GRETCHEN WALSH

Three years after missing the Tokyo Olympics, Gretchen Walsh left Paris with two world records and four medals – including two golds – around her neck.

Gretchen swam the butterfly leg as the USA won the 4x100m mixed medley relay in a global standard of 3:37.43. She dedicated victory to her sister Alex who had been DQd after finishing third in the 200m individual medley around 45 minutes earlier.

“I knew that I was going to have to move on from that quickly in the moment and give her a big hug, tell her that I’m here for her,” said Gretchen. “And then go out and do this (win the mixed relay) in her honour.”

The women’s medley relay final brought the nine-day Olympic programme to a rousing finish. Gretchen tied the fastest fly split in history in 55.03 as the USA quartet came home in 3:49.63 to take three-quarters of a second off their 2019 world record.

“We did exactly what we came here to do, and we had so much fun the whole way,” said Gretchen. Gretchen also won silver in the 100 fly - behind teammate Torri Huske as the USA enjoyed a 1-2 finish – and the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Gretchen now has three world records to her name, all set within the space of a little over seven weeks.

Her first one came in the 100 fly at the US Olympic Trials in June 2024 where she scorched to a time of 55.18. That saw her eclipse Sarah Sjöström’s time of 55.48 en-route to gold at Rio 2016.

Gretchen paid tribute to Sjöström, before saying: “It’s truly a dream come true.”