2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- February 11th – February 18th
- Doha, Qatar
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Official Entries
- Live Results (Omega)
The 2024 World Aquatic Championships kicked off today from Doha, Qatar and already we saw our first African Record go down in the prelims.
Racing in the heats of the women’s 100m butterfly, 25-year-old Erin Gallagher secured the third seed with a swift outing of 57.59.
That checked in as a lifetime best for the Commonwealth Games medalist, beating her previous career-quickest result and continental benchmark of 57.64 which gave her silver at last year’s World University Games.
Gallagher’s outing this morning now established a new African Record and sets her up nicely for tonight’s semi-final, sitting only behind top-seeded Angelina Kohler of Germany (56.41) and Louise Hansson of Sweden (57.45).
Split comparison between Gallagher’s previous and new African Records are below:
Old Record 57.64: 26.89/30.75
New Record 57.59: 26.94/30.65
This women’s 100m fly event is one in which this year’s contenders can capitalize on the entire 2023 World Championships podium being absent. Last year it was China’s Zhang Yufei, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil and the United States’ Torri Huske who captured medals.
The only two women’s 100m fly finalists to return to the pool here in Doha is Kohler and Australia’s Brianna Throssell, giving us a fresh set of swimmers chasing medals in this event.
Gallagher is a multi-South African national record holder owning the fastest-ever marks in the women’s long course 50m fly (25.66), long course 100m fly (57.59), long course 100m free (54.23), short course 100m free (52.70)
Gallagher did not race at the 2023 World Championshps.
