Swimming & Diving: Walsh sets new world record at U.S. Olympic Trials

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia rising senior Gretchen Walsh became the first competitor to set a world record at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials since 2008 to highlight the opening day of the competition at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. During Saturday night’s semifinal heat, Walsh swam 55.18 to smash the old mark of 55.48 set by Sarah Sjostrom in 2016. She bettered the American record of 55.64 set by Torri Huske in 2021.

Huske will swim against Walsh in Sunday’s 100 fly finals. She posted the second best time (55.79) while swimming in the heat prior to Walsh’s performance.

Earlier in the day, during the morning prelim swims, Walsh turned in a time of 55.94 to set the UVA record, which was the second fastest time in American history at that time.

Walsh was the women’s collegiate swimmer of the year after helping Virginia to its fourth consecutive NCAA title this year. She won seven first-place medals at the NCAAs and set American, US Open & NCAA records in the 50 free (20.37), 100 fly (47.42) and 100 free (44.83). She was the 2024 Honda Award winner for women’s swimming, the ACC Swimmer of the year and also the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the sport.

UVA’s Claire Curzan will join Walsh in Sunday night’s finals of the 100 fly. She finished the semifinals with the fifth best time (57.24).

Former Cavalier Paige Madden likely punched her ticket to the Paris Games thanks to a second-place finish in the 400 free with a personal best time of 4:02.08. Former Cavalier Leah Smith, who owns the UVA record in the event, was seventh (4:09.34).

In the men’s 100 breast semifinals, Noah Nichols posted the seventh best time to move on to Sunday’s finals. He clocked a time of 59.76.

Sunday the Hoos will compete at 11 a.m. in the prelims for the men’s 400 individual medley, the women’s 100 breast, the men’s 100 back and the women’s 200 free. The 8 p.m. evening session will feature the finals in the men’s 400 IM, the women’s 100 fly and the men’s 100 breast. Semifinals will be contested in the women’s 100 breast, men’s 100 back and women’s 200 free.