Nashville native Gretchen Walsh made headlines at the Paris Summer Games by setting an Olympic record in the women’s 100-meter butterfly semifinal. The 21-year-old Harpeth Hall graduate clocked in at 55.38 seconds, beating the previous record held by Sarah Sjöström of Sweden. Walsh had previously set the world record at 55.18 at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in June.
Swimming for Team USA, Walsh is a standout athlete with an impressive resume. She currently swims collegiately at the University of Virginia, where she has accumulated 18 NCAA championships and 21 All-ACC awards. Her older sister, Alex, is also an Olympic swimmer and will be competing in the 200 individual medley at the Paris Summer Games.
In addition to her individual accomplishments, Walsh is also set to swim in the 4×100-meter relay later in the competition. Fans can catch her in the 100 butterfly final on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. CT, where she will face off against other top swimmers including Torri Huske of the U.S.
Gretchen and Alex Walsh’s journey from their days swimming in Nashville pools to competing on the world stage at the Olympic Games is a true testament to their dedication and talent. Their success is a source of pride for the local community and serves as inspiration for aspiring swimmers everywhere.
For more updates on Gretchen Walsh and other Olympic news, you can follow Sam Sklar, the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American, on X @sklarsam_. Stay tuned for more exciting performances from Team USA at the Paris Summer Games.
Source link
