Gretchen Walsh has once again shattered her own world record in the 100m butterfly, clocking 54.33 seconds at a meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This marks the third time in 12 months that the 23-year-old American has broken the world record in the event.
Dominance in the Pool
Walsh, the reigning world champion, now holds the 13 fastest times in the history of the 100m butterfly. Her latest swim came at the same venue where she became the first woman to break the 55-second barrier last year.
“Must be magic or something out here... let’s make this an annual thing, shall we?” Walsh posted on Instagram after the race.
Previous Record-Breaking Performances
In May 2024, Walsh clocked 54.60 seconds to become the first woman under 55 seconds. Remarkably, she had set the world record twice on that same day. At the Paris Olympics, she narrowly missed out on gold, finishing second behind US teammate Torri Huske in the 100m butterfly.
Comparison to Competitors
Walsh is more than a second faster than the next-quickest woman in history, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who swam 55.48 seconds at the 2016 Olympics. In addition to her long-course prowess, Walsh also holds short-course world records in the 50m and 100m butterfly and the 50m freestyle.
Her continued dominance underscores her status as one of the greatest butterfly swimmers of all time.
