Gretchen Walsh facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 29, 2003 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Height | 1.85 m |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle, backstroke, butterfly |
| Club | Nashville Aquatic Club |
Gretchen Claire Walsh (born January 29, 2003) is an amazing American competitive swimmer. She holds several world records in events like the 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle. At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, she won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly. She also set an Olympic record in that event during the semifinals! Gretchen earned two gold medals and two silver medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She also holds a world junior record in the mixed 4×100 medley relay. Plus, she has many American records in various swimming races. These include the 50-meter butterfly, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and 50-yard freestyle.
Gretchen swam for the University of Virginia in college. She became the fastest freshman to swim the 50-yard freestyle in the NCAA in 2022. She also won the NCAA title in the 100-yard freestyle that year. In 2023, she won more NCAA titles, including the 100-yard backstroke with an American record. In 2024, she swept three NCAA titles, setting new NCAA records in all of them. She repeated these championships in 2025, showing her consistent excellence.
Contents
- Meet Gretchen Walsh, Swimming Star!
- Major Swimming Competitions
- Her Fastest Times
- World Records She Holds
- National Records She Holds
- Awards and Recognitions
- More to Explore
Meet Gretchen Walsh, Swimming Star!
Gretchen Walsh was born on January 29, 2003, in Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents are Glynis and Robert Walsh. She has an older sister, Alex, who is also a talented swimmer. Gretchen attended Harpeth Hall School where she set national high school records. She excelled in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events.
In the fall of 2021, Gretchen started her college journey at the University of Virginia. There, she joined the Virginia Cavaliers swimming and diving team.
Starting Her Swimming Journey
Gretchen started making waves in the swimming world at a young age. In 2015, when she was just 12, she qualified for her first national junior competition. This caught the attention of SwimSwam magazine.
Youngest Olympic Trials Swimmer
In 2016, at only 13 years old, Gretchen became the youngest swimmer to qualify for the US Olympic Trials. She was also the youngest to compete there. She swam in the 50-meter freestyle and finished 125th overall.
Breaking Age Group Records
Gretchen continued to break records as she grew. In December 2017, she broke her own National Age Group record for 13–14 year old girls in the 50-yard freestyle. She swam it in 22.00 seconds. A few months later, at 15, she became the youngest American woman to swim the 50-yard freestyle under 22 seconds. Her time of 21.85 seconds broke records for 15–16 year olds.
International Success Begins
In 2018, Gretchen got her first chance to represent the United States internationally. She qualified for the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Suva, Fiji. She competed in four individual events and four relays.
Junior Pan Pacific Championships
At the championships in Fiji, Gretchen won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. She set a new Championships record with a time of 54.47 seconds. She also earned gold medals in four different relay events. These included the 4×100-meter medley relay and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She also took home a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
World Junior Championships Triumphs
| 2019 World Junior Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
4×100 m mixed medley | 3:44.84 (WJ,CR) |
|
100 m freestyle | 53.74 |
|
4×100 m mixed freestyle | 3:25.92 (WJ,CR) |
|
4×100 m freestyle | 3:37.61 |
|
50 m freestyle | 24.71 |
|
4×100 m medley | 3:59.13 |
In August 2019, Gretchen was chosen as one of the team captains for the United States at the 2019 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She had an amazing competition, winning six gold medals!
On the second day, she won her first gold in the 4×100-meter mixed medley relay. The team set new world junior and Championships records. The next day, she won an individual gold in the 100-meter freestyle. She also helped her team win gold in the 4×100-meter mixed freestyle relay, setting another world junior record. Gretchen continued her winning streak with gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. On the final day, she added two more gold medals. She won the 50-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter medley relay.
High School and Olympic Trials
In January 2020, Gretchen announced she would swim for the University of Virginia in college. In February 2020, she set new national high school records. She swam the 50-yard freestyle in 21.59 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 46.98 seconds. Later that year, she won gold in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2020 U.S. Open Swimming Championships.
At the 2020 US Olympic Trials (held in 2021), Gretchen swam her best time in the 50-meter freestyle. She finished fifth overall, just missing a spot on the 2020 US Olympic Team.
College Swimming Career at Virginia
Gretchen's college swimming career at the University of Virginia was full of success. She quickly became a key swimmer for the Virginia Cavaliers.
First Year: ACC and NCAA Championships
In February 2022, at the Atlantic Coast Conference, ACC, Championships, Gretchen tied an ACC record in the 50-yard freestyle. She also became the fastest female freshman in NCAA history for that event. She helped her team set an American record in the 4×50-yard freestyle relay. She also helped set another American record in the 4×50 medley relay.
At the 2022 NCAA Championships in March, Gretchen won five NCAA titles. She helped her team win the 4×50-yard medley relay, setting a Championships record. She also won the 100-yard freestyle title. She helped set new American and US Open records in the 4×100-yard freestyle relay. She also earned silver medals in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Later in 2022, she won the national title in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2022 USA Swimming Championships.
Second Year: More Records and Wins
Gretchen continued to shine in her second college season. At the 2023 ACC Championships, she helped her team set American, US Open, and NCAA records in the 4×50-yard medley relay and 4×50-yard freestyle relay. She also won her first individual conference title, setting new American, US Open, and NCAA records in the 50-yard freestyle.
At the 2023 NCAA Championships, Gretchen won six NCAA titles. She helped set American, US Open, and NCAA records in the 4×50-yard medley relay. She won her first 100-yard backstroke NCAA title, setting new American, US Open, and NCAA records. She also won the 100-yard freestyle NCAA title for the second year in a row. She helped her team set more American, US Open, and NCAA records in the 4×100-yard freestyle relay.
Third Year: Sweeping the NCAA Championships
Gretchen had an incredible third collegiate season. At the 2024 NCAA Championships, she won all seven of her events. This helped the Virginia Cavaliers win their fourth straight team title. She set new NCAA and American records in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and 100-yard freestyle. Her 100-yard butterfly time was the first time any woman swam under 48 seconds. Her 100-yard freestyle time was the first time any woman swam under 45 seconds. She also helped her team break NCAA and American records in the 4×100-yard medley relay.
Olympic Glory in Paris 2024
At the 2024 US Olympic Trials in June, Gretchen set a new world record in the 100-meter butterfly. Her time of 55.18 seconds broke the previous record. This was her first American or world record in a long course (50-meter) pool.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Gretchen earned four medals. She won two gold medals and two silver medals. She won gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay and the 4×100-meter mixed medley relay. Both teams set new world records! She also won silver in the 100-meter butterfly and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. She also reached the finals in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events.
Recent Achievements and Records
In May 2025, during the Pro Swim Series, Gretchen broke her own American record in the 50-meter butterfly. She set a new record of 24.93 seconds. The next day, she broke her own world record in the 100-meter butterfly twice! She first swam 55.09 seconds, then an even faster 54.60 seconds.
In July 2025, Gretchen was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. She received the Honda Cup for her amazing college swimming performances. In June 2026, she set a new world record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 23.55 seconds. She also broke her 100-meter butterfly world record again, swimming 54.33 seconds.
Beyond the Pool: Business Ventures
Gretchen and her sister Alex were the first college athletes to launch a clothing line with a major retailer. This happened after new rules allowed college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). In September 2022, they released their swimsuit line called Sporti x Alex + Gretchen Walsh.
Major Swimming Competitions
Here's a summary of Gretchen's results at major international swimming events:
| Meet | 50 free | 100 free | 200 free | 50 fly | 100 fly | 4×100 free | 4×200 free | 4×100 medley | 4×100 mixed free | 4×100 mixed medley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PACJ 2018 (age: 15) |
 (25.27) |
 (54.47 CR) |
4th (b) (2:01.99) |
16th (h) (1:02.27) |
(3:40.10) |
(7:57.93 CR) |
(4:02.33 CR) |
N/A | (3:47.01 CR) |
|
| WJC 2019 (age: 16) |
(24.71) |
(53.74) |
(3:37.61) |
(3:59.13) |
(3:25.92 WJ, CR) |
(3:44.84 WJ, CR) |
||||
| WC 2023 (age: 20) |
11th (sf) (24.71) |
 (25.46) |
8th (57.58) |
(3:31.93) |
(3:52.08) |
|||||
| 2024 Summer Olympics | 4th (24.21) |
8th (53.04) |
(55.63) |
(3:30.20) |
(3:49.63 WR) |
(3:37.43 WR) |
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
Her Fastest Times
These tables show Gretchen Walsh's personal best times in different swimming events.
Long Course (50-meter pool)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Notes | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 23.55 | Sette Colli Trophy | Rome, Italy | June 28, 2026 | |||
| 100 m freestyle | 52.90 | 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | May 1, 2025 | |||
| 50 m backstroke | 27.54 | 2023 U.S. National Championships | Indianapolis, Indiana | June 29, 2023 | |||
| 100 m backstroke | 59.80 | h | 2022 U.S. National Championships | Irvine, California | July 29, 2022 | ||
| 50 m butterfly | 24.93 | 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | May 2, 2025 | AM, US | ||
| 100 m butterfly | 54.33 | Fort Lauderdale Open | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | May 2, 2026 | WR, US |
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
Short Course (25-yard pool)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Notes | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 yd freestyle | 20.37 | 2024 NCAA Championships | Athens, Georgia | March 21, 2024 | NR, US | ||
| 100 yd freestyle | 44.71 | 2025 NCAA Championships | Federal Way, Washington | March 22, 2025 | NR, US | ||
| 200 yd freestyle | 1:39.34 | r | 2025 ACC Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 18, 2025 | ||
| 50 yd backstroke | 22.10 | r | 2024 NCAA Championships | Athens, Georgia | March 20, 2024 | NR, US | |
| 100 yd backstroke | 48.10 | 2024 ACC Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 23, 2024 | NR, US | ||
| 100 yd butterfly | 46.97 | 2025 NCAA Championships | Federal Way, Washington | March 21, 2025 | NR, US |
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
World Records She Holds
Gretchen Walsh holds several world records in swimming.
Long Course World Records
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Status | Age | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 m freestyle | 23.55 | Sette Colli Trophy | Rome, Italy | June 28, 2026 | Current | 23 | |
| 2 | 100 m butterfly | 54.33 | Fort Lauderdale Open | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | May 2, 2026 | Current | 23 | ? |
| 3 | 400 m medley relay | 3:49.63 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | August 4, 2024 | Current | 21 | ? |
| 4 | 400 m mixed medley relay | 3:37.43 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | August 3, 2024 | Current | 21 | ? |
Short Course World Records
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Status | Age | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 m butterfly | 23.94 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 11, 2024 | Current | 21 | |
| 2 | 400 m freestyle relay | 3:25.01 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 11, 2024 | Current | 21 | |
| 3 | 100 m Individual Medley | 55.11 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 13, 2024 | Current | 21 | |
| 4 | 100 m butterfly | 52.71 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 14, 2024 | Current | 21 | |
| 5 | 50 m Freestyle | 22.83 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 15, 2024 | Current | 21 | |
| 6 | 400 m medley relay | 3:40.41 | 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) | Budapest, Hungary | December 15, 2024 | Current | 21 |
World Junior Records
Long Course (50-meter pool)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Status | Age | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4x100 m mixed medley relay | 3:44.84 | 2019 World Junior Championships | Budapest, Hungary | August 21, 2019 | Current | 16 | |
| 2 | 4x100 m mixed freestyle relay | 3:25.92 | 2019 World Junior Championships | Budapest, Hungary | August 22, 2019 | Former | 16 |
National Records She Holds
Gretchen Walsh also holds many American and US Open records in short course (25-yard) swimming.
Short Course (25-yard pool)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Type | Status | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4×50 yd freestyle relay | 1:24.47 | 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Atlanta, Georgia | February 16, 2022 | NR, US | Former | ||
| 2 | 4×50 yd medley relay | 1:31.81 | 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Atlanta, Georgia | February 17, 2022 | NR, US | Former | ||
| 3 | 4×100 yd medley relay | 3:22.34 | 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Atlanta, Georgia | February 18, 2022 | NR, US | Current NR | ||
| 4 | 4×100 yd medley relay (2) | 3:22.34 | = | 2022 NCAA Championships | Atlanta, Georgia | March 18, 2022 | NR, US | Current NR | |
| 5 | 4×100 yd freestyle relay | 3:06.91 | 2022 NCAA Championships | Atlanta, Georgia | March 19, 2022 | NR, US | Former | ||
| 6 | 4×50 yd medley relay (2) | 1:31.73 | 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 14, 2023 | NR, US | Former | ||
| 7 | 4×50 yd freestyle relay (2) | 1:23.87 | 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 15, 2023 | NR, US | Current | ||
| 8 | 50 yd freestyle | 20.83 | 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 15, 2023 | NR, US | Current NR | ||
| 9 | 4×100 yd medley relay (3) | 3:21.80 | 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 17, 2023 | US | Current | ||
| 10 | 4×100 yd freestyle relay (2) | 3:06.83 | 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 18, 2023 | NR,US | Former | ||
| 11 | 4×50 yd medley relay (3) | 1:31.51 | 2023 NCAA Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee | March 15, 2023 | NR, US | Current | ||
| 12 | 100 yd backstroke | 48.26 | 2023 NCAA Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee | March 17, 2023 | NR, US | Current | ||
| 13 | 4×100 yd freestyle relay (3) | 3:05.84 | 2023 NCAA Championships | Knoxville, Tennessee | March 18, 2023 | NR, US | Current |
Legend: NR – American record; US – US Open record
Awards and Recognitions
Gretchen Walsh has received many awards and honors for her swimming achievements:
- SwimSwam, Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming: August 5, 2015
- Swimming World, Up & Comers: September 6, 2016
- USA Swimming, Team USA Captain: 2019 World Junior Championships
- National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA), All-American High School Swimmer: 2020–2021
- Swimming World Magazine, Cover Issue: Special Double Issue (May/June 2020, Vol. 61, No. 6)
- SwimSwam, Swammy Award, NCAA Freshman of the Year (Women's): 2022
- Arena, Swim of the Week: January 28, 2022
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Swimmer of the Week (female): October 19, 2021, January 25, 2022, October 25, 2022, November 8, 2022, January 24, 2023
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Freshman of the Year (Women's): 2021–2022
- Swimming World, The Week That Was: October 18, 2021 (#1)
- Honda Sports Award, finalist: 2022–2023, Winner: 2025
- StyleBlueprint, Top 10 Most Popular Articles in Nashville for 2022 for an article covering the launch of her and her sister's clothing line.
- Golden Goggle Awards, Breakout Performer of the Year: 2024
- Golden Goggle Awards, Relay Performance of the Year: 2024, 2025
- 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25 m), Best female swimmer award
- Guinness World Record for most swimming world records at a single meet by an individual: 2024
More to Explore
- List of junior world records in swimming
- List of people from Tennessee
- List of people from Nashville, Tennessee
