Gretchen Walsh breaks world record to kick off U.S. Olympic Swim Trials
Gretchen Walsh began her quest for an Olympics berth in the splashiest way possible. The Virginia star broke a world record in the 100-meter butterfly to kick off Saturday’s first day of U.S. swim trials.
She hasn’t earned the Olympic spot, as yet. Rather, she broke the record in winning her semifinal heat.
Relive her moment, one of the biggest on the women’s sports scene this year
Her time of 55.18 seconds broke Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström’s time of 55.48, which she set at the 2016 Olympics.
It’s the first time an American swimmer has broken a world record at the Olympic trials since legendary Michael Phelps did so in 2008.
The Olympic swim trials started Saturday in Indianapolis. The competitors are swimming at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL.
While Walsh broke record, Katie Ledecky earned 4th Olympic team
If Walsh’s swim wasn’t thrilling enough, Katie Ledecky earned a spot on her fourth Olympics team as she makes a case that she’s the best female swimmer of all time. She won the trials in the 400 free. It’ll be the first of several races she’ll swim this coming week in Indy.
Walsh was riding a wave of momentum into the trials after her sensational NCAA meet back in March. She broke four NCAA records in four individual events. Of course, the NCAA meet is in short-course yards while the Olympics in Paris is in long-course meters.
Those who follow swimming closely wondered whether Walsh could make the transition from short to long course. It’s not so much yards to meters. Rather, the short course races require twice as many turns as those in long course.
“I definitely was feeling it,” Walsh told reporters. “I thought I was dying. (And) I didn’t know I was going that fast and, apparently, I took it out too fast.”
Walsh finished only eighth at the world championships last year in the 100-meter fly. But her world record obviously puts her into the gold medal conversation. She started the day with a personal best of 55.94, the first time she’s gone under 56 seconds. Then in the semifinals, .she dropped 76 seconds off the time from her prelim swim. She’ll compete for an Olympics spot Sunday night.