Swimming & Diving: Gretchen Walsh qualifies for U.S. Olympic squad

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia rising senior Gretchen Walsh earned a spot on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming team after winning the 100 Fly on Sunday night at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis.

Walsh, who set the world record during Saturday’s semifinals with a time of 55.18, touched the wall first in the finals with a clocking of 55.31. That stands as the second fastest time ever in the event.

In the finals, Walsh was .21 seconds faster than Torri Huske, who held the world record entering the trials.

UVA teammate Claire Curzan was fourth in the race, finishing with a time of 57.47.

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.

A trio of UVA competitors set personal best marks in the 100 breaststroke to advance to Monday’s finals. Emma Weber posted the third best time (1:06.48) in the semifinals, winning her heat and beating reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby in the process. Alex Walsh was sixth (1:06.87) and Ella Nelson finished seventh (1:07.41) in the semifinals.

Former Cavalier Paige Madden advanced to the finals of the 200 Free by finishing third in the semifinals. She posted a personal best time of 1:56.36.

On the men’s side, Noah Nichols finished fifth in the 100 Breast with a time of 59.69. In the 100 Back, Jack Aikins reset the UVA record twice while advance to Monday’s finals. He swam 53.24 during the morning prelims and bettered that in the semifinals to place third at 53.23.

On Monday, the Hoos will compete at 11 a.m. in the prelims for the women’s 400 individual medley, the women’s 100 back and the men’s 800 free. The 8 p.m. evening session will feature the finals in women’s 400 IM, men’s 100 back, women’s 100 breast, women’s 200 free and the semifinals in the women’s 100 back.

The U.S. Olympic trials run thru June 23 at Lucas Oil Stadium.