{"id":619770,"date":"2025-08-02T05:32:49","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T12:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=619770"},"modified":"2025-08-02T07:53:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T14:53:59","slug":"world-championships-day-seven-finals-gretchen-walsh-dominates-50-butterfly-for-second-individual-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-day-seven-finals-gretchen-walsh-dominates-50-butterfly-for-second-individual-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships, Day Seven Finals: Gretchen Walsh Dominates 50 Butterfly for Second Individual Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships, Day Seven Finals: Gretchen Walsh Dominates 50 Butterfly for Second Individual Gold<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Day Seven of the World Championships in Singapore, Gretchen Walsh<\/strong> carried the momentum from her 100-meter butterfly gold medal and walked away with another world title, this time in the 50-meter butterfly. <\/span>Despite not being in peak condition, the American star finished with a time of 24.83, a half-second ahead of the field. She established herself as the favorite in the event after leading the prelims with a time of 25.22 and later swimming a 25.09 in the semifinals, securing the top seed for the final.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 50-meter fly marks Walsh’s second individual title of the meet, as she won the 100-meter fly earlier in the week. Despite not being at her best health, she was just two-tenths shy of her lifetime best of 24.66, set in June.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud. That was a great swim,” Walsh said. “It feels great to feel like myself again in the water after a rough week. Two-time world champion. Can\u2019t complain about that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming off an incredible World Short Course Championships, where she claimed seven titles and 11 world records, Walsh has further proven her ability to shine across multiple distances and formats.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event looked different without world record holder Sarah <\/span>Sj\u00f6str\u00f6m<\/span>. The Swedish swimmer, who had won this event for six consecutive years, is expecting her first baby. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games,\u201d she shared on Instagram.<\/span><\/p>\n

When she does return, she\u2019ll have Walsh to contend with, as the former University of Virginia standout is quickly closing in on the 50-meter butterfly world record.<\/span><\/p>\n

All three medalists in this event were pleased with their performances. Second-place finisher Alexandria Perkins<\/strong> of Australia set a new personal best of 25.31, and Belgium\u2019s Roos Vanotterdijk<\/strong>, who earned her second medal of the meet, finished third.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy with that. It\u2019s a bit of a relief to be honest because finals are always so nerve-wracking,” Perkins said. “But I\u2019m really happy with the PB. I\u2019m really glad I controlled my nerves and was able to put the race together better than last night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vanotterdijk has furthered her global reputation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cIt gives me a lot of confidence,” she said. “I’m really happy with how the whole week went. All the steps forward that I made, all the progress that I made, I couldn’t be happier with this. It’s really, really something amazing.”<\/span><\/p>\n