Claire Curzan reacts to Gretchen Walsh setting new 50m freestyle American record at NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships

American competitive swimmer Claire Curzan recently reacted to Gretchen Walsh’s sensational performance at the NCAA DI Women's Swimming and Diving Championships 2024.

Walsh has been exceptional so far at the Championships, shattering her own NCAA, American, and US Open record twice on Day 2 of the event (March 21) in the preliminaries and again in the finals of the short course 50-yard freestyle.

In the prelims, Gretchen Walsh first broke the record of 20.57 which she established at the ACC Championships last month by clocking a phenomenal 20.41 during the final heat in the morning.

Later in the evening, the University of Virginia’s swimmer bettered this performance in the finals, registering a time of 20.37s, finishing significantly ahead of her competitors.

It was, however, a close contest for the second position with Katharine Berkoff (21.09) narrowly securing the silver ahead of Jasmine Nocentini (21.10), who had to settle for the bronze.

On Day 1, Gretchen Walsh had achieved the fastest-ever short course 50-yard backstroke split in NCAA history with a time of 22.10 in the 200m medley relay, helping her university clinch the gold medal in the event as they clocked a total time of 1:31.58.

Claire Curzan, who bagged six medals including four gold, one silver, and one bronze each at the World Aquatics Championships 2024, took to Instagram to show her admiration and respect for Walsh, sharing a post by Virginia Swimming and Diving on her Instagram (IG) story. With a kneeling emoji, she stated:

“Mother”

Screenshot of Claire Curzan's Instagram story

Curzan also has had an impressive 2024 season as she emerged as the most successful swimmer at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 and had the highest earnings from the tournament, collecting $78,750.00

Gretchen Walsh is a three-time World Championships medalist

Gold medallists Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh, and Kate Douglass of Team United States pose during the medal ceremony for the Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on day eight of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 30, 2023, in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Gretchen Walsh has won three medals at the World Aquatics Championships in the 2023 edition which includes a gold in the 4x100 m medley relay, a silver in the 4x100 m freestyle, and a bronze in the 50m butterfly events.

Besides this, some of her other achievements include winning six gold medals at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, all achieved in the 2019 edition in Budapest.