Gretchen Walsh Blasts 21.50 Fly Split, Fastest Ever by 0.35s, in a Practice Suit

by Robert Gibbs 36

January 20th, 2024 College, News, Previews & Recaps

UVA VS NC STATE VS UNC

  • January 19-20, 2024
  • Aquatic and Fitness Center, Charlottesville, VA
  • Double Dual Format
  • SCY
  • Results on Meet Mobile as “UVA vs NCST vs UNC”

Another day, another eye-popping swimming from Gretchen Walsh. Yesterday, she split 20.19 on Virginia’s 200 free relay. Today, she scorched a 21.50 butterfly split to kick off the session on UVA’s 200 medley relay. That’s the fastest fly split in history by a whopping 0.35s, and Walsh appeared to be in a practice suit, not a tech suit.

With that swim, Walsh takes back the top time from former Michigan and LSU swimmer Maggie MacNeil. Back in October 2022, Walsh swam the then-fastest split ever, a 21.91. Just a few week’s later, Maggie MacNeil split 21.85 at the Art Adamson Invite to take over the fastest time ever. Walsh now owns three of the top four times ever, and ACC swimmers account for eight of the top ten splits of all time.

Top 10 All-Time Butterfly Splits, Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay:

  1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia 21.50
  2. Maggie MacNeil, LSU — 21.85
  3. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia 21.91
  4. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia 21.92
  5. Kate Douglass, Virginia /Alex Shackell, Carmel – 21.95
  6. (tie)
  7. Kelsi Dahlia, Louisville – 21.96
  8. Kylee Alons, NC State – 21.99
  9. Alyssa Marsh, Duke – 22.05
  10. Kelsi Dahlia, Louisville – 22.07

Today, Gretchen teamed up with her sister Alex Walsh, who swam backstroke (24.47), Zoe Skirboll on breast (27.91) and anchor Aimee Canny (22.10) to combine for a 1:35.98. UVA currently holds the fastest time in the country with a 1:33.69 from the Tennessee Invite.

Today’s session of the two days meet against UNC and NC State just got underway, and Walsh will presumably have a couple more chances to go after historic times, including the 400 free relay at the end of the session. The mark for the fastest 400 free relay split in history stands at 45.18, which Walsh swam just two months ago at the Tennessee Invite.

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swimmer
9 months ago

You forgot kylee alons. 21.99 at 2023 ACCs

Sweet Sweet Peter Rosen
9 months ago

More than 1 scm world record in her future

Beverly Drangus
9 months ago

Amazing how little we seem to know about “tech” suits when they’ve been around for more than 20 years now

jeff
9 months ago

this was definitely a long time coming – that was a soft 50 fly split record. At the same meet that Douglas swam that 21.95 in 2020, she also swam a flat start PB of 49.73 in the 100, and MacNeil’s 21.85 came at the same meet where she swam a 49.10 relay split that was the fastest relay split ever at the time.

Swimguy
9 months ago

If she’s racing in the swimsuit in a swim meet, wouldn’t that make it a meet suit? The headline says it’s a practice suit which doesn’t make sense to me because it’s a meet, not practice.

There's no doubt that he's tightening up
Reply to  Swimguy
9 months ago

Welcome to SwimSwam Allen Iverson!

Jason
Reply to  Swimguy
9 months ago

Found the non swimmer.

A meet suit is a colloquially accepted term for a technical racing suit. A practice suit is the suit that would be normally worn in practice. Therefore, she swam in a practice suit. People don’t normally practice in technical racing suits.

Don’t think too hard about it. You’re trying to find loopholes that don’t exist.

Swimguy
Reply to  Jason
9 months ago

I’m reading a lot of teams currently doing practice workouts “suited.” Example is at Tennessee where it seems to be a weekly occurence. Were those practices completed wearing “technical practice racing suits” ???

Erik
Reply to  Jason
9 months ago

Is it possible for swimswam to revoke one’s privilege of using a handle like swimguy if these are the types of comments they make?

RealSlimThomas
Reply to  Swimguy
9 months ago

😑

maheny
Reply to  Swimguy
9 months ago

Mr wiseguy over here

Facts
Reply to  Swimguy
9 months ago

🤓

Yikes
9 months ago

Maybe Gretchen should just not taper for trials? I guess LC is a much different beast for her but obviously she does not need a taper or a tech suit to go fast (in SC anyway). Then she won’t have a messed up double taper like last summer.

Last edited 9 months ago by Yikes
Tea rex
9 months ago

If Gretchen swims so well in a practice suit, has she ever tried racing in a snowsuit? Food for thought…

Swammer2009
9 months ago

She’s unreal. Trying not to take her swims for granted!

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