BUDAPEST, Hungary – Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh was named the Best Female Swimmer of the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships, which concluded on Sunday (Dec. 15) at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
Walsh had 11 world records (nine individual, two relay) and seven world titles (five individual, two relay) in the six-day meet held in a 25-meter pool en route to being named the Best Female Swimmer. She won the title in all five of her individual events (50 SCM Freestyle, 100 SCM Freestyle, 50 SCM Buttery, 100 SCM Butterfly, and 100 SCM Individual Medley) and both of her relays (4×100 SCM Freestyle, 4×100 SCM Medley).
Of her 15 individual swims in her five events, nine were world records. In the 100 Fly, she became 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. Of the 30 world records set at the championship, Walsh was part of 11 of them.
She is one of six US swimmers ever to win four or more titles at a single global championship, joining Mark Spitz, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Katie Ledecky and Caleb Dressel.
👑 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 👑
Was there any doubt? Gretchen Walsh is named the Best Female Swimmer at the World Aquatics 25M Championships #AQUABudapest2024 #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/gZ6JTOIVyo— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) December 15, 2024
On Sunday, Walsh set her ninth individual world record of the meet and won her fifth individual title in the 50 Freestyle with a 22.83, breaking her own world record of 22.87 set on Saturday (Dec. 14) in the event’s semifinal.
GRETCHEN WALSH. WORLD RECORD. GOLD.
Her 50m free victory gave her NINE individual world records at #AQUABudapest2024. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/CumSL3HJ4V
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) December 15, 2024
She and alumna Kate Douglass also helped lead Team USA victory in the final event of the meet, the 4×100 Medley Relay, in a world record time (3:40.41).
“I feel like short course is really where I found my groove, and I’m just happy to prove to myself that I’m capable of doing stuff like this,” Walsh said. “So it’s been really fun racing in front of this crowd, in front of Team USA and for USA. I’ve just had a really great week, and I am always going to remember and cherish it. I felt so much love over the past week from people here in Budapest watching in person but also back home. I’m sure my friends are watching now. I miss them, so I’m excited to go home, but it’s been a pleasure.”
Douglass won silver behind Walsh in the 50 Free with a 23.05. It was the second 1-2 finish for Walsh and Douglass at the meet, as they also took gold and silver in the 100 IM earlier in the week.
Walsh and Douglass teamed up in the final event of the night, the 4×100 Medley Relay. The American squad featured four world-record holders with Regan Smith (backstroke) and Lilly King (breaststroke) joining Douglass and Walsh. Smith led off the relay with a world-record split in the 100 Back. Douglass, swimming the anchor, touched the wall in 3:40.41, 3.94 seconds better than the previous world record and 7.43 seconds ahead of the silver medalists.
GOLD FOR THE USA! 🇺🇸🥇
Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass claim the women's 4x100m IM relay title after SMASHING the world record. #AQUABudapest2024 | 📺 Peacock pic.twitter.com/5MYqVb8pNM
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) December 15, 2024
This is the second relay world record and gold that Walsh and Douglass combined this week after winning the 4×100 on opening night.
Grad student Alex Walsh and junior Emma Weber swam in the morning prelims of the 4×100 Medley Relay, also earning gold in the event.
Douglass finished the meet with seven medals (four gold, two silver, one bronze), two individual world records (200 IM and 200 Breast), and two relay world records.
Virginia swimmers leave Budapest having set a combined 14 world records (11 individual and three relay) winning 10 world titles (seven individual and three relay). They set 18 American records and won a combined 25 medals (16 gold, five silver, four bronze).
Virginia swimmers have set 17 world records since October of this year.
Walsh is the second Cavalier swimmer to earn the Best Female Swimmer award at a world championship, as sophomore Claire Curzan earned the title at the 2024 World Aquatics Long Course (50m) Championships in Doha, Qatar in February.
Two other Cavaliers competed on Sunday. Junior Jack Aikins made his first final appearance of the meet, qualifying eighth in the 200 Backstroke. He finished fifth in the final, posting a 1:50.60. Alumna Paige Madden swam her third individual final of the meet, finishing sixth in the 200 Freestyle with a 1:52.93.