Gretchen Walsh Dominates 2024 Short-Course Championships

Gretchen Walsh has been making waves in the swimming world since the start of the 2024 season, quickly establishing herself as a dominant force in both short- and long-course events. From her record-breaking performances at the 2024 NCAA Championships to her Olympic debut in Paris, Walsh’s career has been marked by determination, resilience, and success. However, it was at the 2024 Short-Course Championships in Budapest that the 21-year-old swimmer truly cemented her place among the sport’s all-time greats.

In the early months of 2024, Walsh showcased her extraordinary talent in the yard pool, leveraging her underwater dolphin kickouts and flexibility to win seven titles at the NCAA Championships, breaking records in four different events. Her impressive performance immediately signaled that she was a swimmer to watch. But her greatest challenge came at the US Olympic trials, where Walsh faced the pressure of qualifying for the Paris Olympics, a task she had failed to accomplish in 2021 and 2022. Overcoming her past setbacks, Walsh refined her technique, adding extra strength and length to her strokes. This improvement helped her secure a place on Team USA, where she qualified for the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, and 4×100-meter relay at the trials.

At her Olympic debut, Walsh exceeded expectations, winning an Olympic medal “for America” and achieving two gold medals in relay events, including breaking records in the mixed 4×100 medley relay and the 4×100 medley relay. She also earned two silver medals in individual events—one in the 100-meter butterfly and another in the 4×100 freestyle relay. Her incredible performances in Paris solidified her reputation as a top-tier swimmer, but it was her subsequent performance in Budapest that elevated her to a whole new level.

The 2024 Short-Course Championships in Budapest provided Walsh with the perfect stage to showcase her skills in the 25-meter pool. Months before the event, Walsh made headlines by breaking three American records and setting a new world record in the 100-meter individual medley during a dual meet against Florida. This early success set the tone for what would become an unforgettable championship run. Walsh’s performances in Budapest exceeded the already high expectations, earning her the title of the most successful swimmer at the 2024 Short-Course Championships.

Walsh’s achievements at the event were nothing short of historic. With a total of 11 records and seven gold medals, she became the swimmer with the most records in a single meet, surpassing the previous record set by two of the greatest swimmers in history—Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz. Phelps had previously held the record for most gold medals and record-breaking wins in a single competition during his 2008 Olympic run, where he won eight gold medals and set seven world records. Spitz had also set seven golds, each of which broke a record, during the 1972 Olympics. Walsh’s incredible feat placed her in the same league as these legends, a testament to her talent and determination.

Of the seven gold medals Walsh earned in Budapest, all but one came with a new world record. Her final results in the championships were as follows: 50-meter freestyle: gold (two world records), 100-meter freestyle: gold (second- and third-fastest times in history), 50-meter butterfly: gold (two world records), 100-meter butterfly: gold (three world records), 100-meter individual medley: gold (two world records), 4×100-meter freestyle relay: gold (one world record), 4×100-meter medley relay: gold (one world record).

Walsh’s success in Budapest demonstrated her exceptional proficiency in short-course swimming, an event where the pool is only 25 meters long, and swimmers must make frequent turns, giving them less time to build speed. Given that the short-course format is 60% underwater, swimmers who excel in this area, particularly in underwater kickouts and quick turns, often have an advantage. Walsh, whose main strength lies in her speed, capitalized on these opportunities, making the most of every turn and maintaining momentum throughout her races. This, combined with her superior underwater technique, allowed her to set record after record.

Her continued dominance in the short-course pool came after a stellar long-course season, where she had already made her mark at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite the differences in the two formats, Walsh’s success in both proves her versatility and skill across various swimming disciplines. Her historic victory at the 2024 Short-Course Championships also highlighted her ability to perform under pressure, as she led the Virginia Cavaliers to their fourth consecutive national title in the spring.

The financial rewards for Walsh’s exceptional performances were equally impressive. According to World Aquatics, each individual or relay record earns a swimmer $25,000, and swimmers also receive a bonus of $10,000 for achieving a “double crown” by winning an entire event across all stops of the World Cup and World Championships. With nine individual records at the Short-Course Championships, Walsh earned a total of $225,000. Additionally, her two relay record wins helped her secure another $12,500, bringing her total earnings from the event to $275,000. This substantial amount places Walsh as the fourth-highest-earning swimmer of 2024, based on prize money and performance bonuses at World Aquatics events.

Walsh’s stellar performance, along with the achievements of her teammates Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, and Luke Hobson, helped Team USA secure the best team award, with an impressive tally of 18 golds, 13 silvers, and 8 bronzes. With such an outstanding season, it’s clear that Walsh is a rising star in the swimming world.

As we look ahead to the 2025 World Championships, the big question remains: can Walsh continue this incredible momentum? With strong competition from teammates like Torri Huske and Swedish legend Sarah Sjostrom, it will be interesting to see if she can maintain her dominance in the 50-meter pools after her breakthrough performances in Paris and Budapest. Regardless of the outcome, there’s no doubt that Gretchen Walsh has already established herself as one of the greatest swimmers in short-course history.