The 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup has been as exciting as ever since its first stop in Shanghai. However, we’re inching closer to the finale with day 2 in Singapore. If you haven’t been keeping up with this thrilling escapade, here’s what you have been missing. Kate Douglass has kept the competition on its toes since her stellar time in Paris. She left the French capital with 4 medals and has continued to make history throughout Shanghai and Incheon. 

The races in Singapore began on October 31st, and with just one more day to go in the competition, the swimmer has established herself as a formidable foe. During the Paris Games, the swimmer turned heads by walking away with 4 Olympic golds. However, it doesn’t look like she will stop anytime soon. Throughout the meet, the 22-year-old dazzled the crowds in Shanghai and Incheon. But in Singapore, she raised the bar higher than ever. How is that, you ask?

Kate Douglass snags the coveted crown with just one day to go

The excitement throughout the World Cup has been off the charts. But something about today felt uniquely different when Kate Douglass pulled off an iconic feat in Singapore. What could it be, you ask? After an incredible win in the 50m butterfly today, she has bagged three Triple Crowns in the World Cup. But wait, that isn’t all. Her blistering time has catapulted her to the #2 spot on the top women’s SCM 50 butterfly performers list.

The swimmer set a new American Record with a blistering 24.42s, shaving off .12s from the 24.54 record she set in Shanghai. However, she fell short of shattering Therese Alshammar’s world record of 24.38 by merely .04s. However, with her 3rd victory in the event, she is currently #1 in the running for the coveted title. But while Douglass effortlessly dominated the pool, how did her compatriot Regan Smith do?

Breaking world records has become almost routine for the Olympian. In the 100m Backstroke finals, she surged past her competitors, clinching gold with a world record time of 54.27 seconds in Singapore—her first short-course meters record in an already illustrious career. But there’s more. The 22-year-old’s blistering time shaved off 0.14 seconds from her previous world record of 54.41 seconds, set in the same event in Incheon. This marks her third 100m backstroke world record this year alone! But what has the rivalry been like throughout this thrilling meet?

There’s nothing wrong with some healthy competition

Throughout the three stops, there hasn’t been a single dull moment. However, one of the most thrilling factors apart from the race would be Kate Douglass and Regan Smith’s consistent battle on the leaderboard. After 3 exciting days in Shanghai, the former led the table with 59.1 points. The latter comfortably sat in second place. But here’s the kicker. A difference of 0.1 points had decided their fate. Could it get any more thrilling? 

The answer to that is a resounding yes! The duo continued to turn heads throughout the Incheon stop. In fact, Douglass even snagged an impressive win in the 200m individual medley. Yet, she felt it wasn’t enough. The Olympian shared that it felt like she was ‘swimming through mud’ and almost considered withdrawing from the event. Despite not being her best race, she was proud of the result.

On the other hand, Regan Smith was happy about shattering another World Record in Incheon. In fact, by the end of the second stop, she moved past Douglas with 118.4 points. Her compatriot trailed behind in second place with 118.3 points on the leaderboard. When the Olympian was asked if she was happy with the results, she stated that focusing on the points would only take the fun away from the World Cup. 

The duo don’t mind the constant back and forth on the rankings. But they would rather not focus on it. “She is my best friend, and the last thing both of us want is to be concerned with the points system,” the 22-year-old admitted. She reiterated that they were there to have fun and support each other, openly admitting that they pushed each other to improve in the pool. Now that Kate Douglass has climbed back to the top of the leaderboard, we expect the final day in Singapore to be as thrilling as ever. Who do you think will walk away with the crown?