In the realm of women’s swimming, the University of Virginia (UVA) continues to make waves on a global scale. Their influence was highlighted once again when an alumna achieved a remarkable feat at an international competition.
During the prestigious Sette Colli Trophy in Rome, former UVA standout Gretchen Walsh shattered the world record in the 50-meter freestyle, surpassing the previous mark set by her ex-teammate from UVA, Kate Douglass, just over a week ago.
Walsh clocked in at 23.55 seconds, not only setting a world benchmark but also establishing a new American record, marking the 100th American record achieved by a UVA swimmer in the past five years.
The reputation of UVA’s swimming program remains untarnished, as they currently hold 17 world records and have a track record of six consecutive NCAA women’s swimming titles.
Both Walsh and Douglass, who together boast nine Olympic medals, continue their training in Charlottesville under the guidance of coach Todd DeSorbo alongside the current UVA team.
Reflecting on her training environment, Walsh shared, “I think it’s the training group we have out there. Not only are we putting the best swimmers in the world in the water together, but we’re putting the most fun-loving group of swimmers in the water. We work really hard, push each other every day, and have a lot of fun doing it.”
She added, “The sport is really hard and can be very challenging, and I think that they keep me sane and they keep me happy. And that’s all it takes at this level.”
Since the U.S. Olympic Trials in June 2024, Walsh has surpassed world records an impressive 21 times.
TWO CAVS. EIGHT DAYS APART. 🤯
Gretchen Walsh sets a WORLD RECORD in the 50m freestyle just days after training partner Kate Douglass broke the same record. 👏 pic.twitter.com/zJlIIJVRO0
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 28, 2026
UVA’s impressive streak of American records traces back to the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference championship, initiated by the 200-meter medley relay team comprising Douglass, Caroline Gmelich, Alexis Wenger, and Lexi Cuomo. Read more about their achievement here.
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