USA Swimming closed the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25-meter) with 21 world records, 28 American records, 28 championship records, two world junior records, and 39 total medals (18g,13s,8b). The previous mark for the most world records at a major international competition was set in 1972 when the American team set 13 world records at the Munich Olympic Games. 

To kick off the final evening in Budapest, USA Swimming athletes added another 1-2 finish in the women’s 50m freestyle. Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia) and Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./University of Virginia) earned gold and silver, respectively, with G. Walsh adding another world record to her list of accomplishments at the meet. Later in the evening, G. Walsh and Douglass accompanied Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics) and Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club) on the women’s 4x100m medley relay, where the team shattered the previous world record by four seconds. R. Smith’s 54.02 leadoff leg also broke her previous 100m backstroke world record by over half a second. Earlier in the evening, R. Smith earned a world record in her individual event, the women’s 200m backstroke (1:58.04). She brings home four world records, five American records, four championship records, and a triple crown award for her backstroke swims at this meet. Earlier in the evening, King went 28.91 in the women’s 50m breaststroke, giving her 14 total medals across her Short Course World Championships career. 

The men’s 200m freestyle added another world record to the American total when Luke Hobson (Reno, Calif./University of Texas) won gold and broke his previous world record from Friday’s 4x200m freestyle relay lead off split, lowering his time by about a half a second to 1:38.61. In the women's 200m freestyle, Claire Weinstein (White Plains, N.Y./Sandpipers of Nevada) went 1:51.62, earning her second world junior record of the day after previously breaking the record in prelims. Her finals swim also broke an American record from 2009 and earned her a bronze medal. Earlier in the evening, Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkeley) clocked 20.61 in the men’s 50m freestyle, solidifying another spot of the podium.

USA Swimming Meet Notes:

• Thirty-nine total medals (18g,13s,8b) 
• Twenty-one world records, 29 American records, 28 championship records, and two world junior records
• Five 1-2 finishes (women’s 200m individual medley, women’s 100m backstroke, women’s 50m backstroke, women’s 100m individual medley, and women’s 50m freestyle) 
• Eight 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, women’s 100m individual medley, and women’s 50m freestyle) 
  

The full medal table is available here.

Women’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL

GOLD – Gretchen Walsh (Nashville, Tenn./University of Virginia), 22.83* 

SILVER – Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./University of Virginia), 23.05

*world record

Race note: G. Walsh also earned an American record and championship record in prelims for her 23.02 swim and world record in semifinals for her 22.87 swim.

G. Walsh on her earnings: “I consider swimming a full time job, being a student-athlete is a lot. I’m just starting a little bit early, when other people just start a little later in their careers. I’m going to save, I’m going to invest, and I’m hopefully going to keep swimming for a long time. This isn’t that high of a revenue sport, but it’s growing and I’m happy to be a part of that growth, especially seeing people be able to make a career out of it.”

Men’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL

BRONZE – Jack Alexy (Mendham, N.J./University of California – Berkeley), 20.61

4– Chris Guiliano (Douglassville, Pa./University of Notre Dame), 20.78

Women’s 50m Breaststroke – FINAL

BRONZE – Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club), 28.91

Women’s 200m Backstroke– FINAL 

GOLD – Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics), 1:58.04*

4 – Phoebe Bacon (Chevy Chase, Md./Wisconsin Aquatics), 2:00.76

*world record

Men’s 200m Backstroke– FINAL

5 – Jack Aikins (Atlanta, Ga./University of Virginia), 1:50.60

Women’s 200m Freestyle – FINAL 

BRONZE – Claire Weinstein (White Plains, N.Y./Sandpipers of Nevada), 1:51.62*

6 – Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala./Sun Devil Swimming), 1:52.93

*world junior and American record

Race note: Weinstein also earned the world junior record in prelims from her 1:52.51 swim.

Weinstein on her swim: “I did go out too fast, but I’m so proud of the time, it’s the world junior record and I’m proud of that. A world junior record is such an honor, so to lower it (from the morning swim) is amazing.”

Men’s 200m Freestyle – FINAL

GOLD – Luke Hobson (Reno, Calif./University of Texas), 1:38.61*

5 – Kieran Smith (Ridgefield, Conn./Gator Swim Club), 1:41.57

*world record

Hobson on breaking his world record from Friday: “Yesterday was my third ever time swimming a 200 (freestyle) short course meters, so I didn’t really know how to swim it. I looked at (my semifinal swim) and found a few things I could tweak, and that gave me a little more in the backend. I executed that well in this race and dropped a little bit more off that time.”

Hobson on leading by example: “Honestly, in our team, I feel like I lead by example. I just do what I think is the right thing at practice – try to get my work in and be the best that I can every day. Trying to show others what they should do to be at the level I’m at now, and the level I want to get to eventually.”

Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay – FINAL

GOLD – USA, 3:40.41*

Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Longhorn Aquatics), 54.02**

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

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

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

*world record

**world record lead off split

R. Smith on three world records in one day: “It feels good. I love this relay so much, I love these girls. We all have individual world records, which is insane. I’m so proud of us and having the four of us come together and do what we just did is really special. It never gets old. Happy to go out with a bang for Team USA.”

King on the relay team: “Honestly, (the ready room) was pretty chaotic. Regan (Smith) was running from awards, I was running from awards, and (Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass) had forty races combined this week. It was the last race and we just wanted to have fun, everybody else is so serious and we don’t have to do that.”

G. Walsh on her week: “I love ending the meet on this note. The 4x100 women’s medley relay has a very special place in my heart, and I know it has one in (my teammates) hearts too. We love to come out, have fun like Lilly (King) said, and break world records by four seconds.”

Douglass on how this relay sets up the next year: “This meet, as a whole, has been so great for our entire team, and I think for a lot of swimmers around the world. This gives us a lot of momentum going into the next four years. I think we are all having a lot of fun, it’s so great.”

Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay – FINAL

SILVER – USA, 3:19.03

Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics)

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

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

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

Casas on the relay: “It was solid. It was a great week and we wrapped it up as best as we could. Great fight, and it took a world record to win. We did our best and that’s all you can ask for.”

Andrew on the relay: “Everyone swam great. I feel like I let the team down a little bit in my leg. I know I didn’t swim at the level I know I’m capable of. I won’t let that happen again.”

Rose on the silver medal: “It’s awesome. It’s just great being on a relay with three guys you know you can count on and just have fun out there. It’s an awesome way to end this long meet.”

Alexy on the relay: “We all came together, and as Shaine (Casas) said it took a world record to win. Obviously, each time we get up on the blocks the goal and expectation is to win, sometimes it goes our way and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m still proud of this group and our team this week. It’s a great start to the next quad.”

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