Alex Walsh disqualification, explained: Why USA swimmer had bronze medal taken away in women's 200 IM final

Alex Walsh competed in just one event in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 200m individual medley. The Team USA swimmer appeared primed for a medal place, competing with Australia's Summer McIntosh and teammate Katie Douglass for a spot on the podium.

Walsh looked to have finished the job, striding to the wall third behind McIntosh and Douglass. Such an accomplishment would represent a momentous one for the 23-year old, who finished second in the same event at the 2021 Tokyo Games.

But Walsh's hopes for hardware were dashed when Olympic officials retroactively disqualified her. The adjusted result saw Team USA lose out on another medal, with Australia's Kaylee McKeown taking Walsh's place.

Here's the latest on why Olympic officials voided Walsh's impressive 200m showing Saturday in Paris.

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Alex Walsh's disqualification, explained

Walsh saw her bronze medal-winning time nixed after IOC officials found that she did not fully complete the backstroke leg of the individual medley on her back.

Saturday's race consisted of four different elements: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. The error appeared to take place when she was attempting to make the turn from backstroke to breaststroke.

Walsh appeared to flip too far onto her stomach during the turn instead of finishing her leg on her back and then making the switch. Video replays revealed the fatal flaw.

Walsh did not speak to reporters after the race. McKeown took her spot on the podium, reflecting a bit of poetic justice for the Australian swimmer. She suffered the same fate in the 2023 World Championships, where she was barred from the 200m IM after being found to have made the same error as Walsh.

The Australian swim federation labeled McKeown's 2023 disqualification as "unjust," arguing that Walsh completed the same technique in the World Championships final — an event in which she received silver.

It's unclear if USA will lodge a similar complaint after the Olympic race.