Olympics: Tatjana Schoenmaker Sets Olympic Record in 100 Breast

Jul 25, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) reacts after the women's 100m breaststroke heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Tatjana Schoenmaker; Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro

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Olympics: Tatjana Schoenmaker Sets Olympic Record in 100 Breast

Tatjana Schoenmaker swam so fast Sunday night she nearly swam out of her cap. She did, though, swim into an Olympic record.

The South African attacked the penultimate heat of the women’s 100 breaststroke in preliminaries of the Tokyo Olympics, clocking in at 1:04.82 to take down the Olympic record. It trims .11 seconds off the mark set by Lilly King in Rio. It’s also an African record and a South African record for Schoenmaker, downing the best time of 1:05.74 that she set in April. She owns all three continental breaststroke marks.

King was two spots behind Schoenmaker timewise. She won the sixth and final heat in 1:05.55. While she never separated from the back – Sophie Hansson and Martina Carraro were each within three tenths – she looked composed in getting to the wall first.

King’s countrywoman Lydia Jacoby was also easily through, the Alaskan going 1:05.52 in Schoenmaker’s wake.

The surprise of the fourth heat was a disqualification, with Benedetta Pilato of Italy getting sanctioned for foot movements not on the same plane. The Italian holds the world junior record in the 50 breaststroke.

The winner of that slow heat, Russian/King’s longtime rival Yuliya Efimova, is the eighth seed in the semifinals. Hansson will be fourth, she and Carraro the only others in the 1:05s. Russia’s Evgeniia Chikunova is looking like her country’s brightest hope as the sixth seed, while Ida Hulkko of Finland also landed a top-eight spot for Monday morning’s semifinals.

Women’s 100 breaststroke

World record: Lilly King, United States, 1:04.13 (2017)
Olympic record: Lilly King, United States, 1:04.93 (2016)

Tatjana Schoenmaker, South Africa, 1:04.82
Lydia Jacoby, United States, 1:05.52
Lilly King, United States 1:05.55
Sophie Hansson, Sweden, 1:05.66
Martina Carraro, Italy, 1:05.85
Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia, 1:06.16
Ida Hulkko, Finland, 1:06.19
Yuliya Efimova, Russia, 1:06.21
Mona McSharry, Ireland, 1:06.39
Tang Qianting, China, 1:06.47
Sarah Vasey, Great Britain, 1:06.61
Chelsea Hodges, Australia, 1:06.70
Lisa Mamie, Switzerland, 1:06.76
Eneli Jefimova, Estonia, 1:06.79
Katryna Teterevkova, Lithuania, 1:06.82
Anna Charlott Darcel Elendt, Germany, 1:06.96

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