In a thrilling display of talent and determination, the Women’s 100m Butterfly final at the 2024 Paris Olympics saw a spectacular 1-2 finish by American swimmers Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh. Huske, who narrowly missed the podium at the Tokyo Olympics by a mere hundredth of a second, claimed her redemption in Paris by securing the gold medal with a time of 55.59 seconds.
Huske’s victory was nothing short of sensational. She had to chase down her American teammate, Gretchen Walsh, who had set the world record in the event during the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in June with a time of 55.18 seconds. In the final, Huske managed to out-touch Walsh by just 0.04 seconds, showcasing her incredible speed and determination. This triumph marked Huske’s first individual Olympic gold, a testament to her perseverance and skill.
Gretchen Walsh, despite not replicating her world record time, delivered an outstanding performance to claim the silver medal, marking her first individual Olympic medal. Walsh had come close to her record-breaking speed during Saturday’s semifinals, where she set an Olympic record with a time of 55.38 seconds. However, in the final, she clocked in just behind Huske, demonstrating the fierce competition between the two teammates.
Both Huske and Walsh also added to their medal tally earlier in the competition. On Saturday, they earned silver medals as part of the U.S. women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, further solidifying their status as swimming powerhouses.
