Swimming: USA’s Torri Huske puts on stunning show to win gold in women’s 100m butterfly at Paris 2024 Olympics
Torri Huske of the United States emerged victorious in a dramatic women’s 100m butterfly final at Paris La Defense Arena on 28 July at Paris 2024.
A late surge saw Huske pass compatriot Gretchen Walsh to reach the wall first in a final time of 55.59 seconds. It was a stunning victory for the American, who finished fourth in the event at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
“I first saw the light by the block,” Huske said after her victory. “Seeing that was very surreal. I didn't know how to process it.”
She added, “It's just very overwhelming when you've been training for this moment for so long."
Huske began the race with a well-timed dive off the starting block, entering the water second of the eight finalists. She maintained a controlled pace over the first length of the pool, making the turn in third place.
Level with the People Republic of China’s Zhang Yufei and Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil, it looked like Huske would battle for second place behind current world record holder Walsh, who maintained a quarter of a body length lead over the trio after the turn.
However, Huske wasn’t down and out just yet. She found something deep within herself, pulling level with Walsh in the closing meters of the race.
She swung her arms with a furious energy, surging ahead of the world record holder and touching the wall first. Torri Huske was now an Olympic champion.
“I don't really remember my race that much,” admitted a jubilant Huske. “My first 50 (meters) felt good, and then I've been really working on my second 50 a lot, especially after last year.
“I've kind of had a weak finish and I kind of died in my race [at the 2023 world championships], like lost it all in the last 50, so [I] really wanted to have a good strong last 50,” asserted the newly crowned queen of the women’s 100m butterfly.
It was a night of mixed emotions for Walsh. The world record holder entered the final as the prohibited favorite after setting a new Olympic record of 55.38 seconds during the semifinals on 27 July.
Walsh got out a flying start in the much-anticipated final, swimming the first 50 meters ahead of her own world record pace by 0.05 seconds.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep up with a surging Huske in the final few meters, touching the wall in second place with a time of 55.63 seconds.
“I was definitely nervous before, there was a lot of pressure on me, just having done the Olympic record last night,” admitted Walsh. “I just wanted to execute the race as best as I could. It was definitely a fight to the finish, and seeing the one-two up there was amazing.”
Walsh shared an emotional embrace with Huske in the pool, before exiting the water to process what had transpired.
“When I hit the wall I was like, 'Ouch, that one hurt for sure,' but I executed as best I could. I left it all out there in the pool,” she said.
Torri Huske of Team United States sports a big smile in the pool after winning the women's 100m butterfly final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 28 July at Paris La Defense Arena.
Walsh and Huske would share another heartwarming and poignant moment during the victory ceremony, when Huske invited her onto the top step of the podium to listen to the national anthem.
“It was just really cool to be up there with her. I feel like that's like, what we always do,” said Huske, adding, “When there's an American who's on the podium with you, you always listen to the national anthem together.”
The party got even bigger when the American pair invited bronze medalist Zhang of China onto the top step of the podium to share in the celebration and photograph opportunities.
“It was a really warming gesture that they invited me on the podium,” said Zhang.
The 2023 world champion spent much of the race chasing Walsh and fending off Huske. She was unable to accelerate with a surging Huske, but did manage to hold off Canada’s Mac Neil, the defending Olympic champion, to finish third with a time of 56.21 seconds.
“I feel it was a bit slow. But I was quite happy about the bronze medal,” said a satisfied Zhang. “Earlier in the training I got quite a good score. I feel at least with the first half of the race I performed good.”
She leaves the City of Lights with a bronze medal as the reward for her efforts at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Swimming: women's 100m butterfly podium
Gold: Torri Huske, USA
Silver: Gretchen Walsh, USA
Bronze: Zhang Yufei, CHN