Five UVA Swimmers Heading to Paris Olympics - Trials Recap

Welcome to UVA Swimming Olympic Trials Central
Here is a recap of the nine days of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials held in Indianapolis from June 15-23. 

Day 9 – June 23
Gretchen Walsh Adds 50 Free to Paris Olympics Schedule
In the final night of competition at the U.S. Olympic Team trials in Indianapolis, rising Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh added the 50 Free to her schedule for Team USA at the Paris Games. Walsh was second in the 50 Free with a time of 24.15. Cavalier teammate Maxine Parker was eighth in the race (24.90).

The 2024 Olympic swimming competition will take place July 27-Aug. 4 at the Aquatics Center in Paris.

Walsh will be joined at the Paris Games by her sister Alex, and UVA teammate Emma Weber. Former Cavaliers Kate Douglass and Paige Madden round out the quintet of UVA competitors. That’s the most UVA representatives from swimming at a single Olympic Games. It is the fifth consecutive Olympic Games the Virginia women’s program has representatives in the field.

Alex Walsh, Douglass and Madden all competed and won medals at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The nine-day Olympic Trials allowed the Cavalier women to show the dominance of a program that has won four consecutive NCAA team championships. UVA placed a current, former or incoming swimmer in every final except for the 1500. The five Cavaliers who made Team USA for the Paris Games will compete in 11 events, with more possible in the relay races.

The U.S. women’s squad will be coached by Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo.

Virginia’s highlights from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team trials included Gretchen Walsh setting a world record in the 100 Butterfly and Douglass picking up wins in three different events.

Team USA Qualifying Results (top two finishes)
Kate Douglass – 1st in the 200 Breaststroke, 1st in the 100 Freestyle, 1st in the 200 Individual Medley
Paige Madden – 2nd in the 200 Freestyle, 2nd in the 800 Freestyle
Alex Walsh – 2nd in 200 Individual Medley
Gretchen Walsh – 1st in the 100 Butterfly, 2nd in the 50 Free
Emma Weber – 2nd in the 100 Breaststroke

Relays
4×100 – Gretchen Walsh
4×200 – Paige Madden

World Records Set
Gretchen Walsh – 100 Fly (55.18)

U.S. Open Records Set
Gretchen Walsh – 100 Fly (55.18)
Kate Douglass – 200 IM (2:06.79)

Championship Records Set
Gretchen Walsh – 100 Fly (55.18)
Kate Douglass – 200 Breast (2:19.66)

UVA Records LCM Set
Gretchen Walsh – 100 Fly (55.18)
Kate Douglass – 200 IM (2:06.79), 100 Free (52.56)
Jack Aikins – 100 Back (52.74), 200 Back (1:54.78)
Tess Howley – 200 Fly (2:08.79)
Emma Webers – 100 Breast (1:06.10)

Day 8 – June 22
Douglass Wins Third Event, Alex Walsh Makes Team USA, Madden Second in 800
It was a big night for UVA women’s swimmers on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Team trials in Indianapolis. Former Cavalier Kate Douglass won her third gold medal, taking first in the 200 IM while UVA senior Alex Walsh joined the Team USA roster for the Paris Game with a runner-up finish in the same race. Former Cavalier Paige Madden added to her impressive week of performances with her third second-place finish.

Douglass posted a personal-best time of 2:06.79 in the 200 IM that also reset the UVA record she holds in the event. That is the fourth-fastest time ever in the event. Walsh was second at 2:07.86 – the seventh fastest time ever – and incoming UVA first-year Leah Hayes was fifth in the race at 2:11.81. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Walsh was the silver medalist in the 200 IM while Douglass won bronze.

In the 800 Free, Madden shaved more than seven seconds off her personal best time to place second behind Katie Ledecky at 8:20.71. Madden previously qualified for Team USA in the 4×200 Free Relay and the 400 Free.

During the semifinals of the 50 Free, Gretchen Walsh swam a personal-best time of 24.06 to be the top finisher in the two heats. Cavalier teammate Maxine Parker also advanced to the Sunday night finals in the event with a personal best time of 24.68. Douglass, who is the American record holder in the 50 Free, elected to opt out of the event in order to concentrate on the 200 IM.

Prelims

W 50 Free Prelims
7. Gretchen Walsh-24.72
8. Maxine Parker-24.73 (PB)

Other UVA times
Anna Moesch-25.31
Kate Douglass – scratch

Day 7 – June 21

Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh Finish 1-2 in Semis of 200 IM
Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh turned in the top two times to advance to the finals of the 200 Individual Medley on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Team trials in Indianapolis. Douglass, who has already earned a spot on the Team USA roster, turned in the top time at 2:08.53. Walsh, swimming in another heat, was second at 2:08.74. Walsh has not yet earned a spot on the U.S. team roster.

Incoming freshman Leah Hayes gives UVA a third competitor in Saturday night’s final. She was fifth at 2:10.93. Abby Harter was 15th in the semifinal races at 2:15.73.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Walsh was the silver medalist in the event while Douglass won bronze.

In other action, Claire Curzan finished third in the finals of the 200 Back (2:06.34), finishing .07 behind second place.

Prelims
M 100 FLY Prelims
Spencer Nicholas 53.32 (PB)

W 200 IM Prelims
1. Alex Walsh 2:11.62
2. Kate Douglass 2:11.80
5. Leah Hayes 2:12.52
11. Abby Harter 2:14.17
Ella Bathurst 2:17.24
Katie Christopherson DQ

W 800 Free Prelims
4. Paige Madden 8:31.80
Sophia Knapp 8:53.69

Day 6 – June 20

Kate Douglass Wins 200 Breast at U.S. Olympic Trials
Kate Douglass punched her ticket to a second event at the Paris Games by winning the 200 Breaststroke competition Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Team trials in Indianapolis. Racing with three Cavalier teammates in the finals, Douglass won with a time of 2:19.46, almost two-and-a-half seconds ahead of runner-up Lilly King (2:21.93).

Alex Walsh was third in the race with a time of 2:22.38, a personal best time. Ella Nelson placed fourth (2:23.95) and Anna Keating was sixth (2:29.54).

Douglass had previously picked up the gold medal in the 100 free competition to qualify for her second Olympic games.

In other finals, Tess Howley finished seventh with a time of 2:10.45 in the 200 Fly. She had set the UVA record in the event (2:08.79) during Wednesday’s semifinals. Jack Aikins was third in the 200 back with a UVA record time of 1:54.61. Keaton Jones beat him out for the second spot on the U.S. roster in the competition by .17 seconds.

Claire Curzan advanced to the finals of the 200 Back with a third-place semifinal finish. She turned in a time of 2:07.47.

August Lamb placed 10th in the 50 Free (22.00) and did not move on to the finals.

Prelims

W 200 Back (to semifinals)
3. Claire Curzan-2:08.90
Reilly Tiltmann-2:12.76

M 50 Free (to semifinals)
5. August Lamb-21.87 (PB)
Connor Boyle-22.72
Jack Madoch-22.91

M 200 IM Prelims
Nicholas Spencer-2:02.66 (PB)
David King-2:02.82 (PB)
Matt Styczen-2:03.08
Harry Belcher-2:03.86

Day 5 – June 19

Douglass Wins 100 Free at U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Kate Douglass joined the roster for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team by winning the 100 Free Wednesday night in Indianapolis. Swimming in a loaded field, Douglass came on strong during the final 50 meters to touch the wall first at 52.56, bettering her own school-record time.

UVA rising senior Gretchen Walsh finished third in the event by also swimming a personal best time (53.13). It allowed her to qualify for her second event at the Paris Games as a member of Team USA’s 4×100 free relay squad. Walsh previously qualified for the Games in the 100 Fly.

Douglass was not done for the night. Approximately 90 minutes later she returned to the pool at Lucas Oil Stadium to post the top time in the 200 Breast semifinals (2:21.23). In the prelims, Douglass set the meet record with a time of 2:19.66, just .036 shy of her American record time.

Douglass will be joined by three other UVA competitors in that event’s finals. Alex Walsh finished third in the semifinals with a personal best time of 2:22.81. Ella Nelson also recorded a personal best with a swim of 2:23.84. Anna King was sixth at 2:27.60.

At the Tokyo Games in 2020, Douglass won the bronze medal in the 200 individual medley. She has won 21 medals at the World Championships, including nine golds. Currently a graduate student at UVA, she won 15 NCAA titles during her Cavalier career.

In the 200 Fly, Tess Howley reset the Cavalier school mark in both the morning prelims and the evening semifinals. She swam 2:09.10 in the prelims and bettered that with a time of 2:08.79 in the semifinals, where she advanced to the finals with a sixth-place performance.

Jack Aikins also rewrote the UVA record book, clocking a time of 1:55.95 in the semifinals of the 200 Back to place third and move onto the finals.

Prelims
W 200 Breast Prelims
1. Kate Douglass 2:19.66 – Championship Record
3. Ella Nelson 2:25.86
4. Alex Walsh 2:26.96
6. Emma Weber 2:28.82
13. Anna Keating 2:29.79
Katie Christopherson 2:31.96
Zoe Skirboll  2:32.94
Leah Hayes 2:33.15

M 200 Back Prelims
1. Jack Aikins 1:56.24
5. David King 1:57.90 (PB)
Sam O’Brien 2:00.54 (PB)

W 200 Fly Prelims
7. Tess Howley 2:09.10 (UVA Record)
Bailey Hartman 2:13.97
Abby Harter 2:14.52
Maggie Schalow 2:15.14

Day 4 – June 18

Douglass and Walsh Advance to Finals in 100 Free
In what is shaping up as one of the biggest races of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, UVA’s Gretchen Walsh and former Cavalier Kate Douglass advanced to the finals of the 100 Free in Indianapolis. Douglass posted the third best time during Tuesday’s semifinals (53.21) while Walsh was right behind her in the same heat (53.33) to be seeded fourth in the finals.

Incoming freshman Anna Moesch could have given UVA a third competitor in the race, but she lost a swim-off for eighth place after tying for for the final advancing spot during the semifinals. She swam a personal best time of 54.09 in the semis.

Torri Huskie had the best time (52.90) in the 100 Free semifinal heats while Simone Manuel was second (53.16). Douglas entered the Trials with the best U.S. time in the event this year (52.98) which figures seventh in the world. Huske is right behind her in eighth place (53.08) while Manuel is ninth (53.09).

In the women’s 100 Back, Claire Curzan, who won the gold medal earlier this year at the World Championships in the event, finished eighth with a time of 59.57.

Competing in the semifinals of the 200 Breast, Noah Nichols finished 14th with a time of 2:12.64.

Prelims

W 1500 Free Prelims
Sophia Knapp-17:08.11

W 100 Free Prelims
3. Gretchen Walsh-53.60
5. Kate Douglass-53.66
9. Anna Moesch-54.44
t17. Maxine Parker-54.75 (Alternate)
Bailey Hartman-55.73

M 200 Breast Prelims
9. Noah Nichols-2:11.52 (PB)

Day 3 – June 17
Paige Madden Earns Spot on U.S. Olympic Relay Team
Former Cavalier standout Paige Madden is returning to the Olympic Games after finishing third in the 200 Free finals during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis. Madden matched her personal best time in the event (1:56.36) during Monday night’s finals in Indianapolis. The top four finishers in the event automatically qualify for the Paris Games as the U.S. relay team.

Madden won silver in the 4×200 Free Relay in Tokyo and was seventh in the 400 Free. She was the ACC Swimmer of the Year in both 2020 and 2021 while competing at UVA. She won four NCAA titles as a Cavalier.

Madden becomes the second Cavalier to officially qualify for the Paris Games. Gretchen Walsh qualified by winning the 100 Fly earlier in the week.

UVA rising senior Emma Weber likely made Team USA in the 100 Breast. She set a UVA record (1:06.10) to finish second in the event. She beat out reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby by .27 seconds to capture runner-up honors.

To open the night’s competition, former UVA standout Leah Smith finished fourth in the 400 Individual Medley (4:39.87) while incoming first-year Leah Hayes placed fifth (4:41.32).

In the women’s 100 Back, Claire Curzan, who won the gold medal earlier this year at the World Championships in the event, advanced to the finals with a time of 59.08. Her time tied for the fifth best in the semifinals.

In the men’s 100 Back, Jack Aikins reset the UVA record for the third time at the competition. He finished third at 52.74, bettering his mark of 53.23 from the semifinals. Aikins was .02 behind the second-place finisher in the race.

Prelims

W 400 IM (to finals)
5. Leah Hayes-4:42.37
7. Leah Smith-4:43.45
Ella Nelson-4:52.67

W 100 BACK (to semifinals)
7. Claire Curzan-59.43
Reilly Tiltmann-1:00.93
Izzy Bradley-1:01.62 (PB)
Tess Howley-1:02.44
Charlotte Wilson-1:02.66

M 800 FREE
Dillon Wright-8:18.91

Day 2 – June 16
Gretchen Walsh Makes U.S. Olympic Team in 100 Fly
Virginia rising senior Gretchen Walsh earned a spot on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming team after winning the 100 Fly on Sunday night at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis. Walsh, who set the world record during Saturday’s semifinals with a time of 55.18, touched the wall first in the finals with a clocking of 55.31. That stands as the second fastest time ever in the event. In the finals, Walsh was .21 seconds faster than Torri Huske, who held the world record entering the trials.

UVA teammate Claire Curzan was fourth in the race, finishing with a time of 57.47.

A trio of UVA competitors set personal best marks in the 100 breaststroke to advance to Monday’s finals. Emma Weber posted the third best time (1:06.48) in the semifinals, winning her heat and beating reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby in the process. Alex Walsh was sixth (1:06.87) and Ella Nelson finished seventh (1:07.41) in the semifinals.

Former Cavalier Paige Madden advanced to the finals of the 200 Free by finishing third in the semifinals. She posted a personal best time of 1:56.36.

On the men’s side, Noah Nichols finished fifth in the 100 Breast with a time of 59.69. In the 100 Back, Jack Aikins reset the UVA record twice while advance to Monday’s finals. He swam 53.24 during the morning prelims and bettered that in the semifinals to place third at 53.23.

Prelims

M 400 IM
Dillon Wright-4:22.71
Matt Styczen-4:23.53
Colin Bitz-4:27.85

W 100 Breast (to semifinals)
2. Emma Weber-1:06.67
6. Ella Nelson-1:07.66 (PB)
8. Alex Walsh-1:07.82
t18. Zoe Skirboll-1:08.99 (PB) (alternate)
Abby Harter-1:09.38 (PB)
Katie Christopherson_1:10.11
Anna Keating-1:10.95

M 100 Back (to semifinals)
3. Jack Aikins-53.24 (PB)
t17. David King-54.67 (PB) (alternate)
Will Thompson-56.00

W 200 Free (to semifinals)
2. Paige Madden-1:57.04
t. 18 Anna Moesch-1:59.77 (alternate)
Leah Smith-1:59.81
Bailey Hartman (1:59.23) 6^th 1:59.92
Cavan Gormsen-2:00.07
Leah Hayes-2:00.38

Day 1 – June 15

Walsh Sets World Record at U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials
Virginia rising senior Gretchen Walsh became the first competitor to set a world record at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials since 2008 to highlight the opening day of the competition at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. During Saturday night’s semifinal heat, Walsh swam 55.18 to smash the old mark of 55.48 set by Sarah Sjostrom in 2016. She bettered the American record of 55.64 set by Torri Huske in 2021.

Huske will swim against Walsh in Sunday’s 100 fly finals. She posted the second best time (55.79) while swimming in the heat prior to Walsh’s performance.

Earlier in the day, during the morning prelim swims, Walsh turned in a time of 55.94 to set the UVA record, which was the second fastest time in American history at that time.

Former Cavalier Paige Madden likely punched her ticket to the Paris Games thanks to a second-place finish in the 400 free with a personal best time of 4:02.08. Former Cavalier Leah Smith, who owns the UVA record in the event, was seventh (4:09.34).

In the men’s 100 breast semifinals, Noah Nichols posted the seventh best time to move on to Sunday’s finals. He clocked a time of 59.76.

Prelims

W 100 Fly (to semfinals)
1. Gretchen Walsh – 55.94
7. Claire Curzan – 58.17
18. Bailey Hartman – 58.83 (2^nd alternate)
Abby Harter – 59.94
Tess Howley – 59.99
Carly Novelline – 1:00.37
Maggie Schalow – 1:00.62
Note: Walsh second fastest in American history, third fastest in the world this season

W 400 Free (to finals)
2. Paige Madden – 4:04.83
10. Leah Smith – 4:10.09 (2nd alternate)
Cavan Gormsen – 4:14.12
Bailey Hartman – 4:14.16

M 100 Breast (to semifinals)
10. Noah Nichols – 1:00.24

Remaining Daily Event & Broadcast Schedule Featuring Hoos
(Based on pre-meet Pscych Sheet, subject to change)

Hoos’ Events at U.S. Olympic Team Trials

Men

Women