Gretchen Walsh Opens Up On Dropping A World Report, Chasing Extra, And The Highway Forward

In this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast we’ve got Gretchen Walsh, recent off her haul of seven medals on the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships, 5 golds and two silvers. And Pan Pacs was arguably her weakest total competitors of the yr.

In 2026, Gretchen made the selection to journey and race quick in all places: Beijing, Rome, Fort Lauderdale, U.S. Nationals and Pan Pacs. She famous that she took as a right all of the racing she did as an NCAA star, and she or he wished that have again.

The outcomes had been spectacular, however Gretchen is candid that she was not glad together with her instances at Pan Pacs. She talks via that frustration and explains how she evaluates a meet the place the medal depend says one factor however her personal expectations say one thing else.

Gretchen did internet one private finest time within the 100 free, 52.57. She provides that the 100 free issues, that she needs to be a consider that occasion, hinting that she must dip into the 51s alongside together with her teammate Kate Douglass.

Gretchen dives deep into the 50 fly. She got here into Pan Pacs overtly chasing Sarah Sjöström’s world document. Gretchen explains how a lot she wished the document, the place she believes the remaining time can come from, and what she thinks it should take to lastly get there.

Then we get into one of the crucial fascinating moments of the meet. Gretchen arrived at Pan Pacs because the 50 free world document holder. Virginia teammate and coaching companion Kate Douglass broke that document within the prelims, 23.49, then got here again and shattered it once more within the finals with a 23.19.

Gretchen takes us inside that day, explaining what she was feeling, how she internalized shedding the world document to a teammate and good friend, and what she in the end realized from the expertise. That could be the most revealing a part of this podcast. It is an inside take a look at how an elite absorbs disappointment, learns from it, and strikes ahead.

Gretchen’s going to the U.S. Short Course World Championships Trials. She plans to qualify there and go to Beijing. We’ll choose up together with her once more after that competitors.

This podcast is 36 minutes. If we missed any questions, drop them within the feedback.

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Many due to Swimoutlet.com for his or her 15-year partnership and assist of this swimming information and media.

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Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed friends don’t essentially replicate the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam promoting companions.

This is a Gold Medal Media manufacturing offered by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News web site.