Drama in the Pool: US Swimmer’s Heartbreaking DQ, Just Moments Before Sister’s Golden Triumph

PARIS, France — The Summer Games delivered an emotional rollercoaster for a close-knit family from Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday.

In a dramatic turn of events, American swimmer Alex Walsh faced disqualification while poised for a bronze medal, only for her younger sister, Gretchen, to clinch gold and a new world record with the U.S. relay team less than an hour later.

“I’m just devastated,” Gretchen Walsh commented. “Alex deserved so much; she worked incredibly hard. It’s really hard to put that into words, but I know she will come back stronger.”

Alex Walsh had secured third place in the women’s 200-meter individual medley before a review nullified her result. She was sanctioned for an incorrect transition from backstroke to breaststroke, as per World Aquatics’ rules.

After the race, Alex avoided media interactions as she walked through the mixed zone at La Defense Arena on the penultimate night of swimming events.

Meanwhile, Gretchen Walsh contributed to the U.S. 4×100 mixed relay team’s stunning victory. The team, consisting of Torri Huske, Nic Fink, and backstroke expert Ryan Murphy, completed their race in 3 minutes, 37.43 seconds, narrowly edging out China by .12 seconds to set a new world record.

The Walsh sisters have had a distinguished history together, most recently leading the University of Virginia to its fourth consecutive NCAA swimming and diving championship this past spring.

Gretchen witnessed Alex’s race and, after initially celebrating her third-place finish, quickly had to process the disqualification. “I was so happy for her when she touched third,” she recalled, “and then I saw it was a DQ. It was crushing, but I knew I had to move on quickly, hug her, and then compete for both of us.”