Reported by James Sutherland.
Lilly King: “I’d gone 2:24 six times since last December, so I was ready for that breakthrough. Luckily it came tonight. I knew I had that in me, I knew last summer, but it just decided to come today. I’ve really been working on my back half. I’m really excited to get to train with [Bethany Galat] when we get to Croatia for training camp, she’s an awesome person.”
WOMEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS
- American Record: 2:19.59, Rebecca Soni, 2012
- U.S. Open Record: 2:20.38, Rebecca Soni, 2009
- LC National Meet Record: 2:20.38, Rebecca Soni, 2009
- FINA ‘A’ Standard: 2:25.91
- Lilly King, IU, 2:21.83
- Bethany Galat, TAMU, 2:22.24
- Miranda Tucker, CW, 2:25.82
After missing the Olympic final last summer, Lilly King came through with a big swim in the 200 breast, clocking a big best time in 2:21.83 to win and punch her ticket to Budapest.
Bethany Galat, who had a few near misses at the Olympic Trials, had a tantalizing back half to claim the other World Championship spot in 2:22.24, also a best time. This was the U.S.’ weakest event in Rio, and this is a great sign of improvement after last year’s Olympic Trials was won in just 2:24.08. King and Galat become the 14th and 18th fastest performers in history.
Katie Meili was out fast, just behind King at the 100, but faded badly to 7th. Club Wolverine’s Miranda Tucker moved up three spots on the final 50 to claim 3rd in 2:25.82, just ahead of Kayla Brumbaum (2:25.85) and Vanessa Pearl (2:25.97). Pearl becomes the 3rd fastest ever in the 17-18 age category.
Zoe Bartel (2:27.26) and Ashley McCauley (2:31.00) won the B and C-final respectively.
Thought she swam pretty well at trials in Omaha, and then to win two medals at Rio is quite an accomplishment; but for her to say what she did about being “embarrassed” is lame…. I’d give anything to just make an Olympic team, let alone race, make a final or win a medal. Her comments completely undermine every athlete that competes at the Olympics – not just swimmers, either. Try having some humility about your success, instead of demeaning others by feigning embarrassment about “not making a final”…. it might serve you well when your swimming career inevitably ends.
I generally find Lilly King cocky, but this interview actually improved my view of her. I think she was saying that as an American, because the country has such a history of Olympic swimming excellence, she felt like she had to at least make a final to represent her country well. She also admitted that she was cocky going into short course worlds, ate some humble pie, and learned from it. This interview showed some insight and maturity.
She could always just get sponsored by crocs
I’d much rather open to hear real, honest comments than Miss Fake-“Everything is Roses” Franklin’s saccharine PR-speak.
The salt is strong with this one.
How can you say that about such a upbeat wonderful person?
Swimming finally has a personality interesting enough to say something other than “Yay funnest sport” or dance to “call me maybe” and that makes her unsportsmanlike? Give me a break. I rather this over the alternative any day. Ps, I never made an Olympic final and somehow I’m not offended by this.
Classic WWE Heel. People love to hate, Lilly. She has become the ‘bad girl’ of USA Swimming.
No problem whatsoever saying the term ’embarrassment’ on HER PERFORMANCE. She holds herself to a higher standard. Good for her.
The Charlotte Flair of USA swimming, I want swimswam to do an article comparing WWE stars to swimmers, Jack Conger would be Daniel Bryan always coming so close but failing, Michael Phelps is HBK the greatest performer of all time. Rowdy Gaines is JBL makes no sense on commentary
All of you trolls in the comments are ridiculous. So many people were extremely rude/disparaging to Shields, King, and Franklin in the comments section during the Olympics saying MUCH worse things than this. She stated what a lot of people on the US team think. The US goes to international meets to final and MEDAL. While she probably shouldn’t have talked so generally about it being embarrassing, she probably isn’t the only one who feels that way. Where was “this is disrespectful”, “how dare they”, etc. when Phelps and others talked about the 2015 Men’s 4×100 free relay. Like it or not, I’m sure those guys worked hard that summer and something just didn’t. However, being a part of the… Read more »
I don’t like Lilly’s attitude. She seems arrogant, maybe even selfish (lol I am getting so many dislikes for this).
If she was never interviewed I would probably be a fan, but she just comes off as someone you wouldn’t want around.