yiting from People's Republic of China was the other swimmer to clock in the 2:08s in the semis, finishing second to Pickrem in the first heat in 2:08.83.
Notably, Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands qualified for the final as the sixth-fastest semi-finalist, then got back in the pool barely five minutes later to anchor her team to women's 4x100m freestyle relay gold.
The top eight swimmers qualified for the final, which will be held on Monday evening.