Gretchen Walsh Still Thinks She Hasn’t Reached Her Potential Despite Fastest NCAA Time

Gretchen Walsh, at age 21, has offered a prominent presence in the swimming realm with numerous records to her name. The Virginia athlete, besides holding two world junior records, has grown to etch her name on 4 of the 5 fastest 50 freestyle performance records. 2 of these were notably recorded in a single day and yet the quench to present a better self hasn’t deterred from the champion.

On Wednesday, the 21st, Gretchen Walsh stunned the swimming enthusiasts with record-shattering performances. Beating herself to faster time initially, followed by a whole new record for the demography, Walsh had the spotlight on herself. However, going further, the 21-year-old reveals to not be finished just yet.

Gretchen Walsh aims for more

Following her success at the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, Gretchen Walsh was caught for a quick interview with the Virginia swimming program. Talking about the back-to-back records, the 21-year-old expressed her excitement. “I definitely surprised myself today and a lot of other people with where I am at this season… I am really proud of myself,” she says. Walsh further adds that she hadn’t even tapered for the meet and hence the result was certainly unexpected. But considering her practice throughout the year, she will definitely be aiming for a faster time.

“Throughout the entire year, I am just trying to be fast all the time. I always like to be going times and impressing myself. So I would say that I train to be at this high level all the time but when it hits it hits… I do still hope that I can go faster at the NCAA,” Gretchen Walsh reveals. However, while she aims for a higher standard, her records will stand testament to the potential she holds, walking ahead.

Multiple records for the rising talent

Gretchen Walsh is popularly known for her contribution to the 50-yard freestyle, owning to her numbers in the element. She only strengthened the image further when she broke the record twice at the ACC Championships on Wednesday. During the prelims, Walsh clocked 20.77, which broke the American, US Open, and NCAA records in the element. A few hours later, during the finals, the 21-year-old broke her own record when she put up 20.57 on the clock.

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However, what further highlighted the day for Gretchen Walsh was her performance during the 200-yard freestyle relay. Swimming the second leg for the program, Walsh clocked the time at 19.95 seconds which led her to become the first woman to ever break the 20-second mark. With that, the 21-year-old took home 2 ACC titles alongside the records to stay on for years to come. Or until the champion rises to shatter them herself.

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