Gretchen Walsh is leaving her first Olympics with a serious collection of medals.
The 21-year-old proved to be a key member of Team USA in the pool in Paris.
She won gold medals as part of the mixed 4x100 medley relay and the women's 4x100 medley relay, helping set new world records in both events. She swam the butterfly leg in both races. In the women's event, her split time of 55.03 was the fastest time in history.
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Walsh is also bringing home two silver medals, one in the women's 100m butterfly, and another in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay.
In the semifinal of the 100m butterfly, Walsh set a new Olympic record of 55.38. She now holds the Olympic record and the world record for the event.
Her swimming career, and her road to Olympic glory in Paris, began as a little girl in Greenwich.
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Gretchen, and her sister Alex, also an Olympian, started swimming at the Rocky Point Club.
"That's where I really found the love of water and just the love of swimming. So I have them to thank for all of that," Walsh said after completing the swimming competition in Paris.
Walsh gave a shout out to Coach Terry Lowe, who built her love for the sport.
"You're the man. You started it all," she said of her one-time coach.
Lowe and the swimmers at Rocky Point have shown there support to both Gretchen and Alex throughout the Games.
"They had watch parties. They got a whole banner out for us. It was really special," Gretchen said. I felt them here cheering -- all the love, so this is for the childhood dreams that started there."
Walsh said she knows Rocky Point Club may be training future Olympic swimmers right now, and she can't wait for it.
"I'm looking forward to watching the next generation come up because I know that this might be my time right now but this sport is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. And even when I'm just a spectator, I can't wait to watch those little kids achieve their own dreams."
