Virginia training partners Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass have been confirmed as the U.S. women’s entrants in the 100 IM at the 2024 Short Course World Championships. The original U.S. roster released by USA Swimming did not include entries for the 100 IM on either the men’s or women’s side.
At this time, USA Swimming declined to release final entries for the championship.
Walsh and Douglass electrified the 100 IM this fall. At the Shanghai stop of the Swimming World Cup, Douglass became the second-fastest performer in history, setting an American record of 56.99. Hours later in a time trial at the Virginia vs. Florida short-course meters dual meet, Walsh destroyed Douglass’ American record and Katinka Hosszu’s world record (56.51), becoming the first sub-56 second swimmer with a 55.98.
Walsh’s swim from the time trial has been approved in the last two weeks, opening the door for her to swim the event at Short Course Worlds.
Douglass won the women’s rankings at the 2024 Short Course World Cup and along with breaking the 200 breaststroke world record multiple times, lowered her 100 IM best to 56.57, just off Hosszu’s now former world record.
World Aquatics posted Douglass’ event lineup earlier this week, including the 100 IM. She is slated to race the 50 free, 100 free, 200 breast, 50 fly, 100 IM, and 200 IM in Budapest.
Kate Douglass is ready for Budapest 🇺🇸🏊♀️ #AQUABudapest2024 pic.twitter.com/vxtmDXJdu9
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) November 28, 2024
Walsh was originally entered in the 50 free, 50 fly, and 100 fly. However, World Aquatics posted Regan Smith‘s event lineup on social media, including the 50 fly, implying Walsh has opted out of the event as there are only two entries per country – though World Aquatics has likewise declined to share finalized entries.
The other factor to consider is that with Torri Huske dropping out of the meet, a spot is open in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Walsh joined Huske in the Olympic 100 freestyle final and may want to try her hand at the event in short-course meters. Walsh does not have a recorded 100 freestyle time in short-course meters.
Being entered in the 100 IM gives Walsh and Douglass the option to swim the event, though it does not commit them to anything–either could choose to scratch the event in favor of another. The women’s 100 IM competition begins on Thursday, Dec. 12. The semifinals are in the same session as the women’s 100 freestyle final. As for potential conflicts for the 100 IM final, it is in the same session as the women’s 200 breaststroke final, women’s 100 butterfly semifinal, and mixed 4×50 freestyle relay final.
I can’t begin to explain how much I want Claire Curzan on this roster. I know she didn’t have a great trials, but like I wish that her short course swims got her a spot here. 1:46.9 200 Back in yards is crazy talk. God how I wish she was going to Budapest
She was reportedly “sick” in 2023, but swam even slower in Indy this year. I guess that she was even more sick in 2024.
Honestly, I think it was something to do with that 8 day Doha meet in the middle of the year. I think it was hard for Claire to come back up after winning 3 backstroke titles. You could see that after that meet she struggled time wise, and got slower closer to trials. I think maybe she put too much emphasis on that meet, and on top of the pressure of trials, I think it just didn’t go well.
50 fly semis/200 IM finals on night one is a really rough double for KD … 10 minutes between
50 fly is just preparation for the first 50 of the 200IM
Well the post abt Reagan’s line up is no longer on WA Instagram page. So they probably made a mistake and deleted it
Regan not in 200 back either
Wait really?
Yeah if you go to her meet schedule on world aquatics
I mean I just have to think GW will get her on this. Her UWs make me think she will win this going away, but KD can really take advantage of that weak breaststroke of GW’s.
GW’s PR 100Y Breast is 59.7.
Do you think that is weak??
I mean relatively, it definitely is. Like Kate’s weak stroke is backstroke but she’s 50.4 in SCY
and how many breaststroke “strokes” will GW need after her underwater to complete 25M
But they are actually going to have officials on every lane in Budapest and one official will not be doing three different jobs like when she broke the WR.
there were only 2 swimmers in the water when she broke the world record. she had plenty of attention from the officials…
There’s no way Douglass swims that many individual events.
But a boy can dream.
At Golden Goggles a few days ago, GW said on a podcast that she was swimming 50/100 free and 50/100 fly.
I’m guessing that Kate is actually the one who dropped the 50 fly, not Gretchen. Weird that World Aquatics would have that wrong if that is where we land.
She also said in the podcast she’s not swimming 100 IM
It’s possible that both swimmers are in the 50FL. Gretchen received the first opportunity as the top 100FL swimmer and she said she will swim it. I believe that Kate would have the second opportunity to swim the event based on USA selection criteria and the current membership of the team.
based on qualifications and selection criteria, regan has the spot to swim the 100 fly since she got 3rd place at olympic trials
That isn’t the selection criteria. For non-Olympic events there are three opportunities. In the 50 FL the first is 100FL LCM. Gretchen Walsh earned this with her World Record. You don’t continue any further for the second swimmer.
The next swimmer is initially picked from 50FL LCM times, but that swimmer must already be on the team and meet the A time (the second swimmer picked must always meet the A Time) in 50FL LCM or SCM. Once Torri Huske withdrew, only two swimmers met that criteria: Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass. Had Kate Douglass not been available in LCM, the third opportunity would still go to her based on 50FL SCM, where she holds the American Record. … Read more »
I would rather see Kate Douglass go for the World Record in the W 200 IM than the W 50 FL.
Especially when Gretchen’s gonna destroy it anyway
Let’s be honest. Kate’s shot to break the 50 fly record was at the World Cups, and she cam up 0.04 short. GW is going :23.9
Another reason why.