Gretchen Walsh Breaks Own World Record (Again) With 22.83 50 Freestyle

2024 SC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 10-15, 2024
• Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Roster Index
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick’em
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1  | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

Women’s 50 Freestyle — Final

• World Record: 22.87 — Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 23.69 — Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• World Championship Record: 22.87 — Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• 2022 World Champion: Emma McKeon, AUS — 23.04

Final:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 22.83 ***WORLD RECORD***
2. Kate Douglass (USA) — 23.05
3. Kasia Wasick (POL) — 23.37
4. Eva Okaro (GBR) — 23.66 ***WORLD JUNIOR RECORD***
5. Meg Harris (AUS) — 23.73
6. Silvia di Pietro (ITA) — 23.85
7. Sara Curtis (ITA) — 23.87
8. Arina Surkova (NAB) — 23.95

Gretchen Walsh broke her own World Record again this week in Budapest, swimming to a 22.83 in the women’s 50 freestyle. That broke Walsh’s World Record of a 22.87 that she swam in last night’s final.

Walsh spoke on her busy week as this was her 9th individual World Record of the meet. She earned another $25,000 World Record bonus in the swim. Speaking on her week, Walsh said, “short course is where I found my grove.”

Walsh also makes history as she is the only woman to have broken the 23-second mark twice. Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands held the World Record until last night as Kromowidjojo is the only other woman to have been under 23 seconds before.

All-Time Top 50 Free Performances

1. Gretchen Walsh, 22.83 (2024)
2. Gretchen Walsh, 22.87 (2024)
3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 22.93 (2017)
4. Sarah Sjostrom, 23.00 (2017)
5. Nina Gangl, 23.02 (2022)

Walsh was off the blocks slightly faster today in a 0.73 reaction time. She flipped 0.01 ahead of her record at the 25 mark in a 11.12.