World Aquatics Championships 2025: Gretchen Walsh wins gold in 100m butterfly to lift illness-ridden U.S. squad

ASSOCIATED PRESS

It's been a tough go for Team USA at the World Aquatics Championships, but the team won't leave the event without a gold medal. Gretchen Walsh secured the squad's first gold Monday, winning the 100m butterfly and setting a championship-record time in the process. 

Walsh won the event in 54.73 seconds, a championship-record time. It's the second best 100m butterfly time ever, behind only the 54.60 record Walsh set in May.  

It's been a battle for Team USA. A stomach bug ripped through the team at the championships. Multiple swimmers pulled out of events due to the illness, while others turned in disappointing finishes due to the bug. 

Walsh was among that group. She pulled out of the 4x100m relay Sunday due to illness. Walsh apparently felt good enough to compete in the 100m butterfly Monday, and said afterward that it "took a lot of guts" to make it happen. 

Walsh added that she wasn't sure how she pulled off such an incredible time despite dealing with the illness, saying, "That race, it came out of somewhere, I don’t know what. I’m really, really happy.”

Roos Vanotterdijk finished second at the event, taking home the silver. Alexandria Perkins won the bronze.

The victory could be the first of many for Team USA. After some early struggles due to illness, the team finally seems to be back on the mend.

Swimming runs through Sunday, Aug. 3 at the event, giving the Americans a few more days to rebound after a disappointing start. 

Walsh's win Monday could wind up being exactly what Team USA needs to get back on track. As the rest of the team looks to recover, Walsh still has a few opportunities to take home more gold medals. She'll also race in the 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, and could take part in relays the rest of the week.