2024 CAVALIER INVITE
- February 9-11, 2024
- UVA Aquatic Center – Charlottesville, VA
- 25 Yards (SCY)
- Live Results: “2024 Cavalier Invitational” on MeetMobil
- Teams: UVA, College of William & Mary, Duke, George Washington, Johns Hopkins, South Carolina, St. Bonaventure, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Richmond, William & Mary
UVA’s Gretchen Walsh swam yet another nation-leading time last week at the Cavalier Invite, popping a 1:52.34 in the 200 IM finals to move to the top of the national rankings in an event that not’s typically part of her championship lineup. SwimSwam caught up with Gretchen after the session to hear her thoughts on that swim, whose decision it was to race it last week, and her overall feelings as she heads into ACCs, NCAAs, and Olympic Trials.
Walsh, who focuses on sprint free, fly, and back, hadn’t swum this event at all in over two years, and her previous lifetime best of 1:58.12 was almost four years old. She shattered that mark in the morning session with a 1:54.71 in prelims, and it was clear that she had more in the tank after she visibly shut it down over the last few strokes.
Heading into ACCs this week, she now leads the country in the 200 IM, 50 free (20.79), 100 free (46.40), 200 free (1:41.32), 100 back (48.77), and 100 fly (49.11). It seems pretty safe to assume that she’ll swim the 50 and the 100 free at NCAAs, but it’s going to be interesting to see which event she chooses on day 3.
Don’t jinx it!
I wasn’t surprised Gretchen led off with weightlifting. That aspect had obviously been missing. Several of us mentioned it in the comment section over the years. It looks like Douglass is stronger also, Curzan needs to do it.
If anyone follows the Australian women on Instagram they are strength and workout dynamos, especially McKeown. I always think about that late in her backstroke races. The strength shows up.
Another overconfident Australian showing their ignorance about NCAA swimming. 👍
Awsi Dooger is literally American lol
not to be rude… but have you seen the way he’s talked about australian commentors on this site lately (other than this comment)??
Awsi seems to dislike Aussie swimmers, especially Titmus. Pretty sure he’s not an Aussie
Awsi Dooger is American and he is the biggest hater of Australia in this site.
Not a day passed without him taking a swipe at Australian swimmers.
Let’s stop talking about these women’s bodies and suggesting how we think they should develop when we have no idea what their regimen is! I think their coaches might know what’s better for them than us
Curzan lifts. Her body is just built differently than those swimmers