Gretchen Walsh clocked 23.55 seconds in the 50 freestyle on June 28, 2026, at Sette Colli in Rome, taking down Kate Douglass' world record by 0.04 seconds.
What happened?
Gretchen Walsh won the final heat, which included former record holder Sarah Sjostrom and Sara Curtis.
The race details
Walsh led the way with 24.10 seconds in prelims, followed by Sjostrom with 24.24 seconds and Curtis with 24.37 seconds.
The final results
In the final, Walsh went 23.55 seconds, Sjostrom finished with 23.86 seconds, and Curtis set a new Italian record with 24.09 seconds.
Gretchen Walsh's training partner, Sara Curtis, was in an adjacent lane and gave her a hug after the race.
Kate Douglass posted on Instagram, saying "was fun while it lasted" with a handshake emoji and tagged Walsh.
The record's history
Sarah Sjostrom had held the world record since 2017, with a time of 23.67 seconds at the World Championships.
Sjostrom lowered her record by 0.06 seconds at the 2023 World Championships.
Gretchen Walsh now holds two individual world records in the long-course pool, including the 100 fly time from May 2025.
Walsh also holds four individual world records in the short-course pool and two in relays.
The record is the latest sprint record to be broken, following Marrit Steenbergen's new 100 free world record on Saturday.
Gretchen Walsh's win united the short- and long-course records, as she took down Ranomi Kromowidjojo's mark in the shorter pool in 2024.
On June 28, 2026, Gretchen Walsh made history with her new world record in the 50 freestyle.
The event took place at Sette Colli in Rome, with Walsh finishing in 23.55 seconds.
Gretchen Walsh's achievement is a significant one, as she continues to dominate the swimming world.
With this new record, Walsh solidifies her position as a top athlete in the sport.
The swimming community is eagerly awaiting her next move, as she continues to break records and push the boundaries of what is possible.