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Gretchen Walsh Breaks Own NCAA, American, and US Open Record With 20.57 50 Free

2024 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

DAY 2 FINALS RECAP

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

  • NCAA Record: 20.77, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
  • ACC Record: 20.77, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
  • ACC Championship Record: 20.77, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.63
  • 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 22.15

Top 8:

  1. Gretchen Walsh — 20.57
  2. Jasmine Nocentini — 21.13
  3. Katharine Berkoff — 21.23
  4. Christiana Regenauer — 21.46
  5. Julia Dennis — 21.74
  6. Gabi Albiero — 21.77
  7. Maxine Parker — 21.81
  8. Sophie Yendell — 21.83

After breaking the American, NCAA, and US Open record in prelims with a 20.77, Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh swam even faster tonight in a 20.57 to break her own records.

Walsh now holds four of the top five fastest 50 freestyle performances ever as Maggie MacNeil was the previous NCAA record holder as she swam a 20.79 at 2023 NCAAs.

Top 5 50 Free Performances All-Time

  1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.57 (2024
  2. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.77 (2024)
  3. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.79 (2023)/Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 20.79 (2023)
  4. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.83 (2023)

Notably, earlier tonight, Walsh swam the fastest 50 freestyle split ever as she swam a 19.95 flying start to become the first woman under the 20 second mark ever.

Like this morning, Walsh was the last one off of the blocks in the 50 freestyle during finals tonight as she had a reaction time of 0.76 (she had a reaction time of 0.75 this morning). Her underwater and breakout pulled her ahead as she flipped first at the 25 mark in a 10.05 and she closed in a 10.52. Walsh was only one of two swimmers under 11 seconds coming home as Katharine Berkoff came home in a 10.88.

Here’s the race video, courtesy of UVA Swimming:

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mds
8 months ago

SwimSwam Swimulator Realtime Converter says

:20.57 SCY is equivalent to :23.49 LCM for a woman (I used age 21 if that is correct)
Sjostrom’s current World Record: :23.61.

THERE: THAT OUGHT TO SET OFF A FIRESTORM!!!

saltie
Reply to  mds
8 months ago

GW is really fast underwater, she won’t go 23.4 LCM, not yet anyway

Pan Fan
Reply to  saltie
8 months ago

She will not go 23.4 LCM ever!

I’ll eat my hat and shorts if that happens.

Go Girl
Reply to  Pan Fan
8 months ago

Better start boiling, bestie

KPS
Reply to  Pan Fan
8 months ago

Can we hold you to that?

Hmm
8 months ago

Need a live look-in at Maggie McNeill’s RBF….

Michael Schwartz
8 months ago

I…don’t know what to say…I mean, I know what my reaction was, but I’m pretty sure my comment would get blocked if I tried posting what went through my mind.

Swimfan27
8 months ago

Not enough according to Amy van Dyken

Pan Fan
Reply to  Swimfan27
8 months ago

Amy Van Dyken is …..

mds
Reply to  Pan Fan
8 months ago

The first woman to break :22.00, 30 years ago at :21.77 winning NCAA for Colorado State.

swimgeek
Reply to  mds
8 months ago

Leigh Ann Fetter for Texas was the first woman to break :22 – in 1990

mds
Reply to  swimgeek
8 months ago

You are right, swimgeek. My error.

:21.92, for Leigh Ann, in 1990, with Amy dropping it to :21.77 in 1994, and that lasting till Maritza Correia McClendon swam :21.69 in 2002.

Didn’t rely on my memory this time, reviewed with USA Swimming first.

Sapiens Ursus
Reply to  Swimfan27
8 months ago

It only makes sense as a troll job. If one were totally clueless you’d thing they’d fixate even more on the objectice metric of the clock, e.g seeing someone pull a body length lead on their 50 relay leg, you’d think you glance at the data and call it out, or praise a record breaking swim…

The condescension is just too much on top of that

William Skinner
8 months ago

Go Gretchen! You Rock! She is on absolute fire this season. She said she wants 3 NCAA records this season individually. I think she could get them: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly.

Gutterlane
Reply to  William Skinner
8 months ago

How much longer ’til the first woman goes 19.99?
Gotta happen!

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

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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