2023 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Once again, the University of Virginia women lowered an NCAA record in a relay competition. This time they set a new mark in the 400 medley relay, posting a 3:21.80 to win the 2023 ACC Championship title.
The record-breaking quartet included Gretchen Walsch while swimming backstroke, Alex Walsch in breaststroke, Kate Douglas on Butterfly and Aimee Canny on Freestyle. Walsh opened with a 49.25 to take an early lead, followed by her sister Alex who shared a 57.45, which was also the fastest split in the field.
Douglass was next, swimming a 48.25, the fastest split time in history by almost a second. Canny took it home in the freestyle with a 46.85.
The time also marks a new US Open record, ACC record, ACC Championship record and UVA record. All of those records were the same before tonight: 3:22.34. The Virginia women set the previous record of 3:22.34 at the 2022 ACC championships and actually exactly equaled the record at next month’s NCAA championships. Both times, the UVA squadron consisted of Walsh sisters Alexis Wegner and Kate Douglas.
This swim is not a new American record as Aimee Canny is South African and cannot set American records. The American record remains the 3:22.34 set by Walsh, Walsh, Wegner and Douglass in 2022.
Behind the UVA’s record swim, the NC State women swam for silver and the Duke in 3:28.28 Women hit a 3:31.35 for third place.
This 400m individual medley marks the third record-breaking UVA relay of the competition after swimming the 200m individual medley (1:31.73) and 200m freestyle (1:23.87) relays on Days 1 and 2, respectively. Gretchen Walsch, Alex WalschAnd Kate Douglas have competed in all three NCAA-record swims, while Lexi Cuomo was in both 200-meter relays.
After winning the first four relays at the 2023 ACC Championships, UVA will look to win 5-on-5 on the fifth night of the meet when they contest the 400 freestyle relay.