American athletes added to the medal count on night two of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25-meter), claiming one American Record, two Championship Records, and five medals. In the first event of the night, Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics) and Katharine Berkoff (Missoula, Mont./Wolfpack Elite) went 1-2 in the women’s 100m backstroke. Smith’s time was good for a new Championship Record, and the event marked the second 1-2 finish at the meet for the Americans. 

In the next women’s event, Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia) continued her record-breaking meet by going 50.49 in the women’s 100m freestyle semifinals, earning the top seed in tomorrow’s final and claiming a new American and Championship Record. Later in the session, she added another gold medal, this time in the women’s 50m butterfly final, which gave her the top three times in the event's history. In two days of competition, G. Walsh has broken eleven records – three World Records, four American Records, and four Championship Records. 

Closing out the final individual event of the evening, Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) went 8:05.90 in the women’s 800m freestyle, earning a bronze medal. After her swim, teammates Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), R. Smith, and Berkoff added another bronze to the American medal total in the mixed 4x50m medley relay. 

After two days of competition, USA Swimming sits atop the medal count with 10 total medals, three more than any other country. View the full medal table here.

USA Swimming Meet Notes:

• Ten total medals (6g,2s,2b)
• Five World Records, eight American Records, and nine Championship Records
• Two 1-2 finishes (women’s 200m individual medley and women’s 100m backstroke)
  

Women’s 100m Backstroke – FINAL

GOLD – Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics), 54.55*

SILVER – Katharine Berkoff (Missoula, Mont./Wolfpack Elite), 54.93

*Championship record

Smith on her crown award: “Winning the triple crown at the World Cup was really cool, and I think that doing the crown award here is a fun way to add extra pressure, in a good way. I think it was another opportunity for me to put my best foot forward tonight.”

Berkoff on her swim: “Short course meters is still pretty new to me, so I don’t have a lot of expectations and am just swimming for fun. Especially coming off a big break, I’m really happy with how I did today.”

Women’s 100m Freestyle – Semifinal

1 – Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia), 50.49*

3 – Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./University of Virginia), 51.67

*American and Championship record

Men’s 100m Freestyle – Semifinal

2 – Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkley), 45.29

7 – Chris Guiliano (Douglassville, Pa./University of Notre Dame), 46.08

Women’s 100m Breaststroke – Semifinal

2 – Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club), 1:03.23

16 – Emma Weber (Denver, Colo./University of Virginia), 1:05.36

Women’s 50m Butterfly – FINAL

GOLD – Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia), 24.01

Walsh on claiming the top three times all-time in the event: “It’s really cool to be part of the history of this event. I know it was the longest standing record prior to this meet in short course meters, so it’s really cool to be breaking barriers and going 23 (seconds) in the event. I’m really proud of all the times I’ve put up in the 50 fly over the last two days. I’m hoping to perfect that race more and more as I do more short course meters, but over the moon and so happy for everything I’ve been able to accomplish so far.”

Women’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL

BRONZE – Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 8:05.90

4 – Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala./Sun Devil Swimming), 8:07.22

Grimes on her swim: “It was good, I didn’t really have expectations for this race since it’s short course meters. I just wanted to have a good time. I knew it was a really good heat of girls, and it was just going to be fun to swim with Paige (Madden).”

Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay – FINAL

BRONZE – USA, 1:36.20

Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics)

Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy)

Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics)

Katharine Berkoff (Missoula, Mont./Wolfpack Elite)

Casas on swimming the relay: “I grew up without swimming on a team very often so it’s always an honor, not just to represent the U.S., but to do it with a team of elite athletes. It’s always fun racing with them.”

Berkoff on anchoring the relay: “It is so much fun. I don’t get to anchor a lot in an international setting so it’s really fun to be able to do freestyle and be on a relay with a group I’m not normally with.”

Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Prelim

19 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 57.57

Competition continues through Sunday, December 15. Tomorrow’s action includes the women’s and men’s 100m freestyle final, 50m backstroke semifinal, 200m butterfly final, 100m breaststroke final, 100m individual medley semifinal, men’s 400m freestyle, and the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Meet information and the complete competition schedule are available here.

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