Walsh named Best Female Swimmer at World Championships; Hoos set 14 world records

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh was named the Best Female Swimmer of the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships, which concluded on Sunday at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary.

Walsh had 11 world records (nine individual, two relay) and seven world titles (five individual, two relay) in the six-day meet held in a 25-meter pool to be named the Best Female Swimmer of the championship. She won the title in all five of her individual events (50 SCM Freestyle, 100 SCM Freestyle, 50 SCM Buttery, 100 SCM Butterfly, and 100 SCM Individual Medley) and both of her relays (4×100 Free, 4×100 Medley). Of the 30 total world records set at the championship, Walsh was part of 11 of them.

Of her 15 individual swims in her five events, nine were world records. In the 100 Fly, she became the first swimmer to set a world record in the heats (53.24), semifinals (52.87) and finals (52.71) of the same event at a championship meet. 

She is one of six US swimmers ever to win four or more titles at a single global championship, joining Mark Spitz, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Katie Ledecky and Caleb Dressel.

On Sunday, Walsh set her ninth individual world record of the meet and won her fifth individual title in the 50 Freestyle with a 22.83, breaking her own world record of 22.87 set on Saturday in the event’s semifinal.

She and alumna Kate Douglass also helped lead Team USA victory in the final event of the meet, the 4×100 Medley Relay, in a world record time (3:40.41).

“I feel like short course is really where I found my groove, and I’m just happy to prove to myself that I’m capable of doing stuff like this,” Walsh said. “So it’s been really fun racing in front of this crowd, in front of Team USA and for USA. I’ve just had a really great week, and I am always going to remember and cherish it. I felt so much love over the past week from people here in Budapest watching in person but also back home. I’m sure my friends are watching now. I miss them, so I’m excited to go home, but it’s been a pleasure.”

Douglass won silver behind Walsh in the 50 Free with a 23.05. It was the second 1-2 finish for Walsh and Douglass at the meet, as they also took gold and silver in the 100 IM earlier in the week.

Walsh and Douglass teamed up in the final event of the night, the 4×100 Medley Relay. The American squad featured four world-record holders with Reagan Smith (backstroke) and Lilly King (breaststroke) joining Douglass and Walsh. Smith led off the relay with a world-record split in the 100 Back. Douglass, swimming the anchor, touched the wall in 3:40.41, 3.94 seconds better than the previous world record and 7.43 seconds ahead of the silver medalists.

This is the second relay world record and gold that Walsh and Douglass combined this week after winning the 4×100 on opening night.

Grad student Alex Walsh and junior Emma Weber swam in the morning prelims of the 4×100 Medley Relay, also earning gold in the event.

Douglass finished the meet with seven medals (four gold, two silver, one bronze), two individual world records (200 IM and 200 Breast), and two relay world records.

Virginia swimmers leave Budapest having set a combined 14 world records (11 individual and three relay) winning 10 world titles (seven individual and three relay). They set 18 American records and won a combined 25 medals (16 gold, five silver, four bronze).

Walsh is the second Cavalier swimmer to earn the Best Female Swimmer award at a world championship, as sophomore Claire Curzan earned the title at the 2024 World Aquatics Long Course (50m) Championships in Doha, Qatar in February.

Two other Cavaliers competed on Sunday. Senior Jack Aikins made his first final appearance of the meet, qualifying eighth in the 200 Backstroke. He finished fifth in the final, posting a 1:50.60. Alumna Paige Madden swam her third individual final of the meet, finishing sixth in the 200 Freestyle with a 1:52.93.

World Champions (10)

Gretchen Walsh (5): 50 Free, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 IM

Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM, 200 Breast

4×100 Free Relay (Douglass, G Walsh)

4×200 Free Relay (A Walsh, Madden, Grimes)

4×100 Medley Relay (Douglass, G Walsh; prelims Weber, A. Walsh)

Individual World Records (11)

Gretchen Walsh (9): 50 Free (22.87), (22.83); 50 Fly (24.02), (23.94); 100 Fly (53.24), (52.87), (52.71), 100 IM (55.71), (55.11)

Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM (2:01.63), 200 Breast (2:12.50)

Relay World Records (3)

4×100 Free Relay (Douglass, G. Walsh)

4×200 Free Relay (A.Walsh, Madden, Grimes)
4×100 Medley Relay (Douglass, G. Walsh)

American Records (18)

Gretchen Walsh (12): 50 Free (23.02), (22.87), (22.83); 100 Free (50.49), (50.31); 50 Fly (24.02), (23.94); 100 Fly (53.24), (52.87) (52.71); 100 IM (55.71), (55.11)

Kate Douglass (2): 200 IM (2:01.63), 200 Breast (2:12.50)

Katie Grimes (1): 400 IM (4:20.14)

Relays: 4×100 Free, 4×200 Free, 4×100 Medley

Medals by UVA Athletes (25)

Gretchen Walsh (7): 7 Gold (50 Free, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 100 IM, 4×100 Free, 4×100 Medley)

Kate Douglass (7): 4 Gold (200 IM, 200 Breast, 4×100 Free, 4×100 Medley), 2 Silver (50 Free, 100 IM), 1 Bronze (100 Free)

Alex Walsh (6): 2 Gold (4×200 Free, 4×100 Medley), 2 Silver (200 IM, 4×100 Mixed Medley), 2 Bronze (200 Breast, 4×50 Mixed Medley)

Katie Grimes (3): 1 Gold (4×200 Free), 1 Silver (400 IM), 1 Bronze (800 Free)

Paige Madden (1): 1 Gold (4×200 Free)

Emma Weber (1): 1 Gold (4×100 Medley)