Gretchen Walsh

Gretchen Claire Walsh (born January 29, 2003) is an American competitive swimmer, swimsuit model, and the world record holder in the 100 meter butterfly, 4×100 medley relay, mixed gender 4×100 medley relay, 50 meter butterfly (short course), 100 meter butterfly (short course), and 100 meter IM (short course). She won the silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she also set the Olympic record in the 100 meter butterfly in the semifinals with a time of 55.38. She additionally holds one world junior record in the mixed gender 4×100 medley relay event, as well as American records in the 50 meter butterfly, 4×100 meter freestyle relay, 4×100 meter medley relay, 50 meter freestyle (short course), 50 meter backstroke (short course), 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, 100 yard butterfly, 100 yard backstroke, 4×50 yard freestyle relay, 4×50 yard medley relay, 4×100 yard freestyle relay, and 4×100 yard medley relay.

Walsh competed collegiately for the University of Virginia. In 2022, she became the fastest female freshman to swim the 50 yard freestyle in the NCAA, with a time of 20.95 seconds, and earned the NCAA title in the 100 yard freestyle, with a time of 46.05 seconds, and the national title in the 100 meter butterfly. In 2023, she won the women's NCAA Division I title in the 100 yard backstroke, with an American record time of 48.26 seconds, and the 100 yard freestyle, with a 45.61. In 2024, she won NCAA titles in the 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, and 100 yard butterfly, setting NCAA records in all three events with times of 20.37 seconds, 44.83 seconds, and 47.42 seconds, respectively. She repeated these championships in 2025 with times of 20.49 seconds, 44.71 seconds and 46.97 seconds.