After breaking the world record in the 100 butterfly on Saturday, Gretchen Walsh kept the momentum going, winning the U.S. Olympic Trials Final on Sunday and earning her first spot on the Olympic team.
The 21-year-old University of Virginia swimmer won the 100 butterfly final in 55.31 seconds, just one tenth of a second shy of the new world record of 55.18 seconds and matching the 55.48 seconds set by Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom in 2016.
“I’m still in shock, I don’t even know what to say,” Walsh told NBC Sports after winning the 100 fly final. “Making the team was the biggest goal, but getting the world record was absolute insanity, so I couldn’t ask for a better first event of the meet.”
Torri Huske finished second to Walsh in 55.52, securing the remaining spot in the race for Team USA. Huske also placed fourth in the 100 butterfly at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Regan Smith, a three-time Olympic medalist from Tokyo, took third in 55.62.