Gretchen Walsh Sets Her Eighth World Record at Short Course Worlds

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh set two world records and won her fourth individual title on Saturday (Dec. 14) on the fifth day of the six-day 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary.

Walsh started the evening session by grabbing her fourth individual title of the championship in the 100 Butterfly, setting her seventh individual world record by posting a 52.71.

With the victory in the 100 Fly, Walsh is the first swimmer to set a world record in the heats (53.24), semifinals (52.87) and finals (52.71) of the same event at a championship meet. This is her first time competing in the 100 Fly in short course meters (25-meter pool). She is the sixth American to win four or more individual titles at a world championship.

Walsh started the day by setting an American record in the prelims of the 50 Free, going 23.02 to better her own previous mark of 23.10 set in Charlottesville in October in the Florida dual. She then set the world record in the semifinals, posting a 22.87 to erase the previous mark of 22.93 set in 2017 by Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

Walsh’s two world records were set within a thirty-minute span.

“I’m definitely a little bit shocked, but every single time I jump in, I change something to get better, and so I’m happy that I was able to execute and drop that time lower and lower,” Walsh said. “It’s really just all in the tiny little details, timing, stroke count, kick count for me, but in an event like that [100 Fly], I definitely like to push myself. Especially that last 25. Make it hurt just to get my hands on the wall.”

She will compete in the final of the 50 Free on Sunday, her last individual swim of the meet.

Incoming freshman Katie Grimes, who will join the Cavaliers in January, won silver in the 400 IM, setting an American record with a 4:20.14, taking almost four seconds off the previous mark of 4:24.15 set in 2019 by Melanie Magalis.

This was Grimes’s second individual medal. She won bronze in the 800 Free as well as gold in the 4×200 Free Relay.

Grad student Alex Walsh picked up her third relay medal of the meet, earning silver with the Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay. Walsh swam the freestyle anchor leg in the morning prelims, helping the American team earn the top seed in the finals. She was not on the finals relay.

The meet concludes Sunday, Dec. 15. In addition to the 50 Free finals, alumna Paige Madden will have prelims and finals of the 200 Free. Senior Jack Aikins will have prelims and finals of the 200 Back. The meet concludes with the 4×100 Medley Relay.

The 11:30 a.m. session streams live on Peacock.

World Champions (8)
Gretchen Walsh (4): 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 Free, 100 IM
Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM, 200 Breast
4×100 Free Relay
4×200 Free Relay

Individual World Records (10)
Gretchen Walsh (8): 50 Free (22.87); 50 Fly (24.02), (23.94); 100 Fly (53.24), (52.87), (52.71), 100 IM (55.71), (55.11)
Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM (2:01.63), 200 Breast (2:12.50)

Relay World Records (2)
4×100 Free Relay (Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh)
4×200 Free Relay (Alex Walsh, Paige Madden, Katie Grimes)

American Records (16)
Gretchen Walsh (11): 50 Free (22.87), (23.02); 100 Free (50.49), (50.31); 50 Fly (24.02), (23.94); 100 Fly (53.24), (52.87) (52.71); 100 IM (55.71), (55.11)
Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM (2:01.63), 200 Breast (2:12.50)
Katie Grimes (1): 400 IM (4:20.14)
Relays: 4×100 Free, 4×200 Free

Medals by UVA Athletes (19)
Kate Douglass (5): 3 Gold (200 IM, 200 Breast, 4×100 Free), 1 Silver (100 IM), 1 Bronze (100 Free)
Katie Grimes (3): 1 Gold (4×200 Free), 1 Silver (400 IM), 1 Bronze (800 Free)
Paige Madden (1): 1 Gold (4×200 Free)
Alex Walsh (5): 1 Gold (4×200 Free), 2 Silver (200 IM, 4×100 Mixed Medley), 2 Bronze (200 Breast, 4×50 Mixed Medley)
Gretchen Walsh (5): 5 Gold (50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 Free, 100 IM, 4×100 Free)