Alex Walsh after Pro Swim: “More than anything, Showing myself I’m ready for a big time drop”

2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale

While her sister Gretchen was breaking American and World records left and right, Alex Walsh had a pretty darn good meet herself in Ft Lauderdale. On the final night of competition, Walsh doubled up, first placing 2nd in the 200 breast (2:22.9) before winning the 200 IM (2:08.8). After the competition, Walsh said she’s moving into the rest of the summer with confidence, showing herself that she’s ready for big time drops in multiple events.

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David
17 hours ago

No way she beats summer in Singapore 200im summer breaks the world record this summer Americans getting overly excited about some pro swim meet. McIntosh will be as sharp as she was at short course worlds.

Big T
1 day ago

Looking for great things from Alex Walsh.

I also think she’ll improve quite a bit. She was a computer science major in college, and that’s a load to balance and carry when you’re trying to win NCAA titles, not to mention qualifying for and competing at worlds and the Olympics.

I think going pro will do her wonders, and as others have stated, she’s young. Lots of room to find ways to improve.

Tom
Reply to  Big T
22 hours ago

In fairness, it’s not like she didn’t have an all-time great college career, computer science major or not.

Eddie
Reply to  Big T
14 hours ago

love this perspective – I think she’ll thrive too and I think she’ll have time drops in all her events, especially the 2 IM and 2 Breast.

Bull Puoy
Reply to  Big T
9 hours ago

# Singapore July 2025
IM = [fly, back, breast, free]
time = sum(IM)
if (Walsh(time) < McIntosh(time)): print(“Alex winssssss!”)

Last edited 9 hours ago by Bull Puoy
Eddie
Reply to  Bull Puoy
6 hours ago

All alex has to do is get that last 50 down – and she will

newbie
1 day ago

Alex said on UW that she reads the SwimSwam comments sections (or at least she did post Tokyo and pre Paris). She’s younger than probably the vast majority of commenters here… hope people show some more empathy with their constructive thoughts and feedback.

swimapologist
Reply to  newbie
1 day ago

Are the comments really that offensive? People think she should pick different events…like if you’re going to be a professional athlete is that really enough to send you?

I hate when people make a mountain out of a mole hill like this.

newbie
Reply to  swimapologist
1 day ago

I don’t think they’re super offensive, but yeah I think some are unkind!! And no I’m not talking about the thread where people are discussing which events she should swim… I actually think that’s extremely flattering that they think she could succeed in so many ways!

Steve Nolan
Reply to  newbie
18 hours ago

I don’t think anyone should ever read the comments – even us, the ones making them – but especially not people discussed in ’em.

MigBike
1 day ago

Great interview even with the 37 “ums”!

Yikes
Reply to  MigBike
1 day ago

Aw I wish we had footage of a public interview you did in your early 20s. I’m sure you were flawless. Do you have any talents besides dragging people on the internet that you would have been interviewed about?

MigBike
Reply to  Yikes
18 hours ago

What do you not understand about “Great interview”? If Alex reads these comments, I truly hope she will become a more precise public speaker. We all look forward to her amazing career reaching even greater heights.

Sparkle
1 day ago

Gretchen going 54 after spending the afternoon at the beach is amazing lore

Random123
1 day ago

what did Alex Walsh do to deserve such terrible comment sections?

Great 200 IM on back half of her double, looking forward to her summer.

Eddie
Reply to  Random123
1 day ago

they’re just mad that Summer Mcintosh isn’t looking in form this year

Tani
Reply to  Eddie
1 day ago

LOL, but you know Summer is going to kill it at Worlds and probably break a whole bunch of world records.

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Tani
1 day ago

What I know is Summer got killed in last 50 meters of the women’s 400 meter freestyle.

ScovaNotiaSwimmer
Reply to  Eddie
1 day ago

Are you talking about the same Summer McIntosh that went 2:07.42 in the 200 IM in early March?

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  ScovaNotiaSwimmer
1 day ago

Summer will have to pick between the W 400 FR (heats/final) and the W 200 IM (heats/semis) on Day 1 of the World Aquatics Championships. That’s in conjunction with the W 4 x 100 FR-R which Canada has no chance whatsoever without Kayla Sanchez and Maggie MacNeil.

Eddie
Reply to  ScovaNotiaSwimmer
1 day ago

yah but she didn’t have a 200 breast 20 minutes before

Admin
Reply to  Eddie
1 day ago

I wish folks would look around and see who’s willing to talk to the fans about their swimming and who isn’t, and take their stances accordingly.

Tani
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 day ago

Who is this in reference to??

Eddie
Reply to  Tani
1 day ago

Who do you think lol

Tani
Reply to  Eddie
19 hours ago

I honestly don’t get who he is referring to

BMays
Reply to  Tani
9 hours ago

regan maybe?

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Eddie
1 day ago

Somehow I’m not worried about Summer McIntosh’s endurance. It’s great she is pushing matters early.

She swam 0 of her 3 Paris gold medal events in Ft. Lauderdale

Tani
Reply to  Random123
1 day ago

Agree, let’s support Alex. I definitely won’t be underestimating her. I do hope she can fix issues related to her stroke in the LCM breaststroke and like someone had said in another thread, work on picking up her tempo instead of ending up barely moving at the end of each stroke.

Tani
Reply to  Tani
18 hours ago

I went back and watched her races, great pull outs and ends up out in front but doesn’t get great distance per stroke and compared to her competition they are taking strokes much quicker

Yikes
Reply to  Random123
1 day ago

I don’t get it either. Alex has always been incredibly classy, she kinda lives in the shadow of her sister and her teammate despite being an elite swimmer herself and she always is gracious toward them even though I’m sure it stings a bit. She makes no excuses when she loses a race or when she got DQ’d in the biggest race of her life. I think she shows a lot of poise for being so young.

Random1233
Reply to  Yikes
1 day ago

Right! This is the type of person we want to stay in the sport and this weird, misplaced negativity can only hurt that.

swimapologist
Reply to  Random1233
1 day ago

Can you please elaborate on which comment you think was so offensive?

I can’t find any. Maybe we need to stop treating our athletes like they’re 8 years old and they’ll develop a little more fortitude.

Random1233
Reply to  swimapologist
1 day ago

Elaborate on where I said any comment was “so offensive.” Her comments sections turn toxic for no reason, that’s all I was saying.

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

I still don’t understand why she ditched the 200 back as a primary event. I mean I understand because the 200 back is misery but she went a 2:08 and won Pan Ams when she was like 17 then never swam it seriously again.
Personally, I wish she wasn’t bothering with the 100 breast and just went all in on the 2 200s she does. But she’ll be good at whatever she does.

Eddie
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

Well if you watched the interview, it sounds like she’s going all in on the 200 breast and 200 IM

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Eddie
1 day ago

I did watch. But she did the 50 and 100 breast at this meet so I have to assume she’ll do those at trials too.

Sparkle
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

She’s said in interviews that she doesn’t like swimming it, and knew that she would have to work on other events to be elite in if she wanted to give it up, which she’s done. She also gets sick after freestyle and backstroke races which I’m sure is a contributing factor

Erin
Reply to  Sparkle
1 day ago

Does she have issues with vertigo or something similar? (I’m assuming what’s making her sick is flip turns, or perhaps overworking something during long axis stroke races.)

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

If I were a betting man, I would place my bet on Lilly King for one of the top two slots in the W 50 BR and W 100 BR at the 2025 USA Swimming National Championships.

YSwim
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

probably seeing where her speed was LCM breast.
events did not conflict with her two 200s on last day.
Alex swam 56.5 100yd to win NCAAs and swam breast on medley relays

alex
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

imitating KD

gosharks
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

Focusing on the 100 breast is the smartest move for her to make. A major vacancy is looming…

Yikes
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

Idk the 200 back is incredibly stacked. She’d have to go a low 2:05 to have a chance at qualifying

That one
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
1 day ago

If u look at her development in Nashville she has been elite in all 4 strokes (pan am bk, ncaa champ br,fly, im and went 4:36 or so 500 free). Sounds like Caulkins from the 80s also from NAC. And as she’s grown the breaststroke has begun to emerge hence she is so strong in IM. Looks like she’s doing exactly what she’s supposed to be doing

Eddie
1 day ago

Love her and cannot wait to see what she does this summer!! We see that confidence shining through alex!!

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Coleman Hodges

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