Gretchen Walsh On Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay, “We Did Exactly What We Came Here To Do”

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The US women’s 4×100 medley relay closed the 2024 Paris Olympics on a high note, winning gold in a new World Record. The win also allowed the US to top the medal table with 8 gold medals, just one more than Australia’s 7.

Gretchen Walsh swam a 55.03 on the butterfly leg, tying her for the fastest butterfly split of all-time. “We are historically very strong in this relay, and we weren’t about to change things this now,” Walsh said. “We did exactly what we came here to do, and we had so much fun the whole way.”

Lilly King swam the breaststroke leg for the US relay and was on the relay that held the old World Record as well. She also swam on the relay at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “It’s been awesome, this relay is the one we probably take the most pride in as a country,” King said. “I know from being on this relay for eight years, it’s definitely one I take a lot of pride in. I’m just super proud of these girls and what a way to cap off the week.”

Also winning on the final night for the US was Bobby Finke who set a new World Record with a 14:30.67 in the men’s 1500 freestyle. That was about nine seconds faster than his winning time from Tokyo.  Finke also won the US men their first and only individual gold of the meet.

“The world’s getting faster, and I think it’s a really good thing,” Finke said. “It’s a really healthy thing for the sport. If one country is always dominating, I can’t really sit there and say the sport is growing. As much as it sucks that we’re not dominating any more, I think it’s good for the sport, and it shows how far the sport has come.”

Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri returned to the podium in the men’s 1500 freestyle after winning the event in Rio but finishing 4th in Tokyo. “I believe that I achieved a lot in the last years and Olympics, five medals, it’s a lot, and I would never have been able to imagine it at the start of my career,” Paltrinieri said. “But I manage to reinvent myself all the time.”

Daniel Wiffen of Ireland added to his medal tally, winning bronze in the men’s 1500 free. Wiffen won the 800 free earlier in the week, capturing Ireland its first ever Olympic medal on the men’s side. “Happy but disappointed at the same time,” Wiffen said. “Happy because I’m an Olympic champion. I’m a bronze medallist. But disappointed with the time and the race.”

Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden won her 2nd gold medal of the week. Sjostrom won the women’s 50 freestyle after already winning the 100 free earlier this week. Sjostrom is in her 5th Olympics. “I believe that I achieved a lot in the last years and Olympics, five medals, it’s a lot, and I would never have been able to imagine it at the start of my career,” Sjostrom said. “But I manage to reinvent myself all the time.”

Australia’s Meg Harris entered the meet as the #8 seed in the women’s 50 free but came away with Olympic silver. “It was shock just for a second, I had no idea what was going on, but then I looked across the other side of the pool and saw Shayna (Jack) smiling, and that’s when it hit me. It’s amazing.”

The Chinese men’s 4×100 medley relay ended the streak for the US as China won gold in the event. Pan Zhanle had the fastest freestyle split of all-time, clocking a 45.92. “This is magic for me,” Pan said. “We make a good team and we got a good result.”