PMHS alum Kate Douglass won her first Olympic gold medal Thursday afternoon in the women’s 200m breaststroke, posting a time of 2:19.24. Douglass beat her own U.S. record by a sixth of a second.

She gained a half body length on South Africa’s Tatiana Smith at each turn with her impressive technique.

This makes two medals for Douglass at these games. She took silver as a member of Team USA’s women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team. In her first Olympics in 2021, she collected bronze in the 200 individual medley.

• Watch the race here.

The Pelham native had previously dropped out of an event Tuesday to practice for the 200m breaststroke. Douglass’s decision worked out well for her, as she also performed impressively in both preliminary and semifinal rounds before gaining gold.

“I mean, I feel like this was a long time coming. I kind of felt like I was physically ready for this race, just what I’ve done in practice these past few months leading up to this meet,” said Douglass in an interview with NBC Sports following her victory. The reporter gave Douglass a golden rubber ducky, which is what she received when she won races as a kid in Pelham.

Douglass still has two events remaining in the following couple of days. Her next race is on Friday in the 200m individual medley heats—and if she qualifies—the semifinals.

The overall finishing order and times in the 200m breaststroke finals, according to NBCOlympics.com:

1. K. Douglass (USA) – 2:19.24
2. T. Smith (RSA) – 2:19.60
3. T. Schouten (NED) – 2.21:05
4. S. Suzuki (JPN) – 2:22.54
5. K. Teterevkova (LTU) – 2:23.75
6. S. Ye (CHN) – 2:24.31
7. K. Corbett (RSA) – 2:24.46
8. L. King (USA) – 2:25.91