- Alex Walsh’s Olympic journey took an unexpected turn at the Paris 2024 Olympics Games when she was disqualified after winning a bronze medal.
- Fans were left heartbroken by the penalty imposed on the talented swimmer.
- The story behind her disqualification and her reaction offers a deeper look into her career.
Alex Walsh, a standout in the world of competitive swimming, has made a significant impact on the international stage. A two-time Olympian, Alex secured a silver medal in the 200m Individual Medley at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
However, she finished seventh in the same event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite her remarkable achievements, Alex faced an unexpected setback when she was disqualified after winning a bronze medal.
Alex Walsh competes in heat four of the Women’s 200m Individual Medley at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
Alex’s prowess extends beyond the Olympics. She has bagged an impressive collection of 10 medals from the World Championships, including six golds, a silver, and a bronze in 2022, and two silvers in 2023.
As much as she had soared high in the World Championships, Alex knew that being at the Olympics for the first time in 2020 was a big deal. “Obviously it’s an honor to represent the US at the Olympics and I just want to do my best that I can with my American flag,” she said.
Alex Walsh ties her hair during aquatics training at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, on July 22, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
It also dawned on the swimmer that unlike other competitions many people watch the Olympics and would see her swimming in the semi-finals and the finals.
This realization made her nervous but it also worked in her favor. “I know, I want to channel that kind of, like, nervousness into, like, motivating me to do it for people and a bigger cause than myself,” she explained.
Alex Walsh, Yui Ohashi, and Kate Douglass after Women’s 200M Individual Medley Final at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, in Tokyo, Japan, on July 28, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
Alex went into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics competitions knowing that she wasn’t just doing it for herself but for her team as well as the country. This attitude helped her take the pressure off herself and deal with her nervousness.
Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass with bronze after Women’s 200M Individual Medley Final at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, in Tokyo, Japan, on July 28, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
The swimmer also got encouragement from her dad, Robert Walsh, when she was nervous before the semi-finals began. Her father motivated her reminding her that she is great at what she does and would ace the competitions, which made Alex feel more confident.
Alex Walsh competes in a semi-final of the women’s 200m individual medley swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
Alex’s sister, Gretchen Walsh was also an inspiration. The swimmer recalled how her sister didn’t qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but that didn’t kill her dreams or success going forward. Alex made it to the American team in the 200-meter individual medley and Gretchen didn’t.
The sisters had trained together in readiness for the Olympic trials and sometimes they encountered challenges. For instance, their swimming pool got shut down and they had to train at a neighbor’s pool.
“Not having a coach there, we had to kind of push each other. And she is someone who is very articulate and focused and super motivated all the time, which I, like, look up to that a lot,” shared Alex.
So, it was devastating for the sisters when one of them didn’t qualify for something they had both worked hard together for. However, their mom, Glynis Walsh, said Gretchen gave them the green light to celebrate Alex without walking on eggshells around her.
Nevertheless, sitting back at home in Nashville and watching Alex on screen competing did not sit well with the 21-year-old. “I was so upset not to be there. I wanted to watch her in person, and I wanted to be there swimming,” lamented Gretchen.
Alex Walsh competing in a semi-final of the women’s 200m individual medley swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. | Source: Getty Images
In 2024, at the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, things went differently for the Walsh sisters. Gretchen secured her spot on the American team early.
She set a world record in the 100 butterfly on the second day of the meet. It took a few nerve-wracking days for Alex to join her sister by making the team in the 200-individual medley once again.
The sisters were happy and excited to have both qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Alex, who won a silver medal in Tokyo attended the Olympics again as prime contender for a medal in the 200 individual medley.
Meanwhile, Gretchen also made a significant breakthrough, showcasing her talents by qualifying for the American team in the 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle, and 50 freestyle. She would also play a major role in the relays.
Sadly, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Alex was disqualified from the women’s 200-meter individual medley final for not completing the backstroke leg on her back. This move led to her losing the bronze medal that she would have won.
An overview shows Abbie Wood, Summer Mcintosh, and Alex Walsh competing in the final of the women’s 200m individual medley swimming event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Nanterre, Paris, on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
Kate Douglass won the Olympic silver medal in the 200-individual medley behind Canada’s Summer McIntosh at Paris La Défense Arena. Kate mentioned she had little chance to speak with Alex immediately after the race and disqualification.
“I was just really heartbroken for her. I feel like she deserved to win that medal, and she deserved to be on the podium with me,” acknowledged Kate.
Alex Walsh during the Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Nanterre, France, on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
Fans online also empathized with Alex for losing her bronze medal. “I felt so bad for her. But she did twist at the end. Tough lesson to learn,” a fan noted. A fan who was optimistic wrote, ” Heart breaking, but she’ll be back next Olympics better, stronger and wiser!”
Summer McIntosh touches the finish to win gold as she competes against Alex Walsh in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Nanterre, France, on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
Another fan pointed out how this was a big loss for Alex, ” This was heartbreaking to watch especially since it was her only race .” “Hate when that happens ,” an online user concurred.
Other online users shared the same sentiments, with one person writing, “This was awful!!” Another user jotted, “That’s so disheartening. She is still a champion.”
Alex Walsh competes in the women’s 200m Individual Medley swimming final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
More fans lamented, “She was shocked, so; I was. .” Other users found Alex’s mistake to be unbelievable. One shared, “She has done that turn tens of thousands of times.. don’t understand how that mistake was made!”
Alex Walsh reacts after being disqualified in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Nanterre, France, on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
Other fans expressed their frustration, with one comment reading, “Undeserved disqualification 😡,” and another stating, “Terrible, ugh.” Some found the situation unbelievable, with one user saying, “This is crazy!!.”
Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass reacts after Alex being disqualified in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Nanterre, France, on August 3, 2024. | Source: Getty Image
Had Alex won the bronze medal, it would have been her second Olympic medal, adding to the silver she earned in the 200-meter individual medley at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
As much as many people were angry, frustrated, and disappointed, Alex posted on Instagram that she remains proud and grateful for the support she’s received.
“Despite the DQ, this Olympics has been an experience that has left me feeling happy and fulfilled, and I will cherish that forever. After all, everything happens for a reason and there is so much more to be excited about for me in this sport,” she shared.
Images from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships revealed that Alex made the same mistake as at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but avoided disqualification.
Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown was disqualified from the women’s 200-meter individual medley for making the illegal transition from backstroke to breaststroke near the wall.
Alex Walsh poses with her silver medal from the Women’s 200m IM final at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. | Source: Getty Images
Despite Kate winning the race, replays showed that Alex’s turn was nearly identical to Kaylee’s, yet she was not penalized.
According to World Aquatics Competition Regulations, rules 6.5 and 9.4 mandate that backstroke turns must be completed on the back and each medley section must follow the specific stroke rules.
Alex Walsh in the final of the Women’s 200m IM at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. | Source: Getty Images
An online user who noticed that Alex did not follow the specific stroke rules and was not disqualified, wrote, “There were some bad crossover turns in that women’s 200 IM final. Maybe everyone was spooked by McKeown’s DQ?? #fukuoka2023.”
Alex Walsh poses with her silver medal from the Women’s 200m IM final at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. | Source: Getty Images
While Kaylee was on her side during her turn, Alex appeared to turn onto her stomach prematurely. Despite these similar infractions, Walsh did not face disqualification. However, the swimmer was not so lucky in the 2024 Paris Olympics, a mistake that cost her a bronze medal.
Alex Walsh in the final of the Women’s 200m IM at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. | Source: Getty Image
Gretchen mentioned that she watched the women’s 200-meter individual medley in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She was thrilled when she saw Alex touch third. Gretchen expressed her happiness for her sister’s podium finish.
However, she was in the middle of a warm-down when she heard about her sister’s disqualification. She expressed her deep upset at the moment as she felt that her sister deserved so much.
“She’s worked so hard and I don’t really know how to put that into words. It’s really sad, but I know that she’ll be back and better than ever,” a confident Gretchen said.
Gretchen also added, “I knew that I was gonna have to move on from that quickly in the moment and give her a big hug, tell her that I’m here for her and then go out and do this in her honor.”
Gretchen went on to win a gold medal in the mixed 4×100-meter medley, dedicating her performance to Alex. This gold medal was her third in the Olympics. She also secured two silver medals in Paris, in the women’s 100-meter butterfly and the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
Alex was proud of her sister. She expressed that witnessing Gretchen’s poise and how she managed her comeback after 2021 had given her a lot of confidence and motivation.
“We always tell each other that we are stronger together. And that’s been a really big game-changer for me because I definitely draw a lot of my confidence from Gretchen,” noted Alex.
Gretchen also spoke about her relationship with her sister, saying, “It is a little bit of a different perspective from me as the younger sister. She is an amazing role model, but that comes with her kind of putting up a brave face.”
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She mentioned that, as the younger sister, she doesn’t often see Alex struggle, but they support each other very well. She added that now, being older, they are completely transparent with each other about their feelings.
Glynis has also shared how the two sisters lean on each other. She said that Gretchen is open and expressive, displaying her emotions and determination clearly.
In contrast, Alex is more introspective. The 23-year-old has a hidden fierce determination and wisdom that allows her to see the bigger picture. This complementary dynamic helps the sisters support each other. Alex provides a broader perspective and Gretchen brings a visible passion.
As much as the sisters are very close, they do not hang out every day as Alex joked that they would drive each other crazy. Still, they appreciate the things they can relate to that other siblings may not.
For instance, they both understand the highs and lows of the sports they take part in as well as the impact it has on their mental health.
“That has just made us so much closer and like, I just appreciate her so much more than, like, everyone else in my life, I think,” gushed Alex. Alex added that it is cool to tell people she is an Olympian but even better when she says she went to the Olympics with her sister.
As the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics approached, Alex also opened up about the pressure she faced to refocus and recommit to her goals. She went through a low point in her personal life and her parents encouraged her to go to therapy.
The swimmer started seeing a therapist in Nashville and she helped her realize what her priorities were and how to stay focused on them. Alex learned how to ask for help and rely on the people who care about her.
She also retaught herself to place value on what mattered to her, including her family and swimming. Eventually, after about one year, she got to be happy again and at peace with herself.
Alex continues to work with a therapist even though she is in a great space as therapy helps her to work on the things going on in her personal life.
