UVA Swimming senior Gretchen Walsh won seven world titles and set 11 new world records at the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships, which concluded on Sunday.
Walsh won the world 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 Free, 4×100 Medley).
Of the 30 total world records set at the championship, Walsh was part of 11 of them.
Of her 15 individual swims in her five events, nine were world records.
In the 100 Fly, Walsh 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.
Walsh is one of six Team USA 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.
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 in the event’s semifinal.
Walsh and UVA 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. “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 Reagan 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.
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.
All told, UVA swimmers left Budapest having set a combined 14 world records (11 individual and three relay) winning 10 world titles (seven individual and three relay).
UVA swimmers set 18 American records and won a combined 25 medals (16 gold, five silver, four bronze).
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.
UVA Swimming at the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships
World Champions (10)
- Gretchen Walsh (5): 50 Free, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 IM
- Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM, 200 Breast
- 4×100 Free Relay (Douglass, G Walsh)
- 4×200 Free Relay (A Walsh, Madden, Grimes)
- 4×100 Medley Relay (Douglass, G Walsh; prelims Weber, A. Walsh)
Individual World Records (11)
- Gretchen Walsh (9): 50 Free (22.87), (22.83); 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 (3)
- 4×100 Free Relay (Douglass, G. Walsh)
- 4×200 Free Relay (A.Walsh, Madden, Grimes)
- 4×100 Medley Relay (Douglass, G. Walsh)
American Records (18)
- Gretchen Walsh (12): 50 Free (23.02), (22.87), (22.83); 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, 4×100 Medley
Medals by UVA Athletes (25)
- Gretchen Walsh (7): 7 Gold (50 Free, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 IM, 4×100 Free, 4×100 Medley)
- Kate Douglass (7): 4 Gold (200 IM, 200 Breast, 4×100 Free, 4×100 Medley), 2 Silver (50 Free, 100 IM), 1 Bronze (100 Free)
- Alex Walsh (6): 2 Gold (4×200 Free, 4×100 Medley), 2 Silver (200 IM, 4×100 Mixed Medley), 2 Bronze (200 Breast, 4×50 Mixed Medley)
- Katie Grimes (3): 1 Gold (4×200 Free), 1 Silver (400 IM), 1 Bronze (800 Free)
- Paige Madden (1): 1 Gold (4×200 Free)
- Emma Weber (1): 1 Gold (4×100 Medley)
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Chris Graham
