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Gretchen Walsh Ties Sarah Sjostrom for Fastest 100 Fly Relay Split (55.03)

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

WOMEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – Finals

  • World Record: 3:50.40 – USA (2019)
  • Olympic Record: 3:51.60 – AUS (2021)
  • 2021 Winning Time: 3:51.60 – AUS
  • 2021 Time to Win Bronze: 3:52.60

Podium

  1. USA – 3:49.63 World Record, Olympic Record
  2. Australia – 3:53.11
  3. China – 3:53.23
  4. Canada – 3:53.91
  5. Japan – 3:56.17
  6. France – 3:56.29
  7. Sweden – 3:56.92
  8. Netherlands – 3:59.52

The American women took home 4×100 medley relay gold to close the Paris Olympics, breaking their own world record from 2021 in the process. Just a day after throwing down the #2 100 fly split in history on the mixed medley relay (55.18), which also won in world record fashion, Gretchen Walsh tied Sarah Sjöstrom for the fastest split in history (55.03).

The U.S. already had over a two second lead when Walsh dove in. Walsh turned in 25.09 and closed in 29.94 to hand off over a three second lead to anchor Torri Huske.

All-Time Top Relay Splits — Women’s 100 Butterfly

  1. Sarah Sjöstrom (SWE)/Gretchen Walsh (USA)55.03 (2017)/(2024)
  2. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 55.18 (2024)
  3. Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 55.27 (2021)
  4. Sarah Sjöstrom (SWE) – 55.28 (2015)
  5. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 55.32 (2020)

Only four swimmers hold times in the top 10: Sjöström, Walsh, Maggie MacNeil, and Zhang Yufei. All of those athletes were competing in the 4×100 medley relay final, though Sjöström was swimming freestyle for Sweden’s relay.

Walsh broke Sjöström’s 100 butterfly world record at U.S. Olympic Trials this June, a time that had stood since 2016. She earned silver in the individual event at this meet behind teammate Torri Huske.

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IRO
3 months ago

Amazing couple months watching her break out in long course. USA Swimming and UVA, please let her go to Short Course Worlds and tear the record book apart.

Viking Steve
3 months ago

Absolute SuperStar in LA2028

saltie
3 months ago

short course merchant? where are the Aussie girls who go 55 flat? Oh wait… their men can barely go that fast

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
3 months ago

Let’s hope next year is breakout year for Gretchen Walsh in the W 50 FR/100 FR (LCM).

Ricky Bobby.
3 months ago

Bath tub swimmer?

Joel Lin
3 months ago

The future is bright for the US women: Huske, Smith, Douglass, Grimes, Weinstein & the Walsh sisters. That is a young core that will make noise & be at their very highest peak in LA 2028.

Facts
Reply to  Joel Lin
3 months ago

We’ll need a breastroker to replace King tho. Hope Jacoby can regain that fire that fueled her for Tokyo

Joel Lin
Reply to  Facts
3 months ago

Alex Walsh is a potential there.

Eddie
Reply to  Joel Lin
3 months ago

would love to see Alex Walsh become the US breaststroker / IMer

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
Reply to  Eddie
3 months ago

Alex Walsh’s talent lies in the 200 BR/200 IM.

Lydia Jacoby has the talent to replace Lilly King in the W 100 BR.

Lisa
Reply to  Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
3 months ago

I think US women has depth when it comes to 100 BR and not only Jacoby but they also have Kaitlyn Dobler and Kate Douglass who is also 1:06 PB and has the potential to go 1:05

Weinstein-Madden-Ledecky-Gemmell
Reply to  Joel Lin
3 months ago

Alex Walsh replaces Lilly King in the W 200 BR not the W 100 BR.

Lisa
Reply to  Joel Lin
3 months ago

And Douglass too.

Bad Man
Reply to  Facts
3 months ago

Jacoby, Weber improved from 107.3 to 106.1 this year. Hopefully can see her drop down into the low 105 range. A few 107s from HSers right now that just need some development.

Lisa
Reply to  Bad Man
3 months ago

Douglass also looks great on breast this week and a lot of people said she has the potential to go 1:05

Noah
3 months ago

She’s probably like Dressel where her actual start is almost on par with her relay start

‘Murica
Reply to  Noah
3 months ago

Dressel’s relay times are almost always significantly faster than his individual swims.

Isaac
Reply to  ‘Murica
3 months ago

That is true but that is because he swims faster. OP is correct

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