Gretchen Walsh breaks 100m butterfly world record for fourth consecutive time

Gretchen Walsh Sets New World Record at Fort Lauderdale Open

American swimmer Gretchen Walsh has achieved a new world record in the women’s 100-metre butterfly event at the Fort Lauderdale Open in Florida, USA. The time of 54.33 seconds was set on Saturday, shaving off 27-hundredths of a second from her previous record of 54.60 seconds.

Walsh has now broken the record four times, surpassing her own mark set previously. She is also more than a second faster than Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who holds the second-fastest time in the event’s history. Walsh’s achievement puts her among the top swimmers in the world, with a time that is over two seconds faster than the fastest swimmer this season.

Walsh’s record-breaking performance was part of a strong day for American swimmers, including Katie Ledecky, who won the women’s 800m freestyle event. France’s Leon Marchand also had success, capturing two titles in the men’s events.

The Fort Lauderdale Open is an important meet for Walsh and other top swimmers, as it serves as a testing ground for athletes ahead of major competitions like the European Championships.

Source: Al Jazeera