21-year-old Gretchen Walsh is completely unbeatable at the World Championship in Budapest. After setting a world record in the trials of the 100-meter butterfly, the American struck again with a new super swim.
With the new world record of 52.87, Walsh is the first to ever be under 53 seconds. The previous record, which Walsh broke on Friday morning, was 53.24.
But closest behind her was Swedish Louise Hansson. The Swede improved her trial time (55.86) by over eight hundredths, and finished as the second fastest with a time of 55.03.
"Oh hell, what's going on here?"
Thus, the Swede is clear for the final, which will be swum on Saturday afternoon at 17.32.
I've probably never felt so bad, but still swum so fast, haha. I finished and thought: "Oh, hell. What's going on here?". Then I saw 52 (Walsh's time), so maybe it wasn't that bad, says Hansson to SVT.
But despite advancing, Hansson was quick to praise her superior competitor's performance.
No, I mean it's completely absurd. I'm still glad I got to train on swimming in the lane next to her here now before tomorrow, because it's still a bit of a disturbance to feel so far behind on a hundred. It's something new. She's just completely sick.
Five world records at one championship
Walsh started the swimming championship on the best possible note and broke Therese Alshammar's 15-year-old world record on the 50-meter butterfly.
New record notation: 24.02.
LATER the same day, the American struck again, and with 55.71 on the 100-meter medley, she set yet another world record in Hungary's capital Budapest.
Walsh, who won two golds and took two silvers in the Paris Olympic Games, then continued to swim record-fast both in the trials and semifinals on the 100 butterfly, and has thus set a total of five world records at one and the same championship.
