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Tatjana Schoenmaker breaks 200m breaststroke world record; King, Lazor win medals

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker reacts after winning the final of the women's 200m breaststroke to set a new world record during the Tokyo Olympic Games. (Getty Images)

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker captured the first individual swimming world record of the Tokyo Olympics, winning the final of the women's 200m breaststroke in 2:18.95.

Her time unseats the previous mark held by Denmark's Rikke Moller Pedersen, who eight years ago went 2:19.11 at the 2013 World Swimming Championships. Schoenmaker, 24, also took second in the 100 breast behind the 17-year-old American Lydia Jacoby,

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Both American swimmers in the event, Lilly King and Annie Lazor, rounded out the podium. The Indiana-based teammates touched in 2:19.92 and 2:20.84, respectively. King was out in a blistering 1:06.47 at the 100-meter mark, leading the field, but Schoenmaker came home in 1:11.89 to King's 1:13.45.

The silver is King's second medal of the Games after taking bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke, her signature event that she won in at the 2016 Olympics. King did not make the 200 breast final in 2016 (it was the only event without a U.S. swimmer in the final). 

The 2-3 finish for the Americans is the culmination of an emotional few months for the duo. When Lazor's father died suddenly a few months before the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, King promised Lazor's mother that she would do everything in her power to get Lazor to the Olympics.

SEE MORE: Lilly King means more to Annie Lazor than just competition


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