UVA Breaks American, US Open, and NCAA Record With 1:31.73 200 Medley Relay

Yanyan Li
by Yanyan Li 5

February 14th, 2023 ACC, College, National, News

2023 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

In the very first race of the 2023 ACC Championships, the Virginia women once again showed that they were the best team in the NCAA, breaking their own NCAA, US Open, and American record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:31.73. The relay team consisted of Gretchen Walsh on back (22.65), Alex Walsh on breast (26.10), Lexi Cuomo on fly (22.49), and Kate Douglass on free (20.49). G. Walsh, Cuomo, and Douglass were all on last year’s record-breaking relay.

Previously, the record time was a 1:31.81 set by UVA at the 2022 ACC Championships.

Splits Comparison, 2022 vs. 2023 ACCs:

Virginia, 2023 ACCs (New US Open Record) Virginia, 2022 ACCs (Old US Open Record)
Back Gretchen Walsh – 22.65 Gretchen Walsh – 22.82
Breast Alex Walsh – 26.10 Alexis Wenger – 25.77
Fly Lexi Cuomo – 22.49 Lexi Cuomo – 22.68
Free Kate Douglass – 20.49 Kate Douglass – 20.54
Total 1;31.73 1:31.81

Walsh’s 50 back leadoff time of 22.65 is the fastest 50-yard back ever, beating out Katharine Berkoff‘s 22.76 from 2022 NCAAs that previously stood as the fastest-ever. Walsh’s 50 back was also just the fourth sub-22 50 back recorded in history and the third-ever recorded by her (her previous best time was a 22.81 from 2022 NCAAs, and she also went a 22.82 at 2022 ACCs).

Douglass’ 20.49 anchor leg also ranks as the fourth-fastest 50 free relay split of all-time, behind Anna Hopkin‘s 20.27 and Abbey Weitzeil/Simone Manuel‘s 20.45.

Virginia over a second faster than any other team in the NCAA for this relay. The fastest non-UVA 200 medley relay was recorded by NC State, who swam a 1:32.96 at 2022 NCAAs.

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PBJSwimming
1 year ago

As usual, UVA Swimming is posting videos in record time 🙂 Here is their race vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id7sWJVsSME

buoynopads
1 year ago

but we’re just gonna ignore walshy poo going past 15m on both backstroke walls??

Vaswammer
Reply to  buoynopads
1 year ago

Cute. Wolfies always are in defeat. I don’t think the two people standing at 15Y (with a straight shot at the swimmers rather than a angled view from a camera) after each flip turn are just ignoring what’s going on in the water. Obviously bought and paid for by UVa. Such a shame.

Either way, Mark B. can’t even stop the juggernaut that has far surpassed — and lapped — NC State’s greatest women’s team in history.

Chris
1 year ago

wow. This meet will be defined by the women’s performance. I don’t think the men will hold a candle to them.

Swimfan27
Reply to  Chris
1 year ago

I mean, I don’t know if it’s fair to compare the two. The men are still doing incredibly well in their own right—they’re just sometimes not given the spotlight because the women’s team has 3 of the best women’s swimmers the NCAA has ever seen all on the same team.

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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