In days when gold medals, let alone dominance, are harder to come by, the USA surely felt not only joy but relief when Kate Douglass took the 200m breaststroke title in an Americas record of 2:19.24.

Douglass, who timed her challenge well after turning second behind defending champion Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker), emerged from battle with her first Olympic title and even, perhaps, some evidence to show that her digital twin, (see below).

Smith led at the first turn before she took the lead down the second of four lengths ahead of South Africa's Tatjana Smith, who as Schoenmaker before her marriage celebrated Tokyo gold three years ago.

Smith, 100 breaststroke champion here in Paris this week, came so close yet so far to keeping the big prize but it Wass not to be. Silver was her's in 2:19.60, the bronze to Tes Schouten, of the Netherlands, in 2:21.05.

Lilly King, winner of five medals including two golds at the past two Olympics, finished eight in what could be her last appearance at the Olympics depending on relay picks at the weekend.

Douglass has a great chance of another medal, in the 200m medley on Friday.

After her record breaking breaststroke, she said:

“I feel like it was kind of just a long time coming. This whole year I’ve been training and physically preparing for this exact race. Just kind of seeing it all come together and sticking to my race plan, I was just so excited to see that I’d gone first and [broken] an American record too. I feel like it’s a surreal moment. I don’t know if all of the emotions have set in yet.”