American swimmer Gretchen Walsh made history at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Indianapolis. On Saturday, Walsh clocked 55.18 seconds in the 100-meter women’s butterfly, breaking the world record in the event. Her time was more than half a second faster than Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjöström, who set the previous fastest time of 55.48 seconds at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Walsh, a senior at the University of Virginia and a Nashville native, played a significant role in UVA’s achievement as the third swim team in NCAA history to win four consecutive team titles. At just 21 years old, she now has the opportunity to qualify for her first Olympic team if she ranks among the top two finishers during the Sunday night final. She will be facing experienced Olympians including 2020 Tokyo medalists Torri Huske, Regan Smith, and Claire Curzan.
After her historic performance, Walsh expressed her happiness at setting a new standard. She called it a “surreal experience” and being “over the moon.” Walsh’s achievement is not only an individual accomplishment but also a testament to her hard work and dedication to her sport.
