Erin Gallagher Breaks African Record in the Women’s 100 Fly with 57.64 at WUGS

2023 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES

• August 1-7, 2023
• Dong’an Lake Sports Park Swimming and Diving Hall, Chengdu, China
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Page
• Live Results + Schedule
• Live Stream Schedule (All Sports)
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 55.58 (2016)
• WUGS Record: Katerine Savard, Canada – 57.63 (2013)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Zhang Yufei (China) – 56.57 (Championship Record)
• SILVER: Erin Gallagher (South Africa) – 57.64
• BRONZE: Giulia D’Innocenzo (Italy) – 58.33

While Zhang Yufei won the women’s 100 fly tonight at the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, breaking the Championship Record, South Africa’s Erin Gallagher made history as well. After earning the silver medal in the women’s 50 fly towards the beginning of the meet, Gallagher did the same tonight, clocking a 57.64 for silver in the 100 fly.

The performance marks a new career best for Gallagher, who has been swimming extremely well so far in Chengdu. Not only is it a new personal best for Gallagher, her performance marks both a new South African Record and African Record in the event.

Gallagher held the previous South African Record at 57.67, a time which she swam at the 2019 South African Championships. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Farida Osman held the African Record in the event at 57.66, a time which she swam at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest last summer.

Here is a split comparison between Gallagher’s swim tonight, Osman’s previous African Record, and Gallgher’s previous best:

The biggest difference between Gallagher’s swim tonight and her previous South African Record, as well as the African Record, is that Gallagher took the race out more controlled tonight. She was slower on the first 50m than she was in 2019 and Osman was last summer in Budapest, but Gallagher was able to come home significantly faster.

Gallagher also shattered the South African Record in the 50 fly earlier in the meet. She swam a 25.66, blowing away the previous record of 26.05, which she held from last summer’s Commonwealth Games.