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Douglass & Walsh Go 1-2 in 200-Meter IM on Final Night of US Nationals

Four Cavaliers qualified for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships this week at the US Phillips 66 National Championships

Matt Newton

Virginia Athletics

Four Cavaliers and a member of the UVA swim & dive coaching staff will represent the United States at the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships. The 2023 US Phillips 66 National Championships came to an end on Saturday night at the Indiana University Natatorium and Kate Douglass headlined the final day of competition with a record-breaking win in the 200-meter individual medley, while Alex Walsh qualified for her second individual event and Gretchen Walsh qualified for her third. 

Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh went 1-2 in the 200 IM, with Douglass taking down Walsh's U.S. Open record set last year with a time of 2:07.09. Walsh took second in 2:07.89, edging third-place finisher Torri Huske and the rest of the field by nearly two seconds. 

Douglass also shared the podium with Gretchen Walsh on Saturday night, as Walsh took second place to qualify in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 24.31, just behind the winner Abbey Weitzeil. Walsh's runner-up finish qualifies her for a third individual event at the World Championships. With a time of 24.48, Douglass finished in a tie for third with Olivia Smoliga just outside of qualification, but the third-place finish gave her five podium finishes for the week and 88.5 total points, earning her the High Point Award for the US Nationals. 

The 2023 US Phillips 66 National Championships in summary:

  • Kate Douglass won the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter freestyle and placed second in the 200-meter breaststroke, qualifying in each of those individual events as well as for USA's relay group. 
  • Gretchen Walsh won the 50-meter butterfly and finished runner-up in both the 100-meter butterfly and the 50-meter freestyle to qualify in each of those individual events and will also swim as part of USA's relay group. 
  • Alex Walsh finished second in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley to qualify for both events. 
  • Maxine Parker qualified for Worlds as part of USA's relay group by virtue of her sixth-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle. 

These Cavalier swimmers combined for eight individual event qualifications and three relay qualifications and also totaled three national titles and 12 podium finishes throughout the meet this week in Indianapolis. 

Virginia will send four swimmers - as well as UVA associate head coach Blaire Bachman - to represent Team USA at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, which will be held from July 14-30 in Fukuoka, Japan. 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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