Gretchen Walsh shattered her own world record in the 50m butterfly at the World Aquatics Swimming Cup in Carmel, Indiana. The American swimmer clocked an impressive time of 23.72 seconds, surpassing her previous record of 23.94 seconds set during the World Short Course Championships in December. This achievement marks her 13th world record in short-course events, including individual and relay races.
Highlights from the Carmel Meet
- Walsh has set seven of the fastest times in history in the 50m butterfly.
- Her journey in short-course swimming began just a year ago.
- She broke two records in the same event during the last World Short Course Championships.
Shaine Casas Breaks American Record
In another notable event, Shaine Casas set a new American record in the 200m individual medley. He recorded a time of 1:49.43, exceeding his previous record by eight hundredths of a second. Casas managed to outpace Olympic gold medalist Léon Marchand by three tenths, securing a significant victory.
World Cup Series Overview
The World Aquatics Swimming Cup features a three-stop series, with Carmel serving as the opening venue. Upcoming stops will be held in Westmont, Illinois, and Toronto. Unlike the Olympic distances, this series is competed in 25-meter pools.
- Swimmers earn points based on their performance across the events.
- The overall champions in both men’s and women’s categories will be determined after the final stop.
- In 2024, Kate Douglass and Léon Marchand claimed the titles for women and men, respectively.
Notable Withdrawals and Future Events
Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, a four-time gold medalist at the recent long-course World Championships, withdrew from the Carmel meet due to illness. However, she may still compete in Westmont and Toronto.
The Carmel meet will conclude with preliminary heats scheduled for 10 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m., airing live on Peacock.
In other accolades, Katie Ledecky and Luca Urlando were recognized with the Athlete of the Year awards at the 2025 USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards, underscoring their significant contributions to the sport.
