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UVA Breaks American, US Open, and NCAA Record With 1:31.73 200 Medley Relay

2023 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

In the very first race of the 2023 ACC Championships, the Virginia women once again showed that they were the best team in the NCAA, breaking their own NCAA, US Open, and American record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:31.73. The relay team consisted of Gretchen Walsh on back (22.65), Alex Walsh on breast (26.10), Lexi Cuomo on fly (22.49), and Kate Douglass on free (20.49). G. Walsh, Cuomo, and Douglass were all on last year’s record-breaking relay.

Previously, the record time was a 1:31.81 set by UVA at the 2022 ACC Championships.

Splits Comparison, 2022 vs. 2023 ACCs:

Virginia, 2023 ACCs (New US Open Record) Virginia, 2022 ACCs (Old US Open Record)
Back Gretchen Walsh – 22.65 Gretchen Walsh – 22.82
Breast Alex Walsh – 26.10 Alexis Wenger – 25.77
Fly Lexi Cuomo – 22.49 Lexi Cuomo – 22.68
Free Kate Douglass – 20.49 Kate Douglass – 20.54
Total 1;31.73 1:31.81

Walsh’s 50 back leadoff time of 22.65 is the fastest 50-yard back ever, beating out Katharine Berkoff‘s 22.76 from 2022 NCAAs that previously stood as the fastest-ever. Walsh’s 50 back was also just the fourth sub-22 50 back recorded in history and the third-ever recorded by her (her previous best time was a 22.81 from 2022 NCAAs, and she also went a 22.82 at 2022 ACCs).

Douglass’ 20.49 anchor leg also ranks as the fourth-fastest 50 free relay split of all-time, behind Anna Hopkin‘s 20.27 and Abbey Weitzeil/Simone Manuel‘s 20.45.

Virginia over a second faster than any other team in the NCAA for this relay. The fastest non-UVA 200 medley relay was recorded by NC State, who swam a 1:32.96 at 2022 NCAAs.

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PBJSwimming
1 year ago

As usual, UVA Swimming is posting videos in record time 🙂 Here is their race vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id7sWJVsSME

buoynopads
1 year ago

but we’re just gonna ignore walshy poo going past 15m on both backstroke walls??

Vaswammer
Reply to  buoynopads
1 year ago

Cute. Wolfies always are in defeat. I don’t think the two people standing at 15Y (with a straight shot at the swimmers rather than a angled view from a camera) after each flip turn are just ignoring what’s going on in the water. Obviously bought and paid for by UVa. Such a shame.

Either way, Mark B. can’t even stop the juggernaut that has far surpassed — and lapped — NC State’s greatest women’s team in history.

Chris
1 year ago

wow. This meet will be defined by the women’s performance. I don’t think the men will hold a candle to them.

Swimfan27
Reply to  Chris
1 year ago

I mean, I don’t know if it’s fair to compare the two. The men are still doing incredibly well in their own right—they’re just sometimes not given the spotlight because the women’s team has 3 of the best women’s swimmers the NCAA has ever seen all on the same team.

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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