Kate Douglass facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 17, 2001 Pelham, New York, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in |
| Weight | 125 lb |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Medley, breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly |
| Club | New York Athletic Club |
| Coach | Todd DeSorbo |
Katherine Cadwallader Douglass (born November 17, 2001) is an amazing American swimmer. She has won five Olympic medals, including two gold medals! Kate has also earned 34 medals at the World Championships, with 16 of them being gold. She holds world records in several events, like the short-course 100 meter freestyle, 200 meter breaststroke, 200 meter individual medley, and the long-course 50 meter freestyle.
Kate swam for the University of Virginia from 2019 to 2023. She helped her team win three big college championships (NCAA Division I Championships) in 2021, 2022, and 2023. On her own, she won 15 gold and 6 silver medals at these college championships. Kate was even named the best college female swimmer with the Honda Sports Award in both 2022 and 2023.
Contents
- Kate Douglass's Early Life
- Kate's Swimming Career
- Starting Her Swimming Journey (2016)
- Junior World Championships (2017)
- Youth Olympics and College Plans (2018)
- U.S. National Championships (2019)
- College Success Begins (2020 NCAA season)
- More College Records (2021 NCAA season)
- First NCAA Championship Title (2021 NCAA Championships)
- Olympic Debut (2020 U.S. Olympic Trials)
- Olympic Bronze Medal (2020 Olympic Games)
- Short Course World Championships (2021)
- Setting More Records (2022 NCAA season)
- Dominating the NCAA Championships (2022)
- World Championships Debut (2022)
- First Individual World Title (2022 Short Course World Championships)
- Final College Season (2023 NCAA season)
- Historic NCAA Championships (2023)
- U.S. National Championships (2023)
- World Championships Success (2023)
- Another Strong World Championships (2024)
- Qualifying for the Olympics (2024 U.S. Olympic Trials)
- Olympic Gold and Silver (2024 Olympic Games)
- World Cup Champion (2024)
- More World Records (2024 Short Course World Championships)
- World Championships (2025)
- World Record Breaker (2026)
- International Championships Medals
- Kate's Personal Best Times
- Kate's World Records
- Awards and Honors
- See also
Kate Douglass's Early Life
Kate Douglass was born in Pelham, New York, on November 17, 2001. Her parents are Allison and William Douglass. She has a younger sister named Abby and a younger brother named Will. Kate went to Pelham Memorial High School and finished in 2019. She started swimming at age 7 with the Westchester Aquatic Club in New York. For her last two years of high school, starting in 2017, she swam with the Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club in Connecticut.
Kate's Swimming Career
Starting Her Swimming Journey (2016)
In 2016, Kate tried out for the U.S. Olympic team. She swam in four different races but did not make the team that year. However, Kate became famous in the swimming world as a high school sophomore. In November 2016, she broke a 34-year-old record for her age group in the 50-yard freestyle! A month later, she tied another national record in the 50-yard freestyle at the U.S. Winter Junior Championships.
Junior World Championships (2017)
Kate joined the U.S. junior national team for the 2017 World Junior Championships. She swam in the 50-meter freestyle but did not reach the finals. However, she helped her team win a silver medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay by swimming in the early races.
| 2017 World Junior Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
4×100 m freestyle | 3:39.69 |
Youth Olympics and College Plans (2018)
During her junior year of high school, Kate decided she would swim for the University of Virginia. Because of her amazing records and fast times, she was ranked as one of the top young swimmers in the country. Kate also competed at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. She finished seventh in the 50-meter freestyle final.
U.S. National Championships (2019)
Kate took part in the U.S. National Championships. She swam in several races but did not win any medals that year.
College Success Begins (2020 NCAA season)
When Kate started college at Virginia, she quickly became an amazing swimmer. In her first year, she set new records and swam incredibly fast times. She broke the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) record in the 200-yard individual medley. At the 2020 ACC Championships, Kate won the 200-yard individual medley, becoming the fastest freshman ever in that race! She also won the 100-yard butterfly and placed third in the 200-yard breaststroke. Her efforts helped Virginia win their 16th ACC championship. Kate was ready for the big NCAA Championships, but the event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More College Records (2021 NCAA season)
In November 2020, Kate swam the 200-yard individual medley so fast that she became the third-fastest swimmer ever in that event! She also set a record for the fastest 50-yard butterfly split in history during a relay. Kate continued to improve, setting personal bests in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. At the 2021 ACC Championships, Kate and her teammates broke the NCAA record in the 200 medley relay. She also won two more ACC titles in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly.
First NCAA Championship Title (2021 NCAA Championships)
At the 2021 NCAA Championships, Kate was a top swimmer in many events. She chose to focus on sprint races: the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard butterfly. Kate won her very first NCAA title in the 50-yard freestyle, beating a strong competitor by a tiny margin! She also earned second place in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Kate was part of four Virginia relay teams that finished second. Her amazing swimming helped the University of Virginia win its first-ever national team championship!
| 2021 NCAA Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
50 yd freestyle | 21.13 |
|
100 yd freestyle | 46.30 |
|
100 yd butterfly | 49.55 |
|
4×50 yd freestyle | 1:25.97 |
|
4×100 yd freestyle | 3:10.45 |
|
4×50 yd medley | 1:34.13 |
|
4×100 yd medley | 3:25.13 |
Olympic Debut (2020 U.S. Olympic Trials)
In June 2021, Kate competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials. She swam in four events. She qualified for her first Olympic Games by finishing second in the 200-meter individual medley.
Olympic Bronze Medal (2020 Olympic Games)
At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Kate swam incredibly well in the 200-meter individual medley. She had the fastest times in the early rounds. In the final race, Kate won a bronze medal! She passed another swimmer in the last part of the race to secure her medal.
| 2020 Olympic Games | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
200 m individual medley | 2:09.04 |
Short Course World Championships (2021)
At the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, Kate won two gold medals with her teammates in relay races. She also earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter individual medley. Kate received two silver medals for swimming in the early heats of other relay events.
| 2021 Short Course World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
4×50 m freestyle | 1:34.22 |
|
4×100 m freestyle | 3:28.52 |
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4×50 m medley | 1:43.61 |
|
4×50 m mixed medley | 1:37.04 |
|
200 m individual medley | 2:04.68 |
Setting More Records (2022 NCAA season)
In 2021 and 2022, Kate kept breaking records in college swimming. She became one of the fastest swimmers ever in the 200-yard breaststroke. At the 2022 ACC Championships, Kate focused on sprint events. She won titles in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard butterfly. Her 50-yard freestyle time was almost the fastest ever! She also helped her Virginia relay teams break several national records. Kate's efforts helped Virginia win their third straight ACC team championship.
Dominating the NCAA Championships (2022)
At the 2022 NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Kate had an incredible performance. She won seven titles in total: three individual races and four relays! She broke national records in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and 200-yard breaststroke. Kate became the first college swimmer to win three NCAA titles in three different swimming styles.
| 2022 NCAA Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
50 yd freestyle | 20.84 (NR, CR) |
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100 yd butterfly | 49.04 (NR) |
|
200 yd breaststroke | 2:02.19 (NR, CR) |
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4×50 yd freestyle | 1:24.96 |
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4×100 yd freestyle | 3:06.91 (NR, CR) |
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4×50 yd medley | 1:32.16 (CR) |
|
4×100 yd medley | 3:22.34 (NR, CR) |
Virginia won their second team national title in a row. Kate was named the Swimmer of the Meet, and experts called her performance "the greatest single-meet performance in NCAA history." She also received the 2022 Honda Sports Award for Swimming and Diving.
World Championships Debut (2022)
At the U.S. International Team Trials, Kate qualified for the World Championships in Budapest. She swam the 200-meter breaststroke much faster than before, finishing second. She also qualified for a relay team. In Budapest, Kate won a bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke. She also earned two bronze medals in freestyle relay events.
| 2022 World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:23.20 |
|
4×100 m freestyle | 3:32.58 |
|
4×100 m mixed freestyle | 3:21.09 |
First Individual World Title (2022 Short Course World Championships)
At the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne, Kate won her first individual gold medal in a global competition! She set a new Americas record in the 200-meter individual medley. She also won a silver medal with the women's 4×100 meter freestyle relay, setting another Americas record. Kate helped her teams win gold medals and set new world records in the 4×50 meter mixed medley relay and the 4×100 meter medley relay. She also won gold in the 200-meter breaststroke, her second individual gold medal at the event.
| 2022 Short Course World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:15.77 (CR) |
|
200 m individual medley | 2:02.12 (AM) |
|
4×50 m freestyle | 1:33.89 (AM, CR) |
|
4×100 m medley | 3:44.35 (WR) |
|
4×50 m mixed medley | 1:35.15 (WR) |
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4×100 m freestyle | 3:26.29 (AM) |
|
4×50 m medley | 1:42.41 |
Final College Season (2023 NCAA season)
In her last college season, Kate continued to break her own records. She set new U.S. Open and American records in the 200-yard breaststroke. At the 2023 ACC Championships, Kate won titles in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard individual medley, and 100-yard freestyle. She set new NCAA, U.S. Open, and American records in the 100-yard butterfly.
Historic NCAA Championships (2023)
At the 2023 NCAA Championships in Knoxville, Kate had another amazing performance. She won seven titles, including three individual events and four relays! She broke American and U.S. Open records in the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, and 200-yard breaststroke.
| 2023 NCAA Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
100 yd butterfly | 48.46 (NR, CR) |
|
200 yd breaststroke | 2:01.29 (NR, CR) |
|
200 yd individual medley | 1:48.37 (NR, CR) |
|
4×50 yd freestyle | 1:24.51 (CR) |
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4×100 yd freestyle | 3:05.84 (NR, CR) |
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4×50 yd medley | 1:31.51 (NR, CR) |
|
4×100 yd medley | 3:22.39 |
Kate helped the University of Virginia win their third NCAA team title in a row. She was again named the NCAA Championships Swimmer of the Meet. Sports Illustrated called her performance "one of the greatest NCAA swimming performances of all time." Kate graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in statistics.
U.S. National Championships (2023)
At the 2023 U.S. National Championships, Kate won gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley. She also earned a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke and two bronze medals. She set personal bests in five different events.
World Championships Success (2023)
At the 2023 World Championships, Kate competed in seven events and won six medals! She won more medals than any other American athlete at the competition. She won gold medals in the 200-meter individual medley and the 4×100 meter medley relay. Kate also earned three silver medals and one bronze medal.
| 2023 World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m individual medley | 2:07.17 |
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4×100 m medley | 3:52.08 |
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:21.23 |
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4×100 m freestyle | 3:31.93 |
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4×100 m mixed freestyle | 3:20.82 |
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4×100 m mixed medley | 3:40.19 |
Later in 2023, Kate became the first woman to swim the 100-yard individual medley in under 52 seconds. She was also named the Female Athlete of the Year at the Golden Goggle Awards.
Another Strong World Championships (2024)
At the 2024 World Championships, Kate competed in six events and won five medals. She successfully defended her World Championship title in the 200-meter individual medley. Kate also won a gold medal in the mixed 4×100 meter medley relay. She earned two silver medals and one bronze medal in other races.
| 2024 World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m individual medley | 2:07.05 |
|
4×100 m mixed medley | 3:40.22 |
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50 m freestye | 23.91 (AM) |
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200 m breaststroke | 2:20.91 |
|
4×100 m mixed freestyle | 3:22.28 |
Qualifying for the Olympics (2024 U.S. Olympic Trials)
In June 2024, Kate competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials. She won gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter breaststroke, and 200-meter individual medley. This qualified her for the 2024 Olympic Games in all three events. She also broke championship records in the 200-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley.
Olympic Gold and Silver (2024 Olympic Games)
At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Kate competed in four events and won medals in all of them! She helped the U.S. team win a silver medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. Then, she won a gold medal in the 200-meter breaststroke, setting a new American record. Kate also earned a silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley. Finally, she helped the U.S. win another gold medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay.
| 2024 Olympic Games | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:19.24 (AM) |
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4×100 m medley | 3:49.63 (WR) |
|
200 m individual medley | 2:06.92 |
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4×100 m freestyle | 3:30.20 (AM) |
"Understated in temperament, underrated in toughness, impeccable in technique, Douglass was the hero America wanted and needed in the pool at these Paris Olympics. Her long-gliding breaststroke is so gorgeous that it looks effortless and might even feel that way at times ... but winning the 200-meter breaststroke Thursday was hardly soft stuff."
World Cup Champion (2024)
Kate competed in the 2024 World Cup series of short course meets. She won 11 events in total, including all three races in the 200-meter breaststroke, 50-meter butterfly, and 100-meter individual medley. She also won a 100-meter freestyle and a 200-meter individual medley race. During this time, Kate broke the 200-meter breaststroke short course world record twice! She finished first in the overall World Cup standings.
More World Records (2024 Short Course World Championships)
At the 2024 Short Course World Championships in December, Kate competed in seven events. She won four gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. She also set personal bests in all five of her individual races.
| 2024 Short Course World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:12.50 (WR) |
|
200 m individual medley | 2:01.63 (WR) |
|
4×100 m freestyle | 3:25.01 (WR) |
|
4×100 m medley | 3:40.41 (WR) |
|
50 m freestyle | 23.05 |
|
100 m individual medley | 56.49 |
|
100 m freestyle | 50.73 |
On December 10, Kate won gold in the 200-meter individual medley, breaking a world record. She also helped the U.S. team win gold in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay with another world record. On December 13, she won gold in the 200-meter breaststroke, breaking her own world record. Later, she won silver in the 100-meter individual medley. On December 15, Kate won silver in the 50-meter freestyle. She also helped the U.S. win gold in the 4×100 meter medley final, setting a new world record.
World Championships (2025)
At the 2025 World Championships, Kate chose not to compete in the 200-meter individual medley, an event she had won twice before. On the first day, she won a silver medal with the U.S. 4×100 meter freestyle relay team. On day three, she earned another silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke, her first major international race at that distance.
| 2025 World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
|
200 m breaststroke | 2:18.50 (CR, AM) |
|
4x100 m mixed freestyle | 3:18.48 (WR) |
|
4x100 m medley | 3:49.34 (WR) |
|
4×100 m freestyle | 3:31.04 |
|
100 m breaststroke | 1:05.27 |
On day 5, Kate became World Champion in the 200-meter breaststroke, a year after winning Olympic gold in the same event. On day 6, she won her second gold medal as part of the 4×100 meter freestyle mixed relay, breaking a world record. On the final day, she won a gold medal with her women's medley relay team, setting another new world record.
World Record Breaker (2026)
At the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis, Kate set her first individual long course meters world record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 23.59 seconds. This broke the previous record held by Sarah Sjöström. Kate then broke her own world record in the 50-meter freestyle again at the Pan Pacific Championships on August 15, 2026, with a time of 23.49 seconds.
International Championships Medals
Long course (50 m)
| Meet | 50 free | 100 free | 100 breast | 200 breast | 50 fly | 200 indiv medley | 4×100 free | 4×100 medley | 4×100 mixed free | 4×100 mixed medley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OG 2021 |  |
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| WC 2022 | |
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| WC 2023 | 4th |  |
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| WC 2024 | |
4th | |
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| OG 2024 | |
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| WC 2025 | |
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14th | |
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Short course (25 m)
| Meet | 50 free | 100 free | 200 breast | 100 indiv medley | 200 indiv medley | 4×50 free | 4×100 free | 4×50 medley | 4×100 medley | 4×50 mixed free | 4×50 mixed medley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCW 2021 | |
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4th | 4th | |
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| SCW 2022 | |
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| SCW 2024 | |
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- Kate swam only in the preliminary heats for some of these events.
Kate's Personal Best Times
Long course (50 m)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Note(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 23.49 | 2026 Pan Pacific Championships | Irvine, California, USA | August 15, 2026 | WR | |
| 100 m freestyle | 51.69 (r) | 2026 Pan Pacific Championships | Irvine, California, USA | August 14, 2026 | AM | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:19.24 | 2024 Olympic Games | Paris, France | August 1, 2024 | AM | |
| 100 m butterfly | 56.43 | 2023 U.S. National Championships | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA | June 29, 2023 | ||
| 200 m individual medley | 2:06.79 | 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA | June 22, 2024 | US |
Short course (25 m)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Note(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 23.05 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 15, 2024 | ||
| 100 m freestyle | 49.93 | 2025 Toronto World Cup | Toronto, Canada | October 25, 2025 | WR | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:12.50 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 13, 2024 | WR | |
| 50 m butterfly | 24.42 | 2024 World Cup | Singapore | November 1, 2024 | Former AM | |
| 100 m individual medley | 56.49 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 13, 2024 | ||
| 200 m individual medley | 2:01.63 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 10, 2024 | WR |
Short course (25 yd)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Note(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 yd freestyle | 20.84 | 2022 NCAA Division I Championships | Atlanta, Georgia, USA | March 17, 2022 | Former NR, US | |
| 100 yd freestyle | 45.86 | 2023 ACC Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina, USA | February 18, 2023 | ||
| 100 yd breaststroke | 58.14 | 2022 Tennessee Invitational | Knoxville, Tennessee, USA | November 18, 2022 | ||
| 200 yd breaststroke | 2:01.29 | 2023 NCAA Division I Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee, USA | March 18, 2023 | NR, US | |
| 100 yd butterfly | 48.46 | 2023 NCAA Division I Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee, USA | March 17, 2023 | Former NR, US | |
| 200 yd individual medley | 1:48.37 | 2023 NCAA Division I Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee, USA | March 16, 2023 | NR, US |
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
Kate's World Records
Short course (25 m)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 200 m breaststroke | 2:14.16 | 2024 World Cup | Incheon, South Korea | October 24, 2024 | Former | |
| 2 | 200 m breaststroke | 2:12.72 | 2024 World Cup | Singapore | October 31, 2024 | Former | |
| 3 | 200 m individual medley | 2:01.63 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 10, 2024 | Current | |
| 4 | 200 m breaststroke | 2:12.50 | 2024 World Championships (25 m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 13, 2024 | Current |
Long course (50 m)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 m freestyle | 23.59 | TYR Pro Swim Series | Indianapolis, United States | June 19, 2026 | Former | |
| 2 | 50 m freestyle | 23.49 | 2026 Pan Pacific Championships | Irvine, California, USA | August 15, 2026 | Current |
Awards and Honors
- Golden Goggle Award for Female Athlete of the Year – 2023 (tied with Katie Ledecky)
- Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year – 2025
- Honda Sports Award for Swimming & Diving – 2022 and 2023
- College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Division I Women's Swimmer of the Year – 2022 and 2023
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women's Swimmer of the Year – 2022 and 2023
- ACC Women's Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year – 2022 and 2023
See also
In Spanish: Kate Douglass para niños
