Gretchen Walsh Almost Becomes First 14-Year-Old Under 22 Seconds in 50 Free With 22.00

gretchen-walsh-
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

14-year-old Gretchen Walsh has been the talk of the town at the Speedo Junior Nationals East in Knoxville. Walsh turned a lot of heads when she split a 21 low last night in the 200 medley relay on Wednesday night. She backed that up with a 22.00 on Thursday night to almost become the first 14-year-old under 22 seconds in the 50 free. She broke her own NAG record that she set this morning that was a 22.26. She now sits clearly in first ahead of Katherine Douglass (22.32).

Douglass ended up finishing second in the final with a 22.18 ahead of Walsh’s older sister Alex Walsh (22.28). Douglass moved to seventh all-time in the 15-16 age group with that swim to move ahead of national junior teamer Grace Ariola. Alex Walsh is now 16th in the same age group all-time rankings.

Grace Countie (22.50), Gabriela Albiero (22.74), Talia Bates (22.76), Cora Dupre (22.78) and Olwyn Bartis (22.97) also swam in the championship final.

 
 Event 9  Women 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 21.49  12/12/14  Abbigail Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatic
    Name            Age Team              Prelims     Finals HyPts Points
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Gretchen Walsh   14 Nashville Aquati    22.26      22.00   971   20  
  2 Katherine Dougl  16 Chelsea Piers Aq    22.48      22.18   952   17  
  3 Alexandra Walsh  16 Nashville Aquati    22.35      22.28   941   16  
  4 Grace Countie    18 Marlins of Ralei    22.52      22.50   919   15  
  5 Gabriela Albier  15 Cardinal Aquatic    22.80      22.74   894   14  
  6 Talia Bates      16 Gator Swim Club-    22.84      22.76   892   13  
  7 Cora Dupre       16 Mason Manta Rays    22.51      22.78   890   12  
  8 Olwyn Bartis     16 SwimMAC Carolina    22.84      22.97   870   11
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Chris Breedy
6 years ago

21.01 anchoring the medley relay!!

Dawn Byrnes Clisham
6 years ago

So proud of you! So fun to read all about it!

Daniela Valfre Azamor
6 years ago

Impressive!

Emily Magan Mabry
6 years ago

Way to go Gretchen!!?

Korina Sanders McGill
6 years ago

That fast at 14…Amazing!

Barbara Linsenmeyer Malone

Yay Gretchen! We are so excited for you! Xx

My Beach Things
6 years ago

Deserves to be shared

Noreen Haggerty
6 years ago

Woooohoooooo!!!!

Francis Schmitz
6 years ago

LeeAnne Thorson Schwan, I’m sure from the blocks!

Tom Pollock
6 years ago

John Kuendig ?

John Kuendig
6 years ago
Reply to  Tom Pollock

Jeeeeeezus

Melissa Woltz
6 years ago

Stacey- WOW!!

Stacey Wertz Simmer
6 years ago
Reply to  Melissa Woltz

Wow is right!!!

Junko Taniguchi
6 years ago

Catherine Johnson

Julie Watkins Hinton
6 years ago

Austin Hinton

Brianna Gaughran
6 years ago

Jim Cavaretta

Jan Proctor
6 years ago

FAST Congratulations

Cheryl Wickens
6 years ago

Dang! She is a beast! That is wicked fast

Jennifer Marie Scheffelmaer-Burnham
Reply to  Cheryl Wickens

I know!!! Wow!!

Denise Devaney
6 years ago
Reply to  Cheryl Wickens

Wickens fast!

Kyle Cowan
6 years ago

WOW!!!

Trea Nget
6 years ago

Candice Solis Mulder check out this girl!

Candice Solis Mulder
6 years ago
Reply to  Trea Nget

? that is fast!! Wow!

Kristen Curry
6 years ago

Mary Armstrong crazy fast!!

Jennifer Marie Scheffelmaer-Burnham

Cheryl Wickens

Erin Mydland Kaufman
6 years ago

Brittany Kaufman

Jenifer Martinsen
6 years ago

Wicked fast!!!

Chance Ferrin
6 years ago

Good lord.

Casey Webb
6 years ago

Collin Webb

kiriwoods@gmail.com
6 years ago

SO Proud of the Walsh Girls- Xo from Willow

Valerio Jose Jose
6 years ago

Good swimmer.

Karl Stover
6 years ago

DAAAMMMMMNNNNN!!!

Boris Chiu
6 years ago

@owen chan, we reli nees to know whats goibg on with us

Adri O'Neil
6 years ago

Wow well done!

Dave Hoover
6 years ago

Joel Dodds ….Are you kidding me, 14!

Ani Todorova Shakalova

Wow

Peter Mooney
6 years ago

Almost

Pat Kennedy
6 years ago

Congratulations to this young lady, her family and coaches.

Katy Bateman Brown
6 years ago

Holy moly!

Susanne Sheridan West
6 years ago

Wow!!!! Way to go Gretchen!

Michael Lanken
6 years ago

Shireen Ramajan

Shireen Ramajan
6 years ago
Reply to  Michael Lanken

That’s impressive

Fernando Miralles
6 years ago

Wat is she eating?

Gretchen Chernick
6 years ago

It’s in the name!

Crtomir Tavzes
6 years ago

So close!

Gretchen
Gretchen
6 years ago

I don’tknow about all of you, but doesn’t Gretchen look just like the other famous swimming Walsh…SUE WALSH?!!!

Ed Johnston
6 years ago

Cadence Johnston Cadie Johnston

Tijani El Ghazili
6 years ago

Pierre Houssière

Zach Bennett
6 years ago

Brittani Grove

Anthony Vitale
6 years ago

That’s crazy

Nicolas Masse-Savard
6 years ago

Ariane Mainville

Ariane Mainville
6 years ago

Verges nieseu

Nicolas Masse-Savard
6 years ago

Ariane Mainville srm vierge a 14 indeed

Willians Marcos Silva
6 years ago

Galera! Das ciências da natação. Explica isso,por favor.

Callum McLelland-Maher

Alex Maher

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