2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Three Women Under 56 in the 100 Fly & Its Just the Semis

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

• June 15-23, 2024
• Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Session Start Times (ET):
  • 11 a.m. Prelims
  • 7:45 p.m. Finals (varying based on broadcast needs)
• Meet Central
• Broadcast Info
• SwimSwam’s Definitive Guide to Trials
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Prelims: Day 1
• Finals: Day 1

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2016 Olympic Games
• American Record: 55.64, Torri Huske – 2022 World Championships
• U.S. Open Record: 55.66, Torri Huske (USA) – 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials
• World Junior Record: 56.20, Claire Curzan (USA) – 2021 TAC Titans Premier Invitational
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Torri Huske, 55.66
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 57.92

Finals Qualifiers: 

1. Gretchen Walsh (NAC), 55.18 WR
2. Torri Huske (AAC), 55.79
3. Regan Smith (TXLA), 55.92
4. Alex Shackell (CSC), 56.78
5. Claire Curzan (TAC), 57.24
6. Emma Sticklen (TXLA), 57.77
7. Beata Nelson (UN-WI), 57.80
8. Kelly Pash (TXLA), 57.97

We could spend thousands of words breaking down the swims of Gretchen Walsh (don’t worry, we will cover that one), Torri Huske, and Regan Smith. But perhaps the bigger story is the fact that three swimmers all swam under the vaunted 56-second barrier. We know Torri Huske has been, as she first broke the American Record in 2021, setting the number of Americans under 56 at two (Dana Vollmer was the first member). Gretchen Walsh joined the illustrious club this morning and obviously took the Club presidency this evening, but hopefully, not lost in the shuffle is Regan Smith‘s performance.

Swimming out of lane 5 in the 2nd heat of the 100 fly, Regan Smith posted a new personal best of 55.92, erasing her old mark of 56.26 from just last month. The writing has been on the wall for Smith to hit a new PB, as she has been improving in the fly events over the past few years. Her swim tonight throws her into even greater contention for tomorrow’s final and should really cement her front-runner status in the 200 fly, as she came faster than anyone in the field by over half a second.

If Smith can work on that fast twitch muscle and take out the first leg a little faster, that could easily be amongst the best fliers ever.

While not her season best, Huske improved upon her time from this morning and seems to be sticking to her own race plan and steadily improving for tomorrow’s final, where she will look to hunt down the newly minted WR holder.

With Smith’s joining the sub-56 club, besides being able to field a fast 4×100 fly relay, the US women should put all questions behind them regarding who will swim the fly leg in the Medley Relay. With all three of them potentially medal winners in Paris, should they qualify, the Mixed Medley Relay may return to having an MMFF order.

All-Time Top Performers, Women’s 100-Meter Butterfly:

1. Gretchen Walsh, United States — 55.18 (2024)
2. Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 55.48 (2016)
3. Maggie MacNeil, Canada — 55.59 (2021)
4. Zhang Yufei, China — 55.62 (2020)
5. Torri Huske, United States — 55.64 (2022)
6. Emma McKeon, Australia – 55.72 (2021)
7. Regan Smith, USA – 55.92 (2024)
8. Dana Vollmer,USA – 55.98 (2012)

While you can manipulate facts to support any conclusion you want, Regan Smith is the only female in the sub-56 100 fly club and the sub-58 100 back club.