Walsh Speeds Inside WR Pace For 75m Before Dolphin Edge Proves 0.06 Too Far, American's Gold Setting 50.31 CR
Gretchen Walsh led a 100m free podium that placed 3 new entries in the all-time top 10, with France's Beryl Gastaldello and Kate Douglass, also of the USA. Jack Alexy takes men's 100 free for USA, while Walsh was back in action later, for a 55.71 WR in the 100 'fly semis
Gretchen Walsh nailed another star to her stripes on day 3 at the World Short-course Championships with a 50.31 (2nd all-time) meet-mark record for gold in he 100m free ahead of France's Beryl Gastaldello (50.63, 5th all-time) and the winner's USA teammate Kate Douglass (50.73, 6th all-time).
The American, coached by Todd DeSorbo a the University of Virginia, was out in 11.41, a half-0way in 23.90, 0.31sec inside world-record pace, still 0.15sec up on that at the last turn on 37.05 before her early speed took a toll and he global standard of 50.25, set by Australian Cate Campbell in Adelaide back in 2017, slipped away.
Two More World Records for the USA
Walsh was back in action later, her 55.71 in semis of the 100m medley shaving 0.27sec off her own World record set at home in Virginia in October this year. Douglass was closest to her heading into the final tomorrow, on 56.88.
The session finished with victory for the USA women's 4x200m freestyle quartet of Alex Walsh (Gretchen's sister), Paige Madden, Katie Grimes and Claire Weinstein, who produced the fastest split of any across all teams, 1:50.31: they took down the World record in 7:30.13. The standard had stood to Australia at 7:30.87 since 2022.
Day 3 Gallery - from Patrick B. Kraemer in Budapest
Craig Lord
