Gretchen Walsh breaks records to win two titles at NCAA championships
- Gretchen Walsh won the 50-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships, marking her seventh individual national title.
- The Walsh sisters contributed to Virginia's dominance with multiple event victories during the competition.
- Virginia leads the overall team standings with a significant point advantage over competitors.
In Federal Way, Washington, the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships showcased impressive performances from Virginia’s swim team. Gretchen Walsh defended her title in the 50-yard freestyle, clocking in at 20.49 seconds, which marked her seventh individual championship victory. The event was highlighted as her fourth-fastest time, contributing greatly to Virginia’s lead on the team leaderboard. Additionally, she tied her previous record with a leg time of 20.37 seconds during the 200 freestyle relay. That night, Virginia held the first position with 225 points, while Stanford and Texas followed behind. On a following night at the championships, Gretchen Walsh did not disappoint, achieving a remarkable victory in the 100 butterfly with a record-setting time of 46.97 seconds. This feat established her as the first woman to break the 47-second barrier in this event, earning her another individual title. Alex Walsh also made headlines by winning the 100 breaststroke, marking her fifth individual event title and her ninth national championship overall, joining the company of Tracy Caulkins, who previously achieved this success. Virginia continued to lead the team standings, securing 383 points, far ahead of Stanford's 292 and Texas's 288. Other notable performances included Claire Curzan winning the 100 backstroke by a narrow margin of one-tenth of a second. Several teams competed fiercely, notably Stanford, which excelled in the 400 IM event, taking first and third places. This NCAA championship has illustrated a competitive edge among the top swimming programs in the country, with Virginia’s strong presence leading the pack. The atmosphere at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center was electric, fueled by the personal triumphs and records being set by the swimmers, further emphasizing the heights of achievement in collegiate athletics. As the championships continued, Virginia swimmers aimed to solidify their lead and extend their remarkable streaks into the final events as they looked to finish the meet with an even stronger performance.