Walsh’s three golds part of nine-medal haul for UVA swimmers at FINA World Championships

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Sophomore Alex Walsh highlighted Virginia swimmers at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest with three gold medals. UVA’s three current swimmers and alum Leah Smith totaled eight medals during the championship.

Walsh won gold in the 200-meter individual medley and as part of the 800-meter freestyle relay and 4×100-meter medley relay. Smith also was part of the 800-meter freestyle relay gold. Smith added a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle.

Kate Douglass matched Walsh’s three medals, grabbing bronze in the 200-meter breaststroke and as part of the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay and mixed 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

Emma Weyant closed out the individual events on Saturday with a bronze medal in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:36.00.

Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo was named Team USA Women’s Head Coach for the 2022 World Championships. Along with UVA’s nine medals, he guided Team USA to 25 medals overall. The women won 10 gold medals, five silvers and 10 bronze medals.

Team USA’s 45 overall medals smashed the previous record for most medals won in swimming by a single nation at the World Championships. USA held the record with 38 set in 2017.