USA swimming star Gretchen Walsh has given herself the chance of winning another title at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships after qualifying for the women’s 50 freestyle semi-finals on Saturday, 2 August.
It may be the penultimate morning of qualifications, but the crowd was still in fine voice at Singapore’s World Championships Arena.
Newly-crowned 100 butterfly champion Walsh needed their support as she clocked 24.79 to finish fourth in her heat, with Australia’s Meg Harris topping the prelims overall in 24.32. Both progress to this evening’s semis.
Walsh’s compatriot Bobby Finke booked his place in the men’s 1500 freestyle final with a 4:45.70 swim for fifth overall in the heats. The Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist will meet Tunisia’s 800 free winner Ahmed Jaouadi, and open water swimming king Florian Wellbrock of Germany, who was the fastest qualifier with 4:45.70, in the gold medal race this evening.
Next up in the men’s 50 backstroke, South African breakout star and 100 backstroke world champion Pieter Coetze qualified for the men’s 50 backstroke semi-finals alongside fellow top-five finisher, Olympic 200 back champion Hubert Kos of Hungary, while Rio 2016 100 breaststroke Olympic champion Lilly King progressed through to the women’s 50 breaststroke semi-finals in 10th position.
Finally, Simone Manuel, Kate Douglass, Chris Guiliano and Jonny Kulow combined to set the fastest qualifying time in the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay, ahead of this evening’s final.