Lilly King Tops Yulia Efimova in 100 Breast Prelims at Worlds

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Photo Courtesy: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

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Lilly King and Yulia Efimova will meet again in the women’s 100 breast at the World Championships, but that showdown won’t come until the final. The duo qualified first and second, respectively, in prelims, meaning they will swim in separate semi-final heats at night.

King, of the United States, won her heat in 1:05.20, while Russia’s Efimova took the next heat in 1:05.60. Efimova had to use a strong back half to catch and pass Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte, who qualified third in 1:05.81.

Meilutyte was the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in this event but finished a disappointing seventh at the 2016 Olympics. She looks to be on the road to a bounce-back after posting the fourth-fastest time in the world this year in the heats.

The USA’s Katie Meili, who won bronze in Rio, qualified fourth in 1:06.39, and joining Meili in the 1:06-range were Australia’s Taylor McKeown (1:06.64), Spain’s Jessica Vall (1:06.85) and China’s Shi Jinglin (1:06.94).

Canada’s Rachel Nicol was eighth in 1:07.10, just ahead of Australia’s Jessica Hansen (1:07.12), Japan’s Satomi Suzuki (1:07.20), Great Britain’s Sarah Vasey (1:07.20), Great Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (1:07.33), Sweden’s Jennie Johansson (1:07.35) and Denmark’s Rikke Moeller Pedersen (1:07.39).

Italy’s Arianna Castiglioni and Canada’s Kierra Smith tied for 15th at 1:07.43 to earn the last two spots in the semi-finals.

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Matt Seadog

8 years ago

Efimova should not even be allowed to compete , that cheating piece of garbage . FINA is corrupt!!!

Shaheen Alghofari

8 years ago

Not waving her finger after semis Joe Stott