Official announcements from the USA Swimming, FINA, and sports award committees

Gretchen Walsh Sets World Record in 100m Butterfly at U.S. Olympic Trials with 55.18 Seconds

Jun 16, 2024, 12:23 AM

Gretchen Walsh has set a new world record in the 100-meter butterfly during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. Walsh clocked a time of 55.18 seconds in the semifinal heat, making her the second-fastest American in history. This achievement marks the first time a world record has been broken at an Olympic Trial race since Michael Phelps in 2008. The event took place in Indianapolis, where the crowd erupted in celebration of Walsh's remarkable performance. Walsh, a senior at Virginia, had earlier set a personal best of 55.94 seconds during the preliminaries, securing her position as the top seed heading into the semifinals. Notably, the record-breaking performance occurred in a pool on a football field during the first event of the trials.