Alex Walsh's Sister Breaks Silence On Controversial Bronze Medal Disqualification

U.S. swimmer Alex Walsh made headlines for all the wrong reasons on Saturday after the 23-year-old was disqualified from the 200-meter individual medley. To make matters worse, Walsh actually finished third in the race, but the disqualification meant that she would not take home a bronze medal.

Walsh was disqualified from the competition after reportedly turning too soon in the backstroke leg of the race. Upon review, the committee deemed this to be an illegal act, thereby coming to the drastic decision to disqualify her from the race altogether.

Australia's Kaylee McKeown, who initially finished fourth, took Walsh's place on the podium for a bronze medal. American Kate Douglass won the silver, while Summer McIntosh of Canada placed first after setting a new Olympic record (2:06.56).

Alex's sister, Gretchen Walsh, who herself won gold in the 400-meter mixed medley less than an hour after her older sister was disqualified, has spoken out about the controversial turn of events. Gretchen admitted that she was completely shocked by her sister's drastic change in fate.

“I’m just devastated,” Gretchen said, via WFLA News. “I think that Alex deserves 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.

"... I was really happy for her when I saw she touched third. I was thrilled that she was on the podium, and then I did one more 50 of warm down and then it was a DQ. So I was just stopped in the middle of the pool like so upset,

"I don’t really know how to describe it. But yeah I knew that I was going to have to move on from that quickly in the moment, give her a big hug, tell her that I’m here for her and then go out and do this in her honor.”

That's just heartbreaking.

Hopefully, the fans get to know Alex more, and her career as a decorated swimmer is not reduced to this single catastrophic error.

Related: Suni Lee Drops Honest Admission About Simone Biles Clash

Related: Fans In Disbelief Over Slow-Mo Video Of Simone Biles' Historic Vault

Related: Fans Are Saying The Same Thing About Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade's Viral Olympic Moment