Gretchen Walsh’s world record in the women’s 100 butterfly

Gretchen Walsh’s world record in the women’s 100 butterfly

Gretchen Walsh of the United States broke the world record in the women’s 100 butterfly by swimming 55"18 in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis.

The 21-year-old native of Nashville, Tennessee’s state capital, improved Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom’s previous record of 55"48, which dated back to the 2016 Rio Games.

Winner of three medals at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka (gold in the 4×100 mixed relay, silver in the 4×100 freestyle and bronze in the 50 butterfly), Walsh è distinguished herself in 2024 with an excellent season in the NCAA college championships with the University of Virginia.

The athlete is now hoping to be selected for her first Olympic Games in Paris, scheduled for July 26 to Aug. 11: to do so, she will have to place in one of the top two spots in the Indianapolis finals.