Gretchen Walsh Rips Three SCM American Records Within An Hour At Virginia/Florida Dual Meet

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

Florida vs. Virginia

• October 18, 2024
• Charlottesville, Virginia
• 25 Meters (SCM)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Virginia vs Florida”
• Full Meet Recap

Gretchen Walsh went on a record-breaking rampage during the first hour of Virginia’s dual meet against Florida on Friday.

With the competition being contested in short course meters, it presented a rare opportunity for NCAA swimmers to take a stab at some national and U.S. Open records, and Walsh took full advantage.

50 BACKSTROKE

The 21-year-old kicked things off with a blistering 25.37 lead-off leg on the UVA women’s 200 medley relay, taking down teammate Claire Curzan‘s American Record in the 50 backstroke of 25.54 set at the 2022 SC World Championships. Curzan happened to be on the relay, splitting 24.52 on the fly leg as the Cavaliers won handily in a time of 1:44.14, annihilating the U.S. Open Record of 1:49.02 set by Auburn in 2004.

Walsh also lowered Olivia Smoliga‘s U.S. Open Record of 25.89 in the 50 back, which was set during the 2019 International Swimming League (ISL) Final.

Walsh now ranks #3 all-time in the event, with Canadian Maggie MacNeil and Australian Kaylee McKeown being the only ones who have been faster—McKeown doing so earlier in the day at the World Cup in Shanghai.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Backstroke (SCM)

1. Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 25.25 – 2022
2. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 25.36 – 2024
3. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 25.37 – 2024
4. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS), 25.49 – 2022
5. Claire Curzan (USA), 25.54 – 2022

100 BACKSTROKE

Shortly thereafter, Walsh blitzed her way to a time of 54.89 in the 100 back, matching the second-fastest swim in history and becoming the first American under the 55-second barrier.

The Virginia senior took down Smoliga’s American Record of 55.04, set in 2020, Minna Atherton‘s U.S. Open Record of 55.09, set in 2019, and ties Atherton for #2 all-time in the event, with the Australian having held the world record for five years at 54.89 before it was broken by McKeown last month in 54.56.

Split Comparison

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Backstroke (SCM)

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 54.56 – 2024
2. Minna Atherton (AUS) / Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.89 – 2019 / 2024
3. –
4. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 55.03 – 2014
5. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 55.04 – 2020

50 FREESTYLE

Walsh finished off her trifecta with a third American Record in the 50 free, soaring to a time of 23.10 to obliterate the previous mark of 23.44 set by Abbey Weitzeil in 2021 and match the U.S. Open Record set by Kasia Wasick two years ago.

The swim from Walsh tied for the seventh-fastest performance in history, and ranks her #4 on the all-time performers list alongside Wasick.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Freestyle (SCM)

1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 22.93 – 2017
2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.00 – 2017
3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 23.04 – 2022
4. Kasia Wasick (POL) / Gretchen Walsh (USA), 23.10 – 2022 / 2024
5. –

According to USA Swimming’s database, Walsh has never raced SCM in an official meet until today.

Find the full live recap of the dual meet here.

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