Olympics Day 5 Notebook: Tatjana Schoenmaker is Better in the 200 Breaststroke<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Tatjana Schoenmaker after breaking the Olympic record in the 200 breast in prelims — Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher\/USA Today Sports<\/p><\/div>\n
Schoenmaker broke Rebecca Soni\u2019s<\/strong> Olympic record of 2:19.59 from the 2012 Games, which was the first time any swimmer had gone under 2:20 in the event. A year later, the floodgates were opened as Rikke Moeller Pedersen<\/strong> took down the world record at the World Championships with a 2:19.11 in the semifinal while Efimova also went under 2:20. But that record still has not been touched since \u2013 because the times simply have not improved in the event during that span. Maybe Schoenmaker is the one who can break the label and take that mark down in either Thursday\u2019s semifinals or Friday\u2019s final.<\/p>\n
The event could also be a banner moment for South African swimming, which won its first medal in women\u2019s swimming since the 2000 Olympics with Schoenmaker\u2019s silver in the 100 breast. That\u2019s because Kaylene Corbett<\/strong> qualified fourth in 2:22.48, lopping almost two seconds off her best time. So the South Africans have the gold-medal favorite and another possible medal contender in the same race\u2026 just one Olympics after no South African women competed at all in 2016.<\/p>\n
And some of the legends of South African swimming could not be more pleased to see it<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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Could this be the first double podium in swimming history for South Africa at the games? https:\/\/t.co\/01pD9h1E3F<\/a><\/p>\n
— Cameron van der Burgh OIS (@Cameronvdburgh) July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n