In a showdown of speed and grit, Gretchen Walsh and Katharine Berkoff shattered the pool records on Thursday, each blazing through to national titles with historic times. Walsh clocked an electrifying 54.76 seconds in the 100m butterfly in Indianapolis, narrowly missing her own world record set last year.
Walsh, who has rewritten the record books with the seven fastest times ever recorded in this event, continues to redefine the boundaries of competitive swimming. Her closest competitor, Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström, trails by almost a full second, a testament to Walsh's unparalleled dominance.
The secret behind her relentless pursuit of excellence? “I feel like my brain envisions people around me so I can chase them,” Walsh shared. It’s an invisible race, pitting the swimmer against the clock, and more importantly, past versions of herself.
At the upcoming World Championships in Singapore, Walsh aims to clinch her first individual title in a 50-meter pool. She is a favorite, entering with the fastest recorded times in the 50m fly, 100m fly, and 50m freestyle this year. Her competition will notably exclude Sjöström, who is taking a break for maternity leave.
Katharine Berkoff also made waves with a time of 26.97 seconds in the 50m backstroke, slicing through the previous American record. Her eyes are set on the world’s best, just shy of the elusive world record held by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown.
Other remarkable performances included Bobby Finke’s victory in the men's 400m individual medley, despite shifting his focus for the upcoming worlds, and Emma Weyant's decisive win in the women’s 400m IM over Katie Grimes.
Indiana celebrated Lilly King’s triumph in the 50m breaststroke, a fitting crowning moment as she prepares to close the chapter on her domestic meets. Meanwhile, Shaine Casas doubled down with a breakthrough win in the 100m fly followed by a runner-up finish in the 50m backstroke behind Quintin McCarty.
As the Toyota U.S. Championships continue, these athletes propel forward, hungry for more than medals—a quest for records and legacies.
