Gretchen Walsh, Noè Ponti and Jordan Crooks, with thrilling World-record efforts in finals and semis, added to a spectacular count of new standards at World short-course titles in Budapest after five of six speedy days in Budapest.

If Crooks's 50 free semi of 19.90 melted the ice that's locked dash speed behind the 20sec barrier until this day, and Ponti's pioneering 47.71 victory in the 100m butterfly, a Bondian-0.07 inside the standard that has stood to the USA's Caeleb Dressel since 2020, is keeping Switzerland awake as the first snows of winter settle on the Alps, then Walsh's tally of game-changing punches has tilted to avalanche class.

The Nashville native and University of Virginia charge of coach Todd DeSorbo and team started her charge on the penultimate evening of power play with a crushing 52.71 victory in he 100m butterfly, slicing a further 0.16sec off the standard she set in her semi yesterday.

Not for the first time this week, she then kept the motor running and after a quick turnaround took down the World record in her semi of the 50m free, a 22.87 confining to history the 22.93 of Dutch double Olympic sprint champion of 2012, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, back in 2017.

Also on Day 5:

Summer McIntosh, Swimmer For All Seasons & Strokes, Brings Down Sledgehammer Of A 4:15.48 WR

The Canadian’s World-record time in the 400m medley for a third gold at World S/C Championships in Budapest is simply stunning. When fellow Canadian Curtis Myden claimed he inaugural men’s 400IM title in 1993, he clocked 4:10.41. In that same final, McIntosh would have finished fifth by a slither

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Walsh's Winter Wonder

In the 'fly final, gold was gone before the blocks were emptied, Walsh a sprinter with opening-speed power a league beyond any of those in the battle of Budapest today:

Heading into he last day of action, Walsh has already rewritten the standard for individual world records at a single competition: nine new world records, eight solo and one as a member of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.

All of which has contributed to overwhelming dominance of he USA in Budapest, albeit in he absence of the top teams from many of the leading swim nations, Australia the heftiest case in point.

In the detail of the USA's 30 medals (14g,11s,5b) so far, there are, USA Swimming notes with due pride, 16 world records, 23 American records, and 23 championship records, four 1-2 finishes (women’s 200m individual medley, women’s 100m backstroke, women’s 50m backstroke, and women’s 100m individual medley) and seven events with two American athletes on the podium (women’s 200 individual medley, women’s 100m backstroke, women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 400m freestyle, women’s 200m breaststroke, women’s 50m backstroke, and women’s 100m individual medley).

The previous record for individual world records at a single competition was held by Michael Phelps, in the more challenging environment of a World Long-Course Championships, at Barcelona 2003. An amazing count for Walsh, her achievement in the little pool truly outstanding (but not comparable with events such as Olympic Games - far fewer events - nor even World l/c, where the cauldron is all the hotter).

Speaking through USA Swimming, Walsh said:

“I’m really really happy with that race. I’m honestly just happy I was able to go a best time. There was something I wanted to change (from last night), so I made the correction and fixed it. I’m just really proud of the execution. It’s been harder and harder to get through these races just because it’s been a really long meet. I’m just proud of myself for staying consistent and pushing myself to those limits, seeing what I can accomplish.”

Asked about her turns, Walsh noted:

“I am the type of swimmer who really loves to push my walls, even on my start I want to go to the 15 (metre mark), but even I get nervous about how far I’m going. I just never want to run the risk of going past 15.”

Walsh's closest rival for the dash title heading into the showdown is UVA teammate and another who's panned for gold and multiple world records this week, Kate Douglass:

Ponti Takes Down Dressel Standard

Noè Ponti is now the all-time golden swimmer of Swiss swimmers: his first crown, in the 50 'fly, made him the first from his nation to claim a global title in the pool; his second, in the 100m medley has now been followed by a third, in the 100m butterfly - and all three wins have delivered records, World standards in the 50 and 100 'fly and a championship record on medley.

Though his 'fly dash was breathtaking, Ponti's latest punchy pace, perhaps, marks the most impressive of the 2020ne Olympic bronze medallists' three triumphs. Consider the 47.78 of Caeleb Dressel hurtling towards the height of his powers at a delayed Tokyo Olympics. Ponti went 0.07sec faster, in 47.71.

Out in 10.19, to half-way in 22.16, Ponti was 0.86sec clear of France's silver-winning challenger Maxime Grousset, the 2022 World long-course champion, the bronze a full second away from victory, courtesy of Australian Matt Temple:

Crooks Dashes Into The History Book With Debut Sub-20

The form guide and results of the semis says it all, Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands celebrating two World records in a day, on 20.08 and then a shattering, clattering 19.90 semi that placed the first sub-20 in the books.

Now comes a test of the art of holding it all together. In the 100m, Crooks will leave Budapest with the swiftest time set this week - but not he gold. Here's his chance...

In other finals:

Men's 400IM

Men's 1500m free:

Mixed 4x100 Medley: