Torri Huske Wins Gold in 100M Butterfly, Asks Gretchen Walsh to ...
Team USA swimmer Torri Huske edged out teammate Gretchen Walsh for a gold medal in a thrilling 100-meter butterfly race, but she wanted to share the euphoria of the moment together.
Huske, 21, had a sweet moment of friendship with Walsh, 21, when she beckoned her teammate to join her at the top of the Olympic podium in Paris on July 28 after they finished 1-2 in the race.
They shared big smiles and draped an American flag over their backs together while the national anthem played. China's Zhang Yufei stood next to them after winning bronze.
They are the first two American women to finish 1-2 in the event since 1984, according to Team USA. Huske won the race in 55.63 seconds, while Walsh took the silver in 55.59.
The moment represented redemption for Huske, who just missed a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 by one-hundredth of a second.
“I feel like I’m in shock right now,” she said after the race. “I don’t even know how to process it, I feel like I’m going to cry, but I’m also smiling. It’s really surreal. Like you said, I just missed the podium last time by a hundredth, so I’m so thankful to be here and to do it with Gretchen is just amazing.”
Walsh entered as the strong favorite after clocking an Olympic record in the semifinals with a time of 55.38, finishing over a second before the next-best competitor. She’s also the world-record holder in the event with a time of 55.18.
Team USA swimmer Torri Huske (left) and her teammate Gretchen Walsh (right) at the top of the podium following the 100-meter butterfly race. Sarah Stier / Getty Images“I was definitely nervous beforehand,” Walsh said afterward, according to Team USA. “I feel like there was a lot of pressure on me … I just wanted to try to execute the race as best as I could.
“I left it all out there in the pool and it might not have been the time that I was necessarily looking for, but to even medal at my first ever Olympics is something that I don’t think many people get to say and I’m honored, truly.”
Huske and Walsh now have two medals from Paris after racing on Team USA’s women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, which won silver.
Huske and Walsh will be back in the pool on July 30 with the preliminary heats for the 100-meter freestyle. Both are also expected to be part of the 4x100 medley relay.
Maddie Ellis
Maddie Ellis is a weekend editor at TODAY Digital.
