NANTERRE, France — The U.S. women’s swimming team brought the curtain down on the Paris 2024 Olympics with a resounding statement, setting a new world record to cap off nine days of thrilling competition at La Defense Arena.
Gretchen Walsh, in her debut Olympic appearance, narrowly missed the bronze in the 50m freestyle by a mere one-hundredth of a second behind China’s Yufei Zhang (24.20). Undeterred, the 21-year-old bounced back to anchor the women’s 4x100m medley relay, clinching gold and establishing a new world record in the process.
Australia claimed silver with a time of 3:53.11, followed closely by China with a bronze-winning performance of 3:53.23.
“I was disappointed to miss out on the individual medal by such a small margin,” Walsh reflected. “But winning gold and setting a world record with my teammates is an incredible feeling.”
Joining Walsh in the relay triumph were Torri Huske, Lilly King, and Regan Smith, who collectively powered their way to victory in 3:49.63, a commanding lead over the competition.
King, a veteran of three Olympics, celebrated her third consecutive medal in this event, highlighting the relay team’s consistency and progression over the years. “It’s amazing to see how this relay team has evolved and improved,” King remarked. “Ending the meet on such a high note is truly special.”
The victory marked the U.S. women’s fifth gold medal in swimming at these Olympics, contributing significantly to Team USA’s overall tally of ten golds, the highest among all participating nations.
Katie Ledecky, a four-time Olympian, also played a pivotal role in the team’s success with two golds and a bronze, solidifying her status as the most decorated female Olympian in U.S. history. Meanwhile, Regan Smith’s three individual medals in the 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly, and 100m backstroke made her the first woman ever to achieve such a feat in a single Olympics.
Reflecting on the team’s achievements, U.S. women’s Olympic head coach Todd DeSorbo expressed satisfaction with their performance in Paris. “The meet was exceptional, with numerous Olympic records broken across all nations, including ours. We are proud of what we have accomplished,” DeSorbo concluded, as the American flag flew high over the final swimming event in Paris.
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