It took a world record performance to keep Lilly King from an improbable gold medal Thursday night at the Tokyo Olympics.
South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker passed the former Indiana University star in the final 25 meters to win the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:18.95.
King had never medaled in the 200 and finished seventh in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. But she was first off the blocks Thursday night and led three-fourths of the race in a world-record pace before finishing less than a second behind Schoenmaker in 2:19.92.
IU post-grad swimmer Annie Lazor was third in 2:20.84.
Lazor came out of retirement to train with King in Bloomington under IU coach Ray Looze. She and King have become close and were in adjoining lanes for the race.
“We go through practice every day together, we went through trials together, we do it here together, so that is kind of the way we have always planned it,” King said. “We always learn to do it together. I’m just really, really excited for this moment.”
Lazor beat King at the Olympic trials.
“We had two great swims, and I’m so happy to be able to do it with her, just like practice every day,” Lazor said. “I feel amazing but I still don’t feel like it has sunk in yet, honestly.”
The surprise finish for King comes after she settled for the bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke Sunday night. She had won gold in the 100 breast in 2016 in Rio and owns the world record in the event.
Schoenmaker’s time was .16 faster than the previous record of 2:19.11 by Denmark’s Rikke Pedersen in 2013. She’s the first woman to swim under 2:19 in the event.
King’s silver was the seventh won by current or former IU athletes in Tokyo. Sixteen current and former Hoosiers representing six countries are competing in the Olympics.
