Gretchen Walsh Holds Top 8 50 Fly Performances All-Time, 2 Coming From First 50 Of 100 Fly

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Westmont

• October 17-19, 2025
• Westmont, Illinois
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1

Women’s 50 Butterfly — Prelims

• World Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• World Junior Record: 24.55 — Claire Curzan, United States (2021)
• World Cup Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• U.S. Open Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)

Top 8: 

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 24.26
2. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) — 24.91
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) — 25.55
4. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) — 25.66
5. Phoebe Bacon (CLB) — 25.89
6. Kasia Wasick (POL) — 25.93
7. Taylor Ruck (CAN) — 26.15
8. Olivia Wunsch (AUS) — 26.17

Gretchen Walsh now holds the top eight performances all-time in the women’s 50 butterfly heading into tonight’s final. She is the only swimmer to ever be sub-24.3 as Therese Alshammar‘s record of a 24.38 stood until last December when Walsh first broke it at the 2024 SCM World Championships in Budapest. She also became the first woman to go sub-23 seconds with a 23.94 in semifinals.

Not only has Walsh done so eight total times so far, but two of those were on the first 50 of her 100 butterfly. Both of those first 50s came last December at the 2024 World Championships.

ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES, WOMEN’S SCM 50 FLY

1. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 23.72 (2025 World Cup, Carmel Finals)
2. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 23.94 (2024 SCM Worlds, Semis)
3. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.01 (2024 SCM Worlds, Finals)
4. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.02 (2024 SCM Worlds, Prelims)
5. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.13 (2025 World Cup, Carmel Prelims)
6. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.18 (2024 SCM Worlds, 1st 50 of 100 fly final)
7. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.26 (2025 World Cup, Westmont Prelims)
8. Gretchen Walsh, USA – 24.37 (2024 SCM Worlds, 1st 50 of 100 fly semis)
9. Therese Alshammar, SWE – 24.38 (2009)

Walsh has the potential to add a ninth all-time performance tonight in the event where she is the top seed. She also is the top seed in the 100 fly for tomorrow in Westmont, although she was as fast as a 24.79 on the first 50 last week at the first stop in Carmel.