How much money did Gretchen Walsh earn with 11 WRs and 7 Gold medals at 2024 World Championships? Full prize money breakdown

Gretchen Walsh was on her relentless best at the 2024 Shortcourse World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The Olympic champion swam eleven astonishing world records at the six-day meet, winning more prize money than every other country except the United States.

Walsh won gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 100m Individual medley, 4x100m freestyle, and 4x100m medley relay, clocking world records in every event except the 100m freestyle. The 21-year-old earned $52,916 in prize money for the 11 gold medals, the most by any swimmer in history at a single meet.

World Aquatics awards $25,000 for each world record and Walsh earned $225,000 for her nine individual records and $12,500 for one record each in the 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay, totaling her prize money to a staggering $290,416. Her 11 world records are the most by a swimmer in history at a single meet, overtaking Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz, who had clocked seven.

The two-time Olympic champion outperformed every other country except the United States in the prize money with second-highest Canada taking home $241,000. Walsh's compatriot Regan Smith, who broke four world records, took home $142,500.

Switzerland's Noe Ponti won the third highest prize money at the meet at $125,000 while USA's Kate Douglass earned $118,416.

Team USA nearly accumulated a million dollars in earnings in the Hungarian capital, earning a whopping $974,000 courtesy of Walsh, Smith, and Douglass. Canada was second with $241,000 while the B team of neutral athletes was third with $220,500.

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"I'm in disbelief" - Gretchen Walsh after breaking Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz's record of most world records at a meet

World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2024 - Gretchen Walsh in action- Source: Getty

Gretchen Walsh overtook Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz for most world records at a meet during Sunday's 50m freestyle semifinals. It was her eighth of the week and in an interview afterward, the 21-year-old said she was in disbelief.

“I am in a little bit of disbelief of myself honestly. And not in a bragging way but I don't know if anyone has done this many back to back to back records. I think it’s really cool to do it and I am honored honestly to be doing this at this stage and accomplishing what I am accomplishing,” Gretchen Walsh said (via World Aquatics).

Wash made her Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics and won four medals. She won gold medals in the women's and mixed 4x100m medley relays and silver medals in the 4x100m freestyle relay and 100m butterfly.