American Kate Douglass wins gold in women's 200 breaststroke at Paris Olympics

NANTERRE, France — Team USA’s Kate Douglass is officially an Olympic champion , winning the women’s 200-meter breaststroke final Thursday with a time of 2:19. 24 – a new American record.

It’s the 22-year-old two-time Olympian’s third medal overall and second at the Paris Olympics after helping the U.S. win silver in the women’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay .

Douglass out-touched defending Olympic champion Tatjana Smith of South Africa, who won silver with a time of 2:19.60. Smith won the gold in the women's 100-meter breaststroke earlier this week.

The Netherlands' Tes Schouten took bronze in 2:21.05. Team USA three-time Olympian Lilly King finished eighth in 2:25.91.

King, 27, also missed the podium in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke final , tying for fourth behind gold medalist Smith.

Douglass was the top qualifier in Wednesday’s semifinals, just .20 seconds ahead of Smith but a whopping three seconds faster than Netherlands’ Tes Schouten and 3.51 seconds ahead of King.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Kate Douglass wins gold in women's 200 breaststroke at Paris Olympics