Gretchen Walsh Only Woman to Post No. 1 LC/SC Rankings in Two Events
Of the 17 individual events contested in both the long-course pool and short-course format, only five women’s disciplines featured the same No. 1 ranked performer in 2025. While the World Championships in Singapore attracted the majority of the premier athletes in the sport, the World Cup Tour of North America offered a smaller percentage of premier swimmers racing in top form.
American Gretchen Walsh was the only swimmer to lead two events in both long course and short course, accomplishing the feat in the 50-meter butterfly and 100 butterfly. Walsh posted respective performances of 24.66 and 23.72 in the 50 fly and clocked 54.60 (world record) and 53.10 in the 100 butterfly. Walsh was joined as a double No. 1 by Kaylee McKeown (200 backstroke), Kate Douglass (200 breaststroke) and Mollie O’Callaghan (200 freestyle).
Summer McIntosh could have earned double No. 1 status in four events (400 freestyle; 200 butterfly; 200 IM; 400 IM), but illness forced her to withdraw from planned participation in the World Cup.
Here’s a look at the five events that featured the same athlete in the No. 1 position:
200 Freestyle
Mollie O’Callaghan
LC: 1:53.48
SC: 1:49.36 (WR)
200 Backstroke
Kaylee McKeown
LC: 2:03.33
SC: 1:57.33 (WR)
200 Breaststroke
Kate Douglass
LC: 2:18.50
SC: 2:13.45
50 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh
LC: 24.66
SC: 23.72
100 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh
LC: 54.60
SC: 53.10