Gretchen Walsh secured her spot in the Paris Olympics with a stunning performance in the women’s 100-meter butterfly at the Olympic trials, clocking in at 55.31 seconds. This time would have set a world record if Walsh hadn’t already surpassed it in the semifinals.
Previously, the world record for the 100-meter butterfly was held by Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjöström, who set a time of 55.48 seconds in 2016, according to USA Today. Walsh shattered this record in the semifinals with a time of 55.18 seconds.
“I didn’t think I was going to do it tonight,” Walsh said in a post-race interview. “I just knew that I wanted to go a best time, and now, here I am, world record holder. It’s actually insane.
“I was absolutely in awe,” she added. “Totally surprised.”
From the start of the race, Walsh quickly took the lead and extended her advantage as the race progressed. Her shock after seeing her time was evident as she emerged from the water, embracing her fellow competitors in celebration.
Despite her record-breaking performance, Walsh still needed to excel in the finals to secure her Olympic team spot.
“I was definitely nervous,” she said at the finals in a press conference. “I just had a lot of what-ifs going through my head … coming off of breaking a world record and then thinking, ‘I need to do that again, or I might miss the team.’”
Walsh performed admirably, earning her place in the Olympics for the first time.
In addition to her victory in the 100-meter butterfly, Walsh also placed second in the 50-meter freestyle and third in the 100-meter freestyle. She will compete in these events at the Olympics, as well as in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, giving her a chance at four gold medals.
Walsh’s sister, Alex Walsh, also a swimmer, won the silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This year, Alex secured third place in the 200-meter breaststroke and second in the 200-meter individual medley during the Olympic trials, according to the Olympic Games.
