It All Started Here: Gretchen Walsh

For nearly five years, four-time Olympic medalist Gretchen Walsh could be considered the fastest girls swimmer in high school. Walsh, who swam for Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, Tennessee, before breaking out on the international stage, sat atop the national high school listings for the 50-yard freestyle after her blistering time of :21.56 in February 2020. While her time was eclipsed in late 2024 by Julie Mishler of Indiana, Walsh still holds the national record in the 100-yard freestyle. While she narrowly missed competing for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics, Walsh excelled at the University of Virginia, winning five events at the 2022 NCAA Championships and six more at the 2023 NCAA meet. At the 2024 NCAA Championships, Walsh swept all seven of her events, leading Virginia to a fourth consecutive team title.

Walsh continued her climb as she prepared for the 2024 Summer Olympics, setting world records in the 100-meter butterfly and as part of the 400-meter medley relay at the U.S. Olympic Trials. In Paris, Walsh took home two gold medals and two silver medals.