In what is becoming a familiar result in Budapest, Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia) started the evening with another record-breaking performance in the women’s 100-meter butterfly final. She broke the world record in the event for the third time in two days, finishing with a gold medal-winning time of 52.71. After a quick turnaround, she swam her second event of the evening, claiming another world record in the women’s 50m freestyle semifinal. Her prelim swim in the same event this morning also earned her American and championship records.   

With another day of racing still to come, G. Walsh has already rewritten the standard for individual world records at a single competition. Through five days in Budapest, she has set nine new world records, eight individually and one as a member of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay. The previous record for individual world records at a single competition was Michael Phelps at the 2003 LCM World Championships with five.

Later in the session, teammates Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) and Carson Foster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Longhorn Aquatics) both claimed silver in the 400m individual medley, with Grimes’s setting a new American record. Closing out the night was the mixed 4x100m medley relay, where Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics), Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club), Dare Rose (Jersey City, N.J./California Aquatics), and Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkeley) earned a silver medal, bringing the total medal count for the Americans to 30 after five days of competition.

Heading into the final day of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), the Americans have claimed 16 world records, 23 American records, and 23 championship records. 

USA Swimming Meet Notes:

• Thirty total medals (14g,11s,5b) 
• Sixteen world records, 23 American records, and 23 championship records
• Four 1-2 finishes (women’s 200m individual medley, women’s 100m backstroke, women’s 50m backstroke, and women’s 100m individual medley) 
• Seven events with two American athletes on the podium (women’s 200 individual medley, women’s 100m backstroke, women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 400m freestyle, women’s 200m breaststroke, women’s 50m backstroke, and women’s 100m individual medley) 

The full medal table is available here.

Women’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL

GOLD – Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia), 52.71*

*world record

Race note: G. Walsh also earned a world record in prelims and semifinals. 

G. Walsh on her world record: “I’m really really happy with that race. I’m honestly just happy I was able to go a best time. There was something I wanted to change (from last night), so I made the correction and fixed it. I’m just really proud of the execution. It’s been harder and harder to get through these races just because it’s been a really long meet. I’m just proud of myself for staying consistent and pushing myself to those limits, seeing what I can accomplish.”

G. Walsh on her turns: “I am the type of swimmer who really loves to push my walls, even on my start I want to go to the 15 (meter mark), but even I get nervous about how far I’m going. I just never want to run the risk of going past 15 (meters).”

Men’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL

8 – Dare Rose (Jersey City, N.J./California Aquatics), 49.37

Women’s 50m Breaststroke – Semifinal

3 – Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club), 28.99

31 – Emma Weber (Denver, Colo./University of Virginia), 30.67

Men’s 50m Breaststroke – Semifinal

13 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 26.24

Women’s 50m Freestyle – Semifinal

1 – Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia), 22.87* 

2 – Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./University of Virginia), 23.35

*world record

Race note: G. Walsh also earned an American record and championship record in prelims for her 23.02 swim.

G. Walsh on her meet so far: “The very first day, doing the 50 fly, that was a shock, but I think it was a tell for how my meet was going to go. It got me really excited for the rest of the meet. I was in it for the long haul, it has not been an easy meet, it has not been a short one. I feel like I’ve been swimming more than I’ve ever swum in my life, and it’s really just been paying off. I could not be happier with all the results, I am really proud of myself. I am excited to go back home, but we still have another session, and I’m definitely ready to go out and hopefully save the best for last.”

G. Walsh on her stamina for the meet: “A lot of training goes into this. I feel like I’ve trained for these types of doubles just in sprint events constantly back-to-back 50’s and 100’s, it’s kind of what I’m made for. So meets like this feel a little bit like my bread and butter. It’s definitely been getting harder and harder to finish those races, and really get my hand on the wall as quick as I can, but there’s definitely something inside of me that really wants it every time I dive in the pool. I just make it happen and I find a way, and I execute. I’m definitely just happy with all the results I’ve been able to put up.”

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Semifinal

2 – Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkeley), 20.51

7 – Chris Guiliano (Douglassville, Pa./University of Notre Dame), 20.79 

Women’s 400m Individual Medley – FINAL 

SILVER – Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 4:20.14* 

*American record

Grimes on her American record: “I really just wanted to do my best, and I can’t control what anybody else is doing. Obviously, it was a really great heat of other women, and I knew it was going to be a challenge, but it was fun…this is only my second or third time swimming the 400 IM (short course meters), but I’m really happy with the time and record as well.”

Grimes on swimming short course meters: “It’s a little new for (the Americans), so we’ve all been having a lot of fun swimming new events and getting best times in events we haven’t swam before. It’s been a lot of fun, and this week has been so special. The record with the ladies in the 4x200 (freestyle relay) was super memorable. I’m walking away with a lot of good things to look back on.”

Men’s 400m Individual Medley – FINAL

SILVER – Carson Foster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Longhorn Aquatics), 3:57.45

8 – Trenton Julian (Glendale, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 4:05.81

Foster on his race: “It was good. After a long meet, coming in today it was more about mentally being there and ready to race. It was a struggle to kind of get there mentally after such a long week, but I’m really happy with how (the race) went.”

Foster on standing on the podium with Grimes: “It was super cool. That was the first time doing that with the mixed podiums, and it’s even better when you get to stand up there with a teammate and fellow American, so that was super cool.”

Men’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL  

10 – Daniel Matheson (Peoria, Ariz./Virginia Tech), 7:37.14

18 – Charlie Clark (Sandusky, Ohio/Ohio State University), 7:43.87

Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay – FINAL

SILVER – USA, 3:30.55

Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics)

Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club)

Dare Rose (Jersey City, N.J./California Aquatics)

Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkeley)

Smith on leading off the relay: “We had a really good lineup of people, and knew it was going to be a really close race at the end. I love leading off relays, I think I always rise to the occasion because I know I have a great group of people behind me. I delivered, I was really proud of that, and everyone else did more than their part. It was a great race.”

King on relays: “We obviously put forth our best lineup, as we always do, and I think this is probably the first time we’ve done girl-girl-guy-guy, so kind of a gamble going in. We did our part and had the best race we could.”

Rose on the race: “I thought it was pretty good. My individual wasn’t what I wanted to swim, so I just wanted to go faster than that (on the relay) and have some fun. It was great swimming with these guys and girls.”

Alexy on his closing leg: “That was my first time being on a mixed medley relay, and anchoring against the rest of the heat, which I think most of them were girls. I had fun racing them and trying to catch back up. Regardless of the time or place, it’s super fun and I’m always proud to put on the USA cap and race. It’s been an honor.”

Women’s 400m Individual Medley – Prelim 

11 – Lilla Bognar (Travelers Rest, S.C./Team Greenville), 4:33.77

Competition concludes tomorrow with the women’s and men’s 50m freestyle final, 50m breaststroke final, 200m backstroke final, 200m freestyle final, and 4x100m medley relay final. Meet information and the complete competition schedule are available here.

Keep up with all the latest USA Swimming news by following @usaswimming on Facebook, X, and Instagram.