2020 Olympic medalist Alex Walsh is coming into NCAAs as the 200 IM defending champ. Along with the 200 IM, she also swam 200 free and 200 breast last year. Is she swimming the same events this year at ACCs and NCAAs? No she is not.
When we spoke with Alex, World Championships was still postponed. Of course they are back on now. I didn’t cut the question or Alex’s answer because she said something I’m hearing a lot from elite swimmers. Many were okay with the idea of a light summer. After shouldering the pandemic and an Olympic Games, elites seem to welcome a year with no big event, a World Champs. Alex added more details to this thought-process, which makes a lot of sense.
Right now Alex is all-in on ACC and NCAA Championships, so it’s time to play the game.
NCAA – Alex Walsh Predictions
200 IM? Alex pops at NCAAs, wining the 200 IM in American record time, 1:50.5.
400 IM? I see Alex touching the wall in 3:56, closing in on Ella Eastin’s legendary 3:54.
200 fly? She’ll get top 3, but I can’t predict more than that…
But who cares what I think? What do you think? Drop your opinion in the comments.
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
Great interview!
The format for these interviews is so awkward…
Walsh swimming the 400 IM is very interesting. I wonder if the grand plan is to translate that into LC and go for the 200/400 IM double in Paris. Try to follow in the footsteps of Klochkova, Rice, Ye, Hosszu, and Ohashi. It’s been several decades since an American woman has won the Olympic IMs.
She certainly has as much versatility to her events as Caulkins did – perhaps a sign that the next great American IM champion to succeed her legacy has finally come!
3rd: 200 Fly (1:51.89)
1st :200 IM (1:50.49)
2nd: 400 IM (3:58.85)
I think Carter and Smith are ahead in the 200 FLY (Carter, Smith, Walsh). 200 IM is her’s (Walsh, Douglass, Hartman). 400 IM is Weyant’s, but it’s close (Weyant, Walsh, Forde).
I like your IM time predictions but I think she wins both of them as well as the fly (151.0). She is the most talented and best pure swimmer in the 200 fly – l think that wins out over anything else.
Where did this come from? “…most talented and best pure swimmer in the 200 Fly”??? Since when? This has never remotely been the case. Alex is GREAT. No doubt. But nothing supports this statement. Over Carter AND Smith? Smith is 2nd all time to Ella short course and won silver in the 200 Fly in Tokyo.
But she goes to uva
I love how she basically took her weakest event outside distance free, then said “I’m going to train to swim that at NCAAs”
Seems very team first tbh
If I was her, which I’m obviously not – At ACCs I’d go 200 IM – 100 BR – 200 BR, and at NCAAs go 200 IM – 400 IM – 200 BR or 200 FL based on how breaststroke felt at ACCs. I think 200 FL is the smarter team choice because UVAs got several other great 200 BR scorers especially if Doug swims it. I do, however, think that she has a big drop in her in the 200 BR.
I agree with you but at ACCs I think it will be 200 free over the 100 breast. She just did the 100 br at the cavalier invite, which is a clue that she won’t be doing it at ACCs.
You can get the sense of the emotional roller-coaster these athletes are experiencing. Prepping for WC’s then thinking about a nice summer vacation then right back into WC prep-mode…all the while conf Champs and NCAA and then trials right around corner
…makes me wonder if WCs will be soft, fewer name elites…..which is 100% fine by me. New talent always steps up when given the opportunity to shine…. And if big stars take the break, could be a smart move with the quick 2-year ramp to the 2024 O GAMES.
There is no elite swimmer, who goes to WCs to cruise or have fun. Swimming is a grind and not for soft people. Either you give your 100% or you retire.
If you want to enjoy a sport, you can go play soccer with Lionel Messi.
I think pros – great swimmers – know when to keep their powder dry. Knowing when to hit it hard is difference between good and great.
Maybe advantage goes to NCAA swimmers who still had this season to train for instead of mindlessly training for an unknown meet or ISL
That’s a pretty smart lineup. She’s shown she can put up a really fast 400 IM and 200 fly.