Gretchen Walsh Breaks World Record Twice on Final Day of TYR Pro Series

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh broke the world record in the 100m butterfly twice on Saturday (May 3) at the TYR Pro Swim Series stop at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Walsh posted a 55.09 in her morning prelim swim to set a world record in the 100m Butterfly, breaking her own previous world record of 55.18 set at the US Olympic Team Trials last year. In the final, Walsh became the first woman ever to swim the event in under 55 seconds, setting the record at 54.60.

Walsh closed the meet with her fourth gold of the meet, winning the 50 Free with the fastest time in the world this year, 24.33.

Her sister, Alex Walsh, also won gold on the final night of the competition, winning the 200m IM with the fourth-fastest time in the world this year, 2:08.84. It was the second A-Final swim of the night for Alex who finished second in the 200 Breast (2:22.91) behind Virginia alumna Kate Douglass who won the event with a 2:20.78.

Freshman Leah Hayes closed her meet with two third-place finishes in the 200 Breast (2:27.60) and the 200 IM (2:11.52). Hayes made four A-Finals during the meet, logging three top-three finishes.

Junior Jack Aikins placed third in the 100 Back with a 54.69, with freshman David King placing fifth (55.39).

In other A-Finals, freshman Katie Grimes and sophomore Cavan Gormsen finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 800 Free with times of 8:40.47 and 8:40.49. Sophomore Claire Curzan was fourth in the 100 Back (59.46). Grad student Maxine Parker was sixth in the 50 Free (25.10).