On its own, a 17-day, all-expenses-paid birthday trip to Paris is a fabulous thing. That’s what Nashville sisters Gretchen and Alex Walsh won earlier this summer.

While in the City of Lights with family, friends and tens of thousands of other sightseers, the Walsh sisters hope to visit the Eiffel Tower and other famous tourist sites, enjoy a taste of French cuisine and go shopping for a few souvenirs.

But celebrating Alex’s 23rd birthday isn’t why the Walsh sisters are in Paris through Aug. 11. They are world-class swimmers and among the three dozen athletes with Tennessee ties competing for both the large Team USA contingent and other countries in the Summer Olympics.

The Games’ epic opening ceremonies are July 26, and the swimming program runs July 27-Aug. 4. Gretchen earned a spot in three races – the 100-meter butterfly, 50 freestyle and 4x100 relay – while Alex qualified for the 200 individual medley on the final day of competition.

As such, the souvenirs they most want to bring back to Nashville are gold, silver or bronze Olympic medals.

“We’re coming home with hardware,” predicts Gretchen, 21, a first-time Olympian who set a world record in the women’s 100 fly at the recent U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials.

“Yeah, we’re coming home with medals,” adds Alex, a 2020 Olympic silver medalist and 2022 World Championships triple-gold medalist, whose birthday is July 31.

In a recent interview with the Ledger, the sisters discussed everything from swimming for Harpeth Hall and Nashville Aquatic Club to helping Virginia win four consecutive NCAA women’s championships, from their individual Olympic events to rooming together in the Olympic Village, from the many Nashville family, friends and teammates who will be in Paris cheering for them to how they will celebrate Alex’s birthday.

Nashville’s Alex and Gretchen Walsh have a chance to bring home a combined four medals from the Olympic Games in Paris. Both swam for Nashville Aquatic Club, Harpeth Hall and the University of Virginia.

-- Photo Courtesy Of Usa Swimming

“I am not swimming (on the 31st), but I do swim two days after that. So I plan on having a low-key birthday,” Alex says. “But we’re going to Portugal after the Games with our family and friends just as a vacation. So I plan on celebrating there, getting to spend some quality time with not only my sister but also my parents and all my college friends.”

And the sisters could have much to celebrate, say their high school and Nashville Aquatic Club swim coaches.

“They always have been incredibly competitive, so I know that they’re excited and they’ll go out there and do their best for Team USA,” says Harpeth Hall’s Polly Linden, who will be in Paris for the first few days of the competition when Gretchen swims.

“The national team has a saying that any medal is a good medal,” adds Doug Wharam, associate head coach and competitive director for NAC. “If they prepare well and swim the races they are capable of, they have already shown they are some of the best in the world and medal-capable across multiple events.”

Here’s a closer look at the Walsh sisters’ decadelong journey from Nashville to Paris.

How they got there

Gretchen was one of the dominant swimmers at June’s U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, establishing a world record in the 100 fly semifinals with a 55.18 clocking that erased the 55.48 mark set in 2016 by Swede Sarah Sjostrom. Gretchen’s fast time was also an American record, easily eclipsing the 55.64 mark set by rival Torri Huske.

Shocked by seeing WR on the scoreboard and realizing what she’d accomplished, tears streamed down Gretchen’s face and she placed a hand over mouth in disbelief. The following night in the 100 fly finals, she showed that semifinal performance wasn’t a fluke by turning in the world’s second-fastest time at 55.31 to secure her spot on the Olympic team.

“I knew it would take a (55) point-4 or I guess point-5, but I didn’t think I was going to do it tonight. I just knew I wanted to go a fast time and now here I am – a world-record holder,” Gretchen told reporters. She went on to finish second in the 50 free to qualify for her second individual event, then earned a spot on the 4x100 relay team.

Alex’s road back to the Olympics was a little more difficult. She failed to qualify both in the 100 breast (finishing sixth) and 200 breast (third). That left her needing to finish first or second in the 200 IM, which she did to a collective sigh of relief for herself, Gretchen and their parents. Kate Douglass won in 2:06.79 and Alex clocked 2:06.86.

“I was definitely feeling the pressure, the stress that comes with racing at the end of a very long meet like this and seeing all my teammates succeed and make the Paris Games,” Alex told reporters. “So more than anything I was honestly just really relieved. I knew that I could do it … so I’m happy to have booked my ticket.”

Rooming together in Paris

Before departing for Paris, the sisters laughed at the prospect of being roommates. Personality clashes happen, they agree, but add they are close in and out of the pool.

Alex Walsh will be celebrating her 23rd birthday in Paris and competing in the 200 individual medley on the final day of the games.

-- Photo Courtesy Of Usa Swimming

“We are very different. In some ways we’re opposites, but we do have a lot of the same mannerisms,” Alex says. “We definitely have a very similar sense of humor, which helps. … But I really enjoy rooming with Gretchen because we’re really comfortable around each other.

“Even though she is my sister, she also is my best friend. So it kind of works out that I get to hang out with her all summer because we don’t live together at school. This is the closest we’ve been in a really long time, and it’s kind of funny.”

Asked to describe how they’re different, Gretchen doesn’t hesitate.

“We definitely clash a little bit. … Alex and I are very different with how we go about our day. I’m a planner … a scheduler,” Gretchen adds. “I like to be on time here and there. I’m keeping her on track, is what’s going on.

“And that causes a little bit of tension sometimes when Alex is like, ‘I just want to sleep,’ and I’m like, ‘no, we’ve got to get up.’ But it’s been fun and we’re very comfortable around each other. That’s something that I really appreciate in a time like this when you can be kind of uncomfortable.”

Linden confirms they were like that at Harpeth Hall.

“(Alex) was always arriving right at the bell or right after the bell. Probably as a result of that, Gretchen was a stickler for being on time. Gretchen did not like being late. Alex was never on time and Gretchen was never late,” Linden says.

One personality trait, the coach adds, is their tenacious work ethic.

Gretchen Walsh will have three chances to win Olympic hardware.

-- Photo Courtesy Of Usa Swimming

“I had the pleasure of teaching them both in BC calculus, which is the highest level that we teach in high school, and they were both phenomenal students,” Linden says. “They would miss a lot of school (for swim meets) … so they would get all their work done when they came back. … They always did a great job of just staying on top of their work.”

Gretchen: ‘This is my moment’

Though both are driven to succeed in Paris, that seems especially true for Gretchen, who still stings from not making the 2020 Olympic squad alongside Alex.

Besides setting the world record, the UVA rising senior was recently named ACC Female Student-Athlete of the Year for all sports. Other accolades this season include ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Year, ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, first-team All-America by the College Sports Communicators, 2024 Honda Sports Award winner and the Collegiate Swimming & Diving Coaches of Association of America Swimmer of the Year.

Asked about the impact of missing out on her Olympics four years ago, Gretchen says it’s motivation.

“As sad as I was that I didn’t make it last time around, it just made his one that much sweeter and I’m just happy that I did it. Now it’s just time to see what else I have in store,” Gretchen says.

“I personally feel like this could be my year. Like, this is my moment,” she adds. “I’ve been working too hard and I’ve had a lot of disappointing summers in the past and so this is one where I finally stepped up to the plate. I’ve got a world record. I’m going to the Olympics. I feel like I really couldn’t ask for anything more and I definitely think I have more in me. I’m ready to swim my heart out for Team USA.”

Alex says the ups-and-downs since the 2020 Olympics keep pushing her.

“It’s been interesting for me to kind of be able to see the differences between these experiences,” Alex says. “I hope – like Gretchen said – that this will be a year for me that I pull something out of myself that I know is there. I’ve just been working to kind of put all the pieces together.

The Walsh sisters, here in 2019, distinguished themselves in high school before going on to Virginia.

-- Photograph Provided

“Last summer was disappointing for me after being a world champion in 2022, finishing second, way off my best time in 2023. I think that was something I struggled with. So I hope that this is kind of my rebound year after last year and I feel really good.”

An added incentive is they’re going for the gold together.

“We were both so determined to make this team — and you really have to be, because you only get this one shot once every four years. And so, I definitely think that it was this was my time and my place,” Gretchen says.

One chance for Alex

The biggest difference in their mutual medal quest is that Gretchen has three swims and Alex gets only one. And the 200 IM is going to be a battle royale with the world’s four best swimmers in the pool at the same time – Alex, fellow American Douglass, Canada’s Summer McIntosh and Australian Kaylee McKeown.

Three medals. Four elite swimmers. Alex understands the stakes – someone’s not going to capture hardware.

“My race is interesting because we have four of the top eight-fastest girls in the world all competing to get on the medal podium. So it’s going to be a tough race, but I think I’m looking forward to being in such a historic race,” Alex says. “We’ve never all swam in the same heat before, so that should be really interesting.

“I hope that type of environment pushes me to be better than I have been ever before. And if that lands me a medal, that’s great. If it doesn’t, oh well, and I hope to come back really happy with my performance.

“Now that I only have the 200 IM to focus on in Paris, I feel like I’m going to be able to set myself up to have a really good race. So I’m excited.”

Having only one chance to medal may be the extra motivation she needs.

“Alex has what is probably the most interesting race at the Games,” NAC’s Wharam says. “There are four women within striking distance of the gold medal in Paris. … It really feels like any of those four could end up anywhere on the podium (or off).

“For Alex, it will come down to her butterfly and freestyle legs. She is a world-class backstroker and breaststroker, so those other two legs will be very important.”

Harpeth Hall’s Linden adds that because Alex’s solo event is at the end of the swimming program, “that will also give her a chance to be a little more rested than maybe some of the other swimmers. You know, she’ll get to put all of her energy into that one swim, so hopefully that’ll be to her advantage.”

Whatever happens in Paris, both know they’ll have given their all and are excited to share the experience together with their parents, Glynis and Robert Walsh.

“To have both of us competing, I think that is their dream come true. Last time around, it was definitely hard having me at home and Alex there alone,” Gretchen says. “It’s going to be the most amazing crowd, I already know, and so just to have them be a part of it in person, it’s going to be really special. I’m excited to see what they have to say about it.”

Alex agrees, adding, “So I hope that Paris is more exciting and more of a celebration than of a nail-biter.”

Indeed, a victory would be the best birthday present she could give herself.

Alex Walsh

• Age: 23 (July 31)
• Education: Harpeth Hall, University of Virginia (computer science)
Club team: Nashville Aquatic Club
• Parents: Glynis and Robert Walsh
• Olympic events: 200 IM (Aug. 2-3)
• Achievements in the pool: Silver medalist at 2020 Tokyo Olympics • 2022 World Championships gold medalist • National Team member from 2017-20 • A member of the National Junior Team from 2015-17 • Two-time individual gold medalist at the 2019 Pan American Games • Two-time individual high school state champion • Named the Tennessee high school female MVP (2016-19)
• Favorite Nashville restaurants? Jeni’s Ice Cream, Taquiero del Sol, Edley’s Bar-B-Que
• Favorite Nashville hangouts? Percy Warner Park (“Up the stairs and just driving down Belle Meade Boulevard because it’s so beautiful.”)
• Listening to? “I really like SZA. We’re both Chris Stapleton fans. I also like Tyler Childers. … Morgan Wallen, he’s one of our favorites.”
• Dog or cat person? Cat (“His name is Obi after Star Wars and he’s a ragdoll cat. He is very friendly and very big. He’s almost 20 pounds.”)
• Favorite Nashville swimming memory? “The 2015 Summer Sizzler (with NAC teammate Ella Nelson). We both had made our Olympic Trials cuts in the 200-meter breaststroke. She made hers in prelims and I had to wait six hours before I could get my cut. I remember taking photos together on the pool deck afterward.”
• If not swimming, what sport would you play? “I would probably do lacrosse and surfing. Surfing is a new Olympic sport, so I thought that would be pretty cool.”

Gretchen Walsh

• Age: 21 (Jan. 29)
• Education: Harpeth Hall, University of Virginia (commerce)
• Club team: Nashville Aquatic Club
• Parents: Glynis and Robert Walsh
• Olympic events: 100-meter butterfly (July 27-28), 50 m free (Aug. 3-4), 4x100m free relay (July 27)
• Achievements in the pool: Competed at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials • National High School Record Holder in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle • Eight-time individual Tennessee State Champion • Two-time Tennessee Female Swimmer of the Year (2020-2021) • Two-time Tennessee Athlete of the Year (2020-2021) • Junior National Team Member (2018) • National Team Member (2019-2021) • Two-time Individual Gold Medalist at Junior World Championships (2019)
• Favorite Nashville restaurant? Baja Burrito.
• Favorite Nashville hangouts? “Lower Broadway and 12 South.”
• Who are you listening to? “We’re both listening to Chappell Roan … she is really popular.”
• Dog or cat person? Dog (“I love both but when I’m older, the first thing I’m going to get is a dog.”)
• Favorite Nashville swimming memories? “Winning state my freshman year (at Harpeth Hall). … It was a taste of what swimming would be like at UVA. … Maybe my favorite meet (with NAC) was when I was 13 at Summer Sizzler, when I qualified for my first-ever Olympic Trials. I was just swarmed by people.”
• If not swimming, what sport would you play? “Tennis, if I could be at the same level.”