Race Video: Watch Lilly King Break World Record in 100 Breast Final with 1:04.13

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Olympic champion Lilly King is now World champion and World Record-holder. Watch the video below as she blazes to a 1:04.13, taking 0.22 off the previous mark of 1:04.35 set by Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte at the 2013 World Championships. King shot out to the lead with a sub-30 first 50 meters, then brought it home in a quick 34.33. Katie Meili, with the second-fastest back half in the field (34.56) slid past Yuliya Efimova to take the silver medal.

Watch the entire race below courtesy of NBC Sports.

Write-up by Loretta Race:

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

The highly-touted battle between American Lilly King and Yuliya Efimova of Russia came to fruition tonight, with the American scorching a new World Record of 1:04.13. That shaved a cool .22 off of Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte’s record of 1:04.35 from back in 2013.

King’s opening 50 of 29.80 matches the 4th fastest 50 breast ever produced, and the Indiana Hoosier held on to clock 34.33 on the back half to crush the monster time of 1:04.13. Right behind her was teammate Katie Meili, who also shut down Efimova with her time of 1:05.03. That hacked .45 off of her previous personal best of 1:05.48 to overtake Leisel Jones as the world’s 6th fastest performer all-time.

Efimova still landed on the podium with a bronze, just .02 off of Meili’s time. She kicked off the race with an opening split of 30.34, but slowed to a 34.71, not being able to make up the necessary ground to catch the Olympic gold medalist King. Compare that to Efimova’s semi-final swim of 1:04.36, where she was able to go out in 30.67 and still bring it home in 33.69.

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Vlad Squad loves breaststroke
6 years ago

It’s kind of cool to see how King uses her anger in the pool from prelims, to win finals. At the Olympics and Budapest. Yuliya is like me in the ways that I go all out and get first at prelims, and get 2nd in Finals. Happened to me at Junior Olympics last year. Not a King fan, but just an observation.

Americans are the biggest dopers
6 years ago

Americans are the biggest dopers of hard work, dedication & success #walmart

Billy
6 years ago

One thing that no one has mentioned is this…Has anyone noticed that Lilly King is getting faster and faster and faster? She’s about 1.5 seconds faster in the 100 than last year and what, 3.4 or 5 seconds faster in the 200? I’m curious to see the women’s 200, she might do something super fast and I mean 2:19 or even better. Having steady coaching from Ray Looze has really helped her. I remember reading about her USS team (Newburgh Sea Creatures) having a new coach every six months because of all the swimmer parents fighting about who knows what……

Vlad Squad loves breaststroke
Reply to  Billy
6 years ago

i agree, but she isn’t necessarily a 200er because she seems to be better at sprints. not saying she cant do it just saying

JudgeNot
6 years ago

Fantastic swims by Lilly King and Katie Meili. Enjoyed that tremendously. Big fan of both – job well done ladies.

Vlad Squad loves breaststroke
Reply to  JudgeNot
6 years ago

you forgot yuliyas swim thatwas great too

Grace
6 years ago

Although I am not one to ever believe doping is okay or the answer, I realize we’re all human and make mistakes. With that being said my heart aches for Yulifa and all the horrible comments. No one, no matter the mistake made deserves to have such terrible things about them constantly said about them.. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. I wish her all the happiness and a good job to all for swimming in this top heat. A job well done and kudos to all.

Vlad Squad loves breaststroke
Reply to  Grace
6 years ago

i agree except for the fact that people emphasize that she made 2 mistakes when she actually only made 1. the 2nd one was the scientists fault for testing too early. You know i found out that around 400 athletes were positive for meldonium at the time yuliya was and ALL of then got released because they realized it was too early. so rip articles

AWSI DOOGER
6 years ago

I didn’t care about Lilly. I respect but don’t like her. Nothing says I have to appreciate every American swimmer.

I was fixed on Meili the entire time, desperate for her to remain ahead of Meilutyte for third. Once that seems assured I was so relieved I noticed Lilly was ahead of the world record line, and that Meili actually had a shot at silver.

What a bonus, even if it was more a case of Efimova tightening up and being less than her best.

Billy
6 years ago

Ya know….. The sport of swimming could use a little drama once in a while. Whether some of you like it or not, it brings viewers to the sport when there is controversy. Otherwise the non swimmer viewer might not watch the races.

Gary Hall Jr. was entertaining wearing his boxing robe to the blocks, Chad Le Clos created drama dancing in front of Michael Phelps in Rio’s ready room and the Sun Yang/Mack Horton Rio scenario made for some great TV.

Lilly King can talk the talk and she can definitely back it up with results. I felt much more tension watching the women’s 100 Breaststroke today than any other event so far. It makes for better TV watching,… Read more »

Ab Ramirez
6 years ago

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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