World Championships: Annie Lazor DQed for Non-Simultaneous Leg Movement; FINA Jury of Appeal to Consider Protest Monday

Annie Lazor -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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World Championships: Annie Lazor DQed for Non-Simultaneous Leg Movement; FINA Jury of Appeal to Consider Protest Monday

In Sunday evening’s second 100 breaststroke semifinal, Annie Lazor of the United States touched fourth and swam fast enough to qualify for the final, but she was disqualified for a non-simultaneous leg motion. It was not immediately clear where Lazor had committed the stroke violation.

After the race, Lazor’s American teammate and training partner Lilly King told NBC Sports in a post-race interview that the U.S. contingent would fight to get the DQ overturned. The FINA Jury of Appeal will hear a protest of the decision Monday morning, and that will determine whether Lazor is reinstated and allowed to compete in the 100 breast final.

King immediately sympathized with her friend Lazor, particularly since King has been on the receiving end of some high-profile disqualifications of her own. At the 2019 World Championships, King was disqualified in the prelims of the 200 breaststroke for an alleged non-simultaneous touch on a turn, and at the ISL final in December 2021, she was again called for that violation. Replay of both incidents showed a close call but one that would have been tough to notice from the naked eye.

King made clear that she hoped Lazor would be cleared to swim, but ironically, if Lazor does get moved back into the field, King will be bumped from the 100 breast final. King is the world-record holder in the event and two-time defending world champion, and she entered the meet as a strong favorite for gold, but she has produced two subpar swims so far in Budapest, with her semifinal time of 1:06.40 more than a second off her own season-best.

Germany’s Anna Elendt qualified as the top seed into the 100 breast final, with Italy’s Benedetta Pilato and China’s Tang Qianting also swimming under 1:06 in the semifinal round.

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