Alex Walsh qualifies for the 2nd Olympic Games, Kate Douglass wins the third event

It took until the penultimate night at the US Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis, but Alex Walsh finally secured her spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The highlight of what was a standard-bearer for the Virginia swimming and diving program Saturday night was the women’s 200-meter individual medley, with former Wahoo Kate Douglass and UVA senior Alex Walsh finishing first and second, giving Douglass her third event win of the week. and securing Walsh’s spot in her second Olympics.

Douglass smashed her own US Open record from last year and posted the fourth fastest time ever at the event, with a time of 2:06.79. There was quite a bit of water between the two Cavaliers and the rest of the field, as Walsh touched in 2:07.86, more than two seconds ahead of third place. Incoming UVA freshman Leah Hayes placed fifth in the finals in 2:11.81.

Walsh’s second-place finish in the event ultimately guaranteed that both Gretchen and Alex Walsh will swim together at the Paris Olympics next month.

Speaking of Gretchen Walsh, she decided that securing spots in two events at the Paris Olympics wasn’t enough. She raced into the 50 freestyle final with the fastest time in the semifinals, edging Torri Huske by three-hundredths of a lead. second with a personal best of 24.06 seconds, the fourth fastest time ever recorded by an American in the event.

Former Cavalier Paige Madden qualified for the 800 freestyle by finishing second behind Katie Ledecky with a time of 8:20.71. That will be her third event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as Madden also finished second to Ledecky in the 400 free and qualified for the 4×200 free relay.

The 17-year-old UVA commit and Crozet native Thomas Heilman put together a stunner in the 100 butterfly, finishing second to Dare Rose by four-hundredths of a second, excitingly winning his second event for the Paris Olympics secured.

UVA commit, 17-year-old Thomas Heilman, a Crozet native, scores a stunner in the 100 butterfly to stay second behind Caeleb Dressel and take his second event at the Paris Olympics

Six current, former or future UVA swimmers have now secured spots on the Team USA roster for the 2024 Olympic Games:

Paige Madden (UVA ’21): 400 free, 800 free, 4×200 free relay
Gretchen Walsh (UVA ’25): 100 fly, 4×100 free relay
Kate Douglass (UVA ’23): 100 free, 200 breast, 200 individual medley, 4×100 free relay
Emma Weber (UVA ’26): 100 breast
Thomas Heilman (UVA ’29): 200 butterfly, 100 butterfly
Alex Walsh (UVA ’24): 200 individual medley