RACE VIDEO: Gretchen Walsh Swims 48.25 100 Fly, Another NCAA/American/US Open Record

By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

2024 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24, 2023
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions: NC State men / Virginia women
• Full Event Schedule
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streaming
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap

Day 3 Finals Recap

Gretchen Walsh has done it again, another ACC title and slew of NCAA/American/US Open records to her name. The Arena partner won the women’s 100 fly ACC title at 48.25 for Virginia, taking 0.05s off her personal best, yet *unofficial* NCAA/American record of 48.30.

Walsh’s 48.25 eclipses 0.21s off Kate Douglass‘ former official 100 fly records of 48.46 from 2023 NCAAs, now officially writing herself as the NCAA/American/US Open record holder in the women’s 100-yard fly.

All-Time Top-10 Official Performances, SCY Women’s 100 Fly

1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 48.25 (2024)
2. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 48.46 (2023)
3. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.51 (2023)
4. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 48.84 (2023)
5. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.89 (2021)
6. Torri Huske, Stanford — 48.96 (2023)
7. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.99 (2023)
8. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 49.04 (2022)
9. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 49.11 (2023)
10. Torri Huske, Stanford — 49.17 (2022)

*Note: According to USA Swimming, Walsh’s 48.30 is an unofficial 100 fly time, however is plainly the No. 2 performance all-time

Walsh cruised to the lone sub-50 top 100 fly prelims seed this morning at 49.32, blazing out in 22.90 but cooling down in a 26.42. She swam the fastest opening and closing splits of the entire prelims field.

In the final, she commanded herself in a fiery 22.41 opening 50, again the only woman across all three finals to break 23 seconds. Walsh strategically diced 0.58s off her prelims second 50 split from 26.42 to 25.84, once again the only woman to close under 26 seconds. Along with her elite underwaters, Walsh swam 4/4/5/5 strokes per 25, totaling 18 strokes to win the ACC title.

To snag the record, she chomped 0.17s off her fastest opening 50, still closed under 26 seconds, also 0.14s faster than Douglass’ former official record closing 50 (25.98).

Walsh has been on an unmatched record rampage, setting four types of new records (ACC conference, NCAA, American, US Open) five different times in either a relay or individual event over the last two days.

Here’s a brief timeline of the recent records Walsh has set, both individually and as a relay member.

• Wed 2/21, 10:07AM: 20.77 50 Free, ACC/NCAA/American/US Open Records
• Wed 2/21, 4:31PM: 19.95 50 Free Relay Split, NCAA All-Time Record Split
• Wed 2/21, 42.13s later: 1:23.63 200 Free Relay, ACC/NCAA/US Open Records
• Wed 2/21, 6:18PM: 20.57 50 Free, Re-Breaks ACC/NCAA/American/US Open Records
• Wed 2/22, 5:16PM: 48.25 100 Fly, ACC/NCAA/American/US Open Records**

*Approximate race times come from Meet Mobile results

SwimSwam’s own Coleman Hodges must be getting onto something here, previously examining if Gretchen Walsh has earned the title of the fastest woman ever. There’s still two more days left of these ACC championships for more Gretchen action to see if Walsh can earn the title as the fastest woman ever.

Originally reported by Robert Gibbs.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 48.46, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• ACC Record: 48.46, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• ACC Championship Record: 48.84, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.69
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 52.20

Top 8:

1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia)- 48.25
2. Gabi Albiero (Louisville) – 50.68
3. Abby Arens (NC State) – 50.72
4. Sophie Yendell (Pitt) – 50.87
5. Christiana Regenauer (Louisville) – 51.20
6. Carly Novelline (Virginia) – 51.77
7. Giulia Carvalho (Miami) – 51.79
8. Jenny Halden (FSU) – 51.99

This seemed inevitable after this swim, but Gretchen Walsh took down the all-time mark in the 100 fly with a 48.25 tonight. That’s Walsh’s second individual record of the meet, after she set the all-time mark in the 50 free last night.

Last year, Walsh’s former teammate Kate Douglass won this event with American, NCAA, and U.S. Open records before lowering the mark at NCAAs the following month.

Walsh won by over two seconds, with Louisville’s Gabi Albiero taking 2nd in 50.68, just under the NCAA ‘A’ cut, followed closely by NC State’s Abby Arens (50.72). Walsh, Albier, and Arens each moved up one spot from last year, where they took 2nd-4th behind Douglass.

SwimSwam: RACE VIDEO: Gretchen Walsh Swims 48.25 100 Fly, Another NCAA/American/US Open Record