Fluidra Race Video of the Week: Gretchen Walsh Shatters 100 Fly World Record In 54.33

History repeated itself last weekend in Fort Lauderdale, as Gretchen Walsh obliterated the world record in the women’s 100 butterfly in the same pool she did 12 months prior.

After becoming the first woman to break the 55-second barrier at the 2025 Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series in 54.60, Walsh unleashed a time of 54.33 at the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open, knocking 27 one-hundredths off her previous mark.

The swim came 364 days after she set the previous record.

RACE VIDEO

Already the only woman under the 55-second barrier, the performance makes Walsh the fastest woman in history by more than a second, with former world record holder Sarah Sjostrom ranking #2 all-time in 55.48.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Butterfly (LCM)

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.33 – 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open
2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 55.48 – 2016 Olympic Games
3. Torri Huske (USA), 55.52 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
4. Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.59 – 2021 Olympic Games
5. Zhang Yufei (CHN) / Regan Smith (USA), 55.62 – 2020 Chinese Nationals / 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
6. –
7. Emma McKeon (AUS), 55.73 – 2021 Olympic Games
8. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL), 55.84 – 2025 World Championships
9. Dana Vollmer (USA), 55.98 – 2012 Olympic Games
10. Liu Zige (CHN), 56.07 – 2009 Chinese Games

Walsh also went 55.39 in the prelims to give her ownership of the 13 fastest swims in history.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 100 Butterfly (LCM)

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.33 – 2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open
2. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.60 – 2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale
3. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.73 – 2025 World Championships
4. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.76 – 2025 U.S. Nationals
5. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.09 – 2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale
6. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.18 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
7. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.20 – 2026 Pro Swim Series – Westmont
8. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.22 – 2026 China Open
9. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.29 – 2025 U.S. Nationals
10. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.31 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials / 2026 Pro Swim Series – Westmont
11. –
12. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.38 – 2024 Olympic Games
13. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.39 – 2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open
14. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 55.48 – 2016 Olympic Games
15. Torri Huske (USA), 55.52 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials

Relative to her previous record swim, Walsh was significantly faster on the first 50, turning 25.09 compared to 25.32 last year in Fort Lauderdale, while she was very similar coming home (29.24 compared to 29.28).

After breaking the world record last May, she delivered a pair of 54.7 swims at U.S. Nationals and the World Championships, where she was 25.1 on the way out before closing in 29.57.

Split Comparison

Listen to Walsh’s reaction to the record here.

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