Schoenmaker (RSA) breaks Olympic Record in women’s 100 breaststroke
Back in the pool, after HWANG Sunwoo (KOR) tops the timesheets in the heats of the men’s 200 free (1:44.62), the only man under 1:45, it’s time for the women’s 100 breaststroke.
World and Olympic record holder Lilly King is in Heat 6.
The first attention-grabbing swim comes from South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker in Heat 5, with a new Olympic Record! 1:04.82.
King doesn’t start the quickest in Heat 6 and is only second at the turn. The top 16 move to the semis so she’ll make it but can she get her OR back?
No! She touches home first, but in 1:05.55.
Olympics 2020 Results in Pool: New Olympic Records in pool
Over in the pool, Canadian Kylie Masse has broken the Olympic Record in winning Heat 4 of the women’s 100 back.
She clocks 58.17 to break Emily Seebohm’s mark (58.23) from London 2012.
I get the feeling that will be broken a couple more times before the final.
On to Heat 5, where we find Regan Smith (USA).
And, as expected, she does lower Masse’s mark. By a lot. 57.96 – the first woman under 58 seconds at an Olympic Games.
Finally, Heat 6, where we have current world record holder Kaylee McKeown. She set the record at Australian trials in June.
And she, too, lowers the Olympic Record! 57.88 will be the new benchmark heading into the semis.
Kaylee McKeown Olympics 2020 backstroke record feat
Kaylee McKeown booked her spot on the Australian swimming team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in style by setting a new world record in the women’s 100m backstroke at the Australian Olympic Trials in Adelaide.
The 19-year-old, whose father passed away 10 months ago, was overcome with emotion after touching home in 57.45 seconds, 0.12s faster than American Regan Smith’s mark set at the 2019 World Championships.
It will be McKeown’s first Olympic Games. “It’s been a huge year for me and my family, it’s been 10 months since my dad passed today, so with that behind me and doing that tonight, I think he’d be really proud,” she said in her post-race interview.
Emily Seebohm finished second in 58.59 to qualify for her fourth Olympic Games, just the second Australian swimmer to accomplish that feat.
