Gretchen Walsh Swims 22.87 50 Free To Break Ranomi Kromowidjojo's World Record

12/14/2024 12:35 PM

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 Short Course 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
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1  | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

Women's 50 free- Semifinal

• World Record: 22.93 — Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Junior Record: 23.69 — Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• World Championship Record: 23.042— Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• 2022 World Champion: Emma McKeon, AUS — 23.04

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA)- 22.87
2. Kate Douglass (USA)- 23.35
3. Katarzyna Wasick (POL)- 23.46
4. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA)- 23.68
5. Arina Surkova (NAB)- 23.69
6. Eva Okaro (GBR)- 23.71
7. Meg Harris (AUS)- 23.74
8. Sara Curtis (ITA)- 23.76

Gretchen Walsh set another World Record in tonight’s finals session. Walsh swam a 22.87 in the second semifinal of the women’s 50 freestyle and will have another chance to break the record in tomorrow night’s final. She broke the previous World Record of a 22.93 that Ranomi Kromowidjojo swam in 2017.

The 50 free was Walsh’s second World Record of the night after she already swam a 52.71 in the final of the women’s 100 butterfly. Walsh spoke of the busy night saying, “It was a quick turnaround but I think it helped me get in the zone.”

Walsh was last off of the blocks with a reaction time of 0.76 but flipped first at the 50 in a 11.13. The US has the top two seeds tomorrow night as Walsh will swim next to training partner Kate Douglass as Douglass swam a 23.35.

All-Time Top 50 Free Performers

1. Gretchen Walsh, 22.87 (2024)
2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 22.93 (2017)
3. Sarah Sjostrom, 23.00 (2017)
4. Nina Gangl, 23.02 (2022)
5. Emma McKeon, 23.04 (2022)

Walsh entered the meet as the t-#5 performer ever with a lifetime best of a 23.10. She then swam a 23.02 in prelims.

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