FLASH! Gretchen Walsh Blisters World Record in 50 Freestyle at Virginia Pro-Am
Nearly two years after she set a world record in the event at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, American Gretchen Walsh lowered her global standard in the 50-meter freestyle on Friday night. Racing at the Virginia Pro-Am, Walsh zipped to a time of 22.75, an effort that bettered her world mark of 22.83. Walsh is tuning up for the United States Short Course Trials later this month, a meet that will select the team for this December’s World Short Course Champs in Beijing.
The premier short-course swimmer in the world, Walsh put together her latest tour-de-force performance while competing in her home pool. The outing marked Walsh’s third trip under the 23-second barrier and she is now .18 faster than the No. 2 performer in history, the Netherlands’ Ranomi Kromowidjojo (22.93). Earlier in the day, Kate Douglass went 22.94 in a time trial to become the No. 3 performer of all-time.
Evidence of Walsh’s dominance in the short-course pool can be found in the fact that she owns world records in four events – the 50 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 butterfly and 100 individual medley. She will be heavily favored to qualify for the World Champs in multiple events, and will be one of the headliners when Worlds is held from December 1-6 at the Water Cube in Beijing, the site of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Walsh won seven gold medals at the 2024 World Short Course Championships, including solo crowns in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 butterfly and 100 IM.