Gretchen Walsh shatters multiple short-course swimming records in one week
- Gretchen Walsh broke the 100m butterfly world record with a time of 52.71 seconds, marking her second record in two days.
- Jordan Crooks and Summer McIntosh also broke records during the Championship, contributing to 24 records falling in total.
- This championship showcased the intense and competitive nature of swimming, culminating in numerous record-breaking performances.
In Budapest, Hungary, during the World Championships, multiple world records were shattered in short-course swimming events. On a Saturday, Gretchen Walsh, a 21-year-old American swimmer, broke the world record for the 100m butterfly for the second consecutive day. Initially, she defeated the former record of 54.05 seconds set by Canadian Maggie Mac Neil in 2022, becoming the first woman to swim under 54 seconds during the heats. In the final, she set the bar even higher with a time of 52.71 seconds. This marked a remarkable achievement in her swimming career. Less than an hour after this feat, Walsh transitioned to the 50m freestyle semifinal, where she broke another record previously held by Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo at 22.93 seconds, with an impressive time of 22.87 seconds. This exemplified her extensive prowess and endurance within a highly competitive environment. After her remarkable performances, Walsh expressed her excitement, stating, "To break it, on the butterfly, it’s something amazing, it’s crazy, and yeah, I’m really happy with it." During the same day, other swimmers also demonstrated stellar performances, with Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands breaking the 50m freestyle record first in the heats at 20.08 seconds before impressively clocking in under 20 seconds at 19.90 seconds. Crooks celebrated his accomplishments, highlighting the significance of breaking a record twice, which reflects a strong competitive spirit and the ability to perform under pressure. Additionally, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh set a new record in the women's 400m individual medley, surpassing the previous benchmark significantly. Swiss swimmer Noe Ponti also shined, securing his third title and contributing to the record total for the championships. These record-breaking events contributed to a cumulative total of 24 records that had fallen by the end of the fifth day of the championships, highlighting the intense level of competition and extraordinary achievements witnessed in the sport of swimming.