Olympic Swimmer Pulled Into Group Hug in the Water After Setting Record as 3 More Americans Win Medals
Friday's swimming competitions in the Tokyo Summer Games kept piling on the medals for Team USA.
Americans Lilly King and Annie Lazor won silver and bronze, respectively, in the women's 200m breaststroke — with King, who won a bronze earlier this week, edged out by South African Tatjana Schoenmaker, who set an Olympic record with 2:18.95.
King swam in 2:19.92 and Lazor followed behind with a time of 2:20.84.
Schoenmaker, still in the water, reacted with visible amazement at her victory, as the other swimmers gathered to hug and congratulate her.
"I feel that it was such a special race, knowing that we could celebrate each other victories," Schoenmaker said at a press conference after. "That the competition in the pool, and outside the pool we can be happy for each other, motivate each other and say 'good luck.' "
Of her success, she said, "It hasn't really sunk in yet. The whole process has been really quick. I was really excited to finally finish my individual races, and I am excited to go home and celebrate with my family."
Earlier this week, King told reporters that she felt she had only gotten more seasoned since competing in the 2016 Games when she won two golds.
"I don't really feel I have anything to compare it to because it's only my second Olympics and it's five years later," she said, "I am in such a different spot, I just feel a lot more experienced."
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
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Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Ryan Murphy, another 2016 medalist, also won silver on Friday in the men's 200m breaststroke, as Evgeny Rylov of Russia took gold and Great Britain's Luke Greenbank won bronze.
Caeleb Dressel, meanwhile, set another Olympic record — in the semifinals for men's 100m butterfly — and is still on his way to a potential six golds in Tokyo.
The swimmers in each event were cheered on by dozens, perhaps a few hundred, of their fellow athletes.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
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COVID-19 protocols at these Games have barred spectators, but Olympians are allowed to watch other events in their sport. The swimming competitions have been some of the only that sound like past Olympics, with national cheers, chants and shouts of joy from the stands.
Friday's swimming events are ongoing.
To learn more about Team USA, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.
