2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
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- Pick ’em Contest
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Russia’s Yuliya Efimova clocked a 1:04.36 in the first semi-final of the women’s 100m breaststroke on Monday evening in Budapest. It was the second-fastest swim in history, only .01 off the world record of 1:04.35, set by Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte in 2013.
5 FASTEST PERFORMERS ALL-TIME – WOMEN’S 100 BREAST
- Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 1:04.35, 2013
- Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:04.36, 2017
- Jessica Hardy (USA), 1:04.45, 2009
- Lilly King (USA), 1:04.53, 2017
- Rebecca Soni (USA), 1:04.84, 2009
Efimova gave a little smile and wagged her finger at the end of her race, replaying the cinematic rivalry she and Lilly King had in Rio last summer. Feuds aside, it was a strong performance and sets Efimova up for Tuesday night’s final with the fastest qualifying time in the field. King qualified second with 1:04.53; Meilutyte was third with 1:05.06.
Watch the semi-final race below courtesy of NBC Sports.
Write-up by Lauren Neidigh:
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Ruta Meilutyte, 1:04.35, 2013
- Championship Record: Ruta Meilutyte, 1:04.35, 2013
- Junior World Record: Ruta Meilutyte, 1:05.21, 2014
TOP 8:
- Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 1:04.36
- Lilly King, USA, 1:04.53
- Ruta Meilutyte, LTU, 1:05.06
- Katie Meili, USA, 1:05.48
- Shi Jinglin, CHN, 1:06.47
- Jessica Vall, ESP, 1:06.62
- Kierra Smith, CAN, 1:06.62
- Sarah Vasey, GBR, 1:06.81
Russia’s Yuliya Efimova was over a half second shy of World Record pace at the 50, but flew through the back half to miss the mark by just a hundredth with her 1:04.36 in semifinal 1. Lilly King answered in the next heat with a personal best 1:04.53 to miss the American Record by hundredths.
World Record holder Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania put up a 1:05.06, marking her fastest performance in this event since she 2013. Those 3 are shaping up to be the favorites for the medals in this race, but the USA’s Katie Meili(1:05.48) is also in the conversation after qualifying 4th in a new best time.
Guys in the end whoever wins doesn’t matter. Either way we’ll somehow get an interview of Lily King saying some things that will dig her deeper in a hole.
Rotten. Meili is my favorite. I wanted her to medal again but she seems destined to a close fourth then gap to fifth.
Very dedicated. Just not as talented as the others. Late bloomers typically lag in raw talent.
I rooted for Lilly last year. This time I’ll reverse and go for Efimova.
Lilly obviously senses her image needs to be softened, based on that video clip that NBC ran today…”two sides of me.”
Not going to happen.
I’d be impressed IF she didn’t juice up….
I’m sure she is upset that she didn’t impress you
The final is going to be epic. Don’t really care who is going to win it because I’ll be saving the popcorn for the drama in the swimswam comments 😉
Everyone is secretly hoping Meilutyte wins it with a 1:03 😉
I honestly don’t know why some commenters defend Efimova when she’s obviously failed TWO drug tests and doesnt seem AT ALL ashamed or remorseful for doing so.
Totally agree.
One was a stupid mistake (not being careful enough enough when buying products at GNC Four years ago when she was 21) and one was for meldonium just a couple months after it became banned (which the manufacturer says is completely possible even if she never took it illegally). She’s not perfect, but she certainly doesn’t need to express her shame and remorse every time she shows her face in public, as you seem to think
Exactly. And some Russian apologists are here. A CHEATER should have been banned. Period.
AMERICA!!!!!!
Two BS charges. She has to move on with her life. She’s clearly the most talented female breaststroker in the world, or at least the one with the most potential.
How about you do your research? She took meldonium BEFORE it was banned. When scientists tested it and banned it on January 1st, she stopped. The scientists didn’t know how long it took to leave the blood stream, so they tested. Not knowing it was too early. She, along with hundreds of other athletes, failed, but soon the scientists realized that 6 months was too early and tested 2 months later and she did not fail. Showing that she did NOT take meldonium when it was illegal. So, that’s why we commentators defend Yuliya, because we know what actually happened, and care enough to look into it unlike some people who just think she takes enhancement drugs for fun. Hope… Read more »
Rowdy says the finger wag is “ridiculous”, come one it lasted 2 seconds and she was smiling the whole time.
Yeah, I didn’t really like when Rowdy said she better be careful.
Rowdy doesn’t like her because she’s Russian, obviously. Efimova is an amazing swimmer, she will likely win and take that WR in the final…
Just makes for a better story tomorrow night…expect fireworks!!!
I love the fight in this girl. Could have very easily been swallowed up in controversy and disappeared.