2024 Short Course World Championships Day 4 Recap: Gretchen Walsh, Regan Smith, and Kate Douglass Break World Records

This is Germany's first-ever gold medal, as the freestyle long-distance star edged out Italy's Simona Quadarella, denying the two-time 1500m freestyle world champion her first global title in the short course. American swimmer Gillian Cox claimed the bronze medal.

1. Isabel Gaus (Germany) - 15:24.61

2. Simona Quadarella (Italy) - 15:30.14

3. Gillian Cox (USA) - 15:41.29

Following his setbacks in the butterfly and the final stretch, Noe Ponti set a 25-meter freestyle championship record in the men’s 100-meter individual medley final. Austrian swimmer Bernhard Reischammer claimed the silver medal, while Brazilian swimmer Caio Pampuri took home the bronze. American swimmer Michael Andrew led through the first 75 meters but narrowly missed out on a medal by just 0.02 seconds.

1. Noé Ponti (Switzerland) – 50.33 – Championship Record

2. Bernhard Reischammer (Austria) - 51.11

3. Cayo-Pampa Ties (Brazil) - 51.35

This is the seventh world record Gretchen Walsh has set this week in Budapest—six individual marks and one relay victory. Watching greatness unfold right before our eyes.

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 55.11 – World Record

2. Kate Douglas (USA) - 56.49

3. Béril Gastaldello (France) - 56.67

Men's 100m Butterfly Semifinal — Ponti Swims Fastest

Noah Ponti enters the men's 100m butterfly final in lane four. Can the Swiss swimmer double his gold medal count at twice the distance?

1. Noé Ponti (Switzerland) - 48.89

2. Maxime Grousset (France) - 48.99

3. Matt Temple (Australia) - 49.01

Gretchen from the U.S. has already set six world records in Budapest, marking her first-ever appearance at the World Swimming Championships (25 meters). Just as she did in the women’s 50-meter butterfly, Walsh broke the world record in the women’s 100-meter butterfly during both the preliminary round and the semifinals.

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 52.87 – World Record

2. Tessa Gille (NED) - 55.71

3. Louise Hansen (Sweden) - 55.86

Men's 50m Backstroke — Li Fencai Wins

In the men's 50-meter backstroke event, neutral athlete Miro Livenstev edged out Australia's Isaac Cooper—who had briefly taken the lead—with a time of 22.47 to 22.49, clinching the gold medal. Irish swimmer Shane Ryan, racing in lane 8, secured bronze by just 0.09 seconds.

1. Miro Livențev (NAB) – 22.47 – World Junior Record

2. Isaac Cooper (Australia) – 22.49 – Oceania Record

3. Shane Ryan (Ireland) - 22.56
 
Women's 50m Backstroke—World Record! U.S. swimmer Regan Smith claims another gold medal.

With the fastest reaction time on the pool and a commanding lead at the 25-meter mark, Regan Smith shattered the women’s 50-meter backstroke world record tonight in the final, clocking a stunning 25.23. It was a tough day for recently retired Maggie MacNeil, whose long-standing world record had just been broken—earlier in the morning by American swimmer Grete Thune, who eclipsed the Canadian’s mark in the 100-meter butterfly semifinals. And now, Smith has joined the elite ranks by breaking the world record herself.

1. Reagan Smith (USA) - 25.23

2. Katherine Burkoff (USA) - 25.61

3. Kylie Masse (Canada) - 25.78

Men's 200m breaststroke—Carles Coll Martí puts Spain on the medal tally.

The Spanish and Japanese teams climbed the world medal standings, with Spain’s Carles Coll Martí taking gold and Fuzeyama Hito winning bronze. Neutrally ranked athlete Kirill Prigoda claimed the silver medal. For Coll Martí, this victory was especially significant—marking Spain’s first-ever podium finish at the World Swimming Championships in a decade.

1. Carles Coll Martí (Spain) – 2:01.55

2. Kirill Prigoda (NAB) - 2:01.88

3. Fukuzawa Yamato (Japan) - 2:02.01

Women's 200m Breaststroke—Kate Douglass Breaks World Record to Claim Victory

American swimmer Kate Douglass shattered the world record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke by just 0.19 seconds, clocking a stunning time of 2:12.50. But who did she unseat from the top spot on the world-record list? No one—because her previous global mark, set last October at the Singapore Swimming World Cup, stood at 2:12.72.

1. Kate Douglas (USA) – 2:12.50 – World Record

2. Yevgenia Chikunova (NAB) – 2:15.14

3. Alex Walsh (USA) - 2:16.83

1. Italy - 1:28.5

2. Canada – 1:28.6

3. Poland - 1:28.8