{"id":525162,"date":"2023-03-18T15:57:51","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T22:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=525162"},"modified":"2023-03-18T19:17:12","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T02:17:12","slug":"ncaa-womens-championships-gretchen-walsh-scares-100-free-record-to-surge-past-star-studded-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ncaa-womens-championships-gretchen-walsh-scares-100-free-record-to-surge-past-star-studded-field\/","title":{"rendered":"NCAA Women’s Championships: Gretchen Walsh Scares 100 Free Record to Surge Past Star-Studded Field"},"content":{"rendered":"

An another showdown of the top sprinters in the country at 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships, Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh<\/strong> put together the second-fastest race in history and dominated a star-studded field to put her stamp on a special meet, leading Virginia to a third consecutive NCAA title.<\/p>\n

Walsh<\/strong> was out fast and continued to pull away from a star-studded field to win the 100 free in 45.61, just five hundredths away from breaking the American record set by Simone Manuel<\/strong> in 2017.<\/p>\n

“It hasn’t sunk in really because of so many emotions with the national championship (as a team) and everything, but I was really thrilled with that time,” Walsh said. “For me, the 100 free has always been my baby, and it shows all the hard work I put in is paying off. I couldn’t be happier to go that time and win it for my Hoos. It is such a privilege to just be able to be a part of this team. I couldn’t be prouder of this legacy we created.”<\/p>\n

Walsh opened with a 21.72 and continued to build her lead and very quickly the race was for second.<\/p>\n

Stanford’s Torri Huske<\/strong> closed strong to take that second spot and finish in 46.46.<\/p>\n

LSU’s Maggie Mac Neil<\/strong> was just behind in third at 46.58, ahead of Louisville junior Gabi Albiero<\/strong> (46.80) and NC State senior Katharine Berkoff<\/strong> (46.87).<\/p>\n

Only Manuel has been faster than Walsh now, while Mac Neil’s previous NCAA championship time (46.02) is now fourth all time.<\/p>\n

Walsh said the loaded field added a huge amount of significance to her victory.<\/p>\n

“(It means more) totally,” she said. “I was nervous going into it because it really could have been anyone’s race. I took it out because that has always been my race strategy. I wanted to get ahead of the field and I wanted to hold on – and that’s what I did.”<\/p>\n

Ohio State junior Katherine Zenick<\/strong> took sixth (47.27), while Louisville’s Chrisiana Regenauer<\/strong> and Hawaii’s Laticia-Leigh Transom<\/strong> tied for seventh at 47.50.<\/p>\n

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