Kate Douglas: How Math Helps You Swim Faster (Part 2)

Douglas plans to pursue career opportunities in data analytics after completing his graduate studies.She has already met withCollaborators have authored three high-quality research papers on two distinctly different topics.，The third paper was published in the *Science Bulletin*.

ThisA purely academic article was jointly authored by her and Professor Ono. The paper presents a conclusion regarding Benford's Law (the law of anomalous numbers), which has caught the attention of Florian, a Romanian mathematician and former Guggenheim Fellow.・Luca (Florian Luca) Note that Luca is regarded by international peers as"A world-class expert in this field."

LucaAtThe email states:"I heard that Douglas is a world swimming champion who has competed in the Olympics twice. Without a doubt, she’s the fastest ‘mathematician’ in the world at swimming."’”

Subtle adjustments to Peggy Madden's hand position have made her swimming technique more efficient.

Douglas and others in an article titledSwim through the data(Swimming in Data)The academic paper summarizes the validity of the data; the paper2024Year 3February 24Published today inMathematical Genius(The Mathematical Intelligencer）Up. As the lead author, she presented in the articleSheFor example, I demonstrated my own breaststroke technique.How to improve through data-driven analysis.

"Digital twins" help optimize outcomes through precise training.

WithFiveOlympic medalist Lily・Gold (Lilly KingCompared to, DouglasAtInitially, an improper head position during gliding led to increased drag.After36Months of rigorous training,Douglas ImprovementAfterThe technology enables an average time saving per streamlined glide.Done0.11Seconds—that's equivalent to200The men's breaststroke event0.44 secondsDouglas and others wrote,“This saves a lot.TimeHuh?Sure!In this test12A week later, Douglas achieved2Points19.3The second-place finisher broke the long-standing record.12A long-standing U.S. record, surpassing the previous oneFewDone0.29Seconds.”

DouglasAlsoFeaturing the renowned American athlete Claire・CardGreat!(Claire Curzan )For example, this further demonstrates the importance of applying data analysis to swimming.CardZan was born in2004Year6Month30Day, won the Tokyo Olympics women's4×100Silver medal in the mixed medley relay, at2024Won at the World Championships this year50Rice,100Rice and200The champion of the men's backstroke race. This person19The 16-year-old swimmer last yearIn the fall, Qiu moved from Stanford University to the University of Virginia, where she took charge of data analysis for the team.

The paper concludes by looking ahead to 2024.YearPointed out during the Paris Olympics——"Many American swimmers have made Olympic history with their medals and records, yet for some, their digital avatars—hidden on unseen computers—will become an integral part of the team, playing a role in ways that go beyond the physical realm."

Douglas's success not only inspires students to pursue a balance between academics and athletics but also prompts reflection on athletes' dual careers. Her journey underscores the importance of sports science research and demonstrates how athletes can draw inspiration from both academic pursuits and their sporting endeavors.Inspire more student-athletes to pursue their dreams. Her story reminds us that success can be achieved in a variety of fields.

In many cases, athletes are forced to choose between academics and sports—but Douglas’s success proves that these two pursuits don’t have to be mutually exclusive. His inspiring journey reminds us that, in any field, interdisciplinary thinking and innovation can lead to groundbreaking achievements. True success isn’t about excelling in just one area; it’s about how you blend diverse talents and passions to craft a uniquely fulfilling life path.

Douglas wins the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup overall title

Further reading:

2024Year12Month6Today, the School of Physical Education at Ningbo University conducted2023Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense Meeting2023PhD candidate and Olympic champion Wang Shun presented his doctoral dissertation proposal. Wang Shun’s topic is titled "A Label-Free Action Recognition and Analysis System Based on…"200"An Biomechanical Study of Technique in Elite Mixed-Style Swimmers."GoYear7MonthWang Shun enrollsNingbo University，Become a doctoral student specializing in exercise and human science.Wang ShunGraduated with a bachelor's degree fromShanghai Jiao Tong University，Completed my master's studies at Beijing Sport University，According to reportsItsThe graduation thesis examines“Wang Shun200How to improve mixed swimming techniques and tactics”，Just like dissecting a sparrow“Self-study by oneself”This paper received high praise from the advisor. Wang Shun once expressed his hope that, through learning, he could further improve his athletic performance.