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UVA’s Gretchen Walsh wins 50 meter butterfly at US Phillips 66 Nationals

Chris Graham
uva gretchen walsh
Photo: UVA Athletics

UVA junior swimmer Gretchen Walsh added an individual event to her World Championship schedule after winning the 50-meter butterfly on Night 2 of the US Phillips 66 Nationals at the Indiana University Natatorium.

Walsh qualified for her first individual event on Wednesday night with her national championship win in the 50 fly. Her time of 25.11 is an American, US Open and Meet record. Walsh had already secured a spot on Team USA as part of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

Walsh highlighted a night that included eight top-10 finishes for Cavalier swimmers. Kate Douglass added the 200-meter breaststroke to her slate, finishing second with a UVA record time of 2:21.22.

Junior Jack Aikins just missed qualifying for Worlds as he tied for third in the 200-meter backstroke. Aikins podiumed with a UVA record time of 1:56.04.

The women’s 200-meter breaststroke A Final was filled with Cavaliers. Along with Douglass, senior Anna Keating placed fifth with a time of 2:26.71 and sophomore Emma Weber was sixth with a personal-best time of 2:27.08.

Junior Reilly Tiltmann improved her own UVA record in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:08.65 to place sixth in the event.

Senior Alex Walsh finished eighth in the women’s 200-meter freestyle and senior Noah Nichols was 10th with a personal-best time of 2:11.83 in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke.

UVA alums Leah Smith and Paige Madden finished sixth and 16th, respectively, in the women’s 200-meter freestyle.

Junior Tim Connery finished seventh in the C Final to place 23rd overall in the men’s 200-meter freestyle with a time of 1:51.35.

Sophomore Zoe Skirboll finished eighth in the C Final and was 24th overall in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:34.88.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].