In Nanterre, France, Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh celebrated winning Olympic medals in the women’s 100-meter butterfly. Huske secured the gold by a mere 0.04 seconds over Walsh, with a thrilling finish that saw her overtaking Walsh in the final stretch. The American swimmers anxiously checked the scoreboard to confirm the results after the race.
During the race, Walsh initially led and was on pace to break her own world record at the 50-meter mark, while Huske was trailing in third place. However, Huske managed to catch up to Walsh and touched the wall first in 55.59 seconds, with Walsh close behind at 55.63 seconds. This victory marked a significant achievement for Huske, who had narrowly missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
After the race, Huske expressed her disbelief and overwhelming emotions at finally achieving her Olympic dream. The bronze medal in the event was won by Zhang Yufei from China, who had previously faced controversy due to a banned substance incident leading up to the Tokyo Games.
Huske, a Stanford swimmer, had been focusing on improving her performance in the final leg of races and her efforts paid off in Paris. She had already earned a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay before clinching gold in the individual event. The victory was followed by a heartwarming moment at the medal ceremony, where Huske and Walsh stood together on the top step of the podium.
In a show of sportsmanship and camaraderie, the two young athletes from Virginia draped themselves in the American flag for a victory lap around the pool. Walsh, who set an Olympic record in the semifinals, expressed pride in her and Huske’s achievements and the special moment they shared on the podium. The race was a closely contested and memorable event for both swimmers, showcasing their talent and dedication on the Olympic stage.
