Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 6 Finals Live Recap

2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games

• When: Pool swimming: Saturday, July 24 – Sunday, August 1, 2021
  • Open Water swimming: Wednesday, August 4 – Thursday, August 5, 2021
• Where: Olympic Aquatics Centre / Tokyo, Japan
• Heats: 7 PM / Semifinals & Finals: 10:30 AM (Local time)
• Full aquatics schedule
• SwimSwam Event Previews
• Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Day 6 Finals Heat Sheet

It’s Friday morning in Tokyo and we are gearing up for the Day 6 finals session. On tap will be finals for the women’s 200 breast and 100 free and the men’s 200 back and 200 IM. The session will also feature semifinals of men’s 100 fly and women’s 200 back.

In the medal round of the women’s 200 breast, heavily-favored Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa will take to lane 4 as the only swimmer in the final who has gone under 2:20 (twice, so far, in these Games). She broke the Olympic Record in heats with 2:19.16, then swam 2:19.33 in the semis. An extra half stroke at the end of that race may have cost her the World Record, so we are on record watch this morning. The rest of the podium is wide open. Schoenmaker’s countrywoman Kaylene Corbett won her heat with 2:22.08 and could give RSA a second medal in this event. Two Americans, Annie Lazor (2:21.94) and Lilly King (2:22.27), are in the hunt. And Evgeniia Chikunova from the Russian Olympic Committee, who qualified second with 2:20.57, is a medal contender, as well.

An American has won the men’s 200 backstroke for the last six Olympic Games in a row (Brad Bridgewater-1996, Lenny Krayzelburg-2000, Aaron Peirsol-2004, Ryan Lochte-2008, Tyler Clary-2012, Ryan Murphy-2016) but Evgeny Rylov of the Russian Olympic Committee, who won the 100 back already, is hoping to end that streak. He qualified first out of the semifinals with 1:54.45. Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank (1:54.98) and USA’s Murphy (1:55.38) will be on either side of him in lanes 5 and 3, respectively.

We’re on World Record watch for the women’s 100 free, in a star-studded final that includes the Olympic Record-holder, Emma McKeon of Australia (52.32) and her teammate Cate Campbell (52.71), who had the fastest time in the world coming into the Olympics; Asian Record-holder Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, (52.40); Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (52.82), the current World Record-holder; and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Penny Oleksiak of Canada (52.86).

The last final of the morning will be the men’s 200 individual medley. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Wang Shun of China posted the fastest time in semifinals (1:56.22) by nearly half a second. Great Britain’s Duncan Scott (1:56.69) and reigning World Champion Daiya Seto of Japan (1:56.86) qualified second and third. USA’s Michael Andrew came into the Games with the top time in the world. He led the field through heats but qualified fourth for the final with 1:57.08.

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Semifinals

• World Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 49.50 (2019)
• Olympic Record: Joseph Schooling (SGP) – 50.39 (2016)/Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 50.39 (2021)
• World Junior Record: Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.62 (2017)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Joseph Schooling (SGP) – 50.39
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Men’s 100 Butterfly

1. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 49.71
2. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.31
3. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 50.76
4. Josif Miladiniov (BUL) – 51.06
5. Andrei Minakov (ROC) – 51.11
6. Matthew Temple (AUS) – 51.12
7. Jakub Majerski (POL) – 51.24
8. Luis Carlos Martinez (GUA) – 51.30

Andrei Minakov of the Russian Federation and France’s Mehdy Metella turned together and the 50 wall in semifinal 1, going 23.73. Hungary’s Kristof Milak was just behind with 23.74. The next 50 meters proved decisive, with Milak hammering it home in 26.57 for a new Olympic Record of 50.31. Josif Miladinov of Bulgaria pulled to second place with 51.06, touching out Minakov (51.11) and Australia’s Matthew Temple (51.12).

In the very next heat, USA’s Caeleb Dressel broke Milak’s newly-minted Olympic Record, taking it down to 49.71. Out in 23.20, he came home in 26.51 to notch the third-fastest performance in history. Netherlands’ Nyls Korstanje was second at the 50, just ahead of Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, but Ponti had the second-fastest back half, after Dressel, and placed second with 50.76. Jakub Majerski of Poland touched third in 51.24.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: Rikke Moller Pedersen (DEN) – 2:19.11 (2013)
• Olympic Record: Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) – 2:19.16 (2021)
• World Junior Record: Viktoriya Zeynep Gunes (TUR) – 2:19.64 (2015)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Rie Kaneto (JPN) – 2:20.30
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Women’s 200 Breaststroke

1. GOLD: Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2:18.95 WR
2. SILVER: Lilly King (USA), 2:19.92
3. BRONZE: Annie Lazor (USA), 2:20.84
4. Evgeniia Chikunova (ROC), 2:20.88
5. Kaylene Corbett (RSA), 2:22.06
6. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 2:22.65
7. Abbie Wood (GBR), 2:23.72
8. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL), 2:24.57

USA’s Lilly King, who has specialized in the 100 breast through the years, made an early charge on the field from lane 2. She turned first, under World Record pace, in 31.27. South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, who had broken the Olympic Record in heats, was about .4 behind. Evgeniia Chikunova of the Russian Olympic Committee was in third. King held on to the lead over the second 50, still under WR pace with 1:06.47.

Schoenmaker took over the lead at the 150 wall, outpacing King by .7. USA’s Annie Lazor passed Chikunova and moved into the third position behind King. Schoenmaker came home in 36.47 to post a World and Olympic Record of 2:18.95.

Lazor had the fastest final 50, coming home in 36.11. She held off Chikunova, 2:20.84 to 2:20.88, to earn the bronze medal. King went 2:19.92 for silver.

South Africa did not send one woman to the 2016 Olympic Games. In that year, Schoenmaker’s best time was 2:27 and she did not qualify for Rio.

ALL-TIME PERFORMERS

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Final

• World Record: Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 1:51.92 (2009)
• Olympic Record: Tyler Clary (USA) – 1:53.41 (2012)
• World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 1:55.14 (2017)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 1:53.62
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Men’s 200 Backstroke

1. GOLD: Evgeny Rylov (ROC), 1:53.27 OR
2. SILVER: Ryan Murphy (USA), 1:54.15
3. BRONZE: Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:54.72
4. Bryce Mefford (USA), 1:55.49
5. Adam Telegdy (HUN), 1:56.15
6. Radoslaw Kawecki (POL), 1:56.39
7. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:57.32
8. Nicolas Garcia Saiz (ESP), 1:59.06

Russia Olympic Committee’s Evgeny Rylov, the 100 backstroke gold medalist in these Games, led wire-to-wire in the 200 back final. He took down Tyler Clary’s Olympic Record and became the first non-American to win this event in six Olympics.

Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank was in second place at the 50, just a tick in front of defending Olympic champion Ryan Murphy and Bryce Mefford of USA. Murphy passed Greenback at the halfway mark and trailed Rylov by .45. Rylov increased his lead over the 2016 champion to .7 at the 150. Greenbank maintained his .3 lead over Mefford as they turned into the final 50 meters.

Murphy turned on the jets over the final 50 but Rylov outsplit him, 29.34 to 29.50, and held on for the win with an Olympic Record of 1:53.27.

Murphy scored the silver medal, finishing with 1:54.17. Greenbank won bronze with 1:54.72.

Women’s 100 Freestyle – Final

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 51.71 (2017)
• Olympic Record: Emma McKeon (AUS) – 52.13 (2021)
• World Junior Record: Penny Oleksiak (CAN) – 52.70 (2016)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Simone Manuel (USA) / Penny Oleksiak (CAN) – 52.70
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Women’s 100 Freestyle

1. GOLD: Emma McKeon (AUS), 51.96 OR
2. SILVER: Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 52.27
3. BRONZE: Cate Campbell (AUS), 52.52
4. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 52.59
5. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 52.68
6. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 52.79
7. Anna Hopkin (GBR), 52.83
8. Abbey Weitzeil (USA), 53.23

Top-seeded Emma McKeon became only the second woman in history to dip under the 52-second barrier with her 51.96 victory in the 100 free final. McKeon was out in 25.08 and home in 26.88 to set both the Olympic Record and the Oceanian Record.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey flipped in second place at the 50, just .02 behind McKeon. She came home with the third-fastest back half to split 25.10/27.17 for an Asian Record of 52.27.

Australia’s Cate Campbell split 25.19/27.33 to take the bronze in 52.52. It is her first medal since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Defending champion Penny Oleksiak of Canada finished just off the podium with 52.59. World Record-holder Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden came from 8th place at the 50 to 5th at the finish, touching in 52.68.

ALL-TIME PERFORMERS

Men’s 200 Individual Medley – Final

• World Record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:54.00 (2011)
• Olympic Record: Michael Phelps (USA) – 1:54.23 (2008)
• World Junior Record: Hubert Kos (HUN) – 1:56.99 (2021)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Michael Phelps (USA) – 1:54.66
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Men’s 200 Individual Medley

1. GOLD: Wang Shun (CHN), 1:55.00
2. SILVER: Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:55.28
3. BRONZE: Jeremy Desplanches (SUI), 1:56.17
4. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:56.22
5. Michael Andrew (USA), 1:57.31
6. Kosuke Hagino (JPN), 1:57.40
7. Laszlo Cseh (HUN), 1:57.68
8. Lewis Clareburt (NZL), 1:57.70

2016 bronze medalist Wang Shun broke the Asian Record and won Olympic gold in the men’s 200 IM. He posted a 1:55.00, racing stroke for stroke with Great Britain’s Duncan Scott over the final 50 meters. Both Wang and Scott came from behind to wind up on the first two steps of the podium.

USA’s Michael Andrew led the field through the first 150 meters, as was expected. Andrew was a full second up after the breaststroke, turning for home with a running time of 1:26.62. Butterflyer Laszlo Cseh of Hungary had been second behind Andrew at the 50 wall with Wang in third place. Wang overtook Cseh on the backstroke. On the breaststroke leg, Andrew pulled further ahead of Wang, while Japan’s Daiya Seto and Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches moved into third and fourth place.

Wang, Scott, Desplanches, and Seto blew past Andrew, who split 30.69 on the freestyle. Wang and Scott went 27-mids to score the gold and silver medals with 1:55.00 and 1:55.28. Desplanches was .13 faster coming home than Seto, and claimed the bronze by .05 with a new Swiss Record of 1:56.17.

Andrew finished fifth with 1:57.31.

ALL-TIME PERFORMERS

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Semifinals

• World Record: Regan Smith (USA) – 2:03.35 (2019)
• Olympic Record: Missy Franklin (USA) – 2:04.06 (2012)
• World Junior Record: Regan Smith (USA) – 2:03.35 (2019)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Maya DiRado (USA) – 2:05.99
• SwimSwam Event Preview – Women’s 200 Backstroke

1. Emily Seebohm (AUS) – 2:07.09
2. Phoebe Bacon (USA) – 2:07.10
3. Rhyan White (USA) – 2:07.28
4. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 2:07.92
5. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:07.93
6. Liu Yaxin (CHN) – 2:08.65
7. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 2:08.73
8. Peng Xuwei (CHN) – 2:08.76

Swimming in lanes 4 and 5, Americans Rhyan White and Phoebe Bacon got out first in semifinal 1, flipping nearly together at the 50 wall with 29.7s. Canada’s Taylor Ruck was .2 behind them. Bacon took over the lead at the 100, turning at 1:01.52, about half a body length ahead of White. Australia’s Emily Seebohm moved into third, passing Ruck and Italy’s Margherita Panziera.

Over the next 50 meters, Bacon held the lead, while Seebohm passed White. Seebohm touched out Bacon at the finish by .01, 2:07.09 to 2:07.10. White was just .18 back with 2:07.28.

Swimming in lanes 4 and 5, Americans Rhyan White and Phoebe Bacon got out first in semifinal 1, flipping nearly together at the 50 wall with 29.7s. Canada’s Taylor Ruck was .2 behind them. Bacon took over the lead at the 100, turning at 1:01.52, about half a body length ahead of White. Australia’s Emily Seebohm moved into third, passing Ruck and Italy’s Margherita Panziera.

Over the next 50 meters, Bacon held the lead, while Seebohm passed White. Seebohm touched out Bacon at the finish by .01, 2:07.09 to 2:07.10. White was just .18 back with 2:07.28.

Canada’s Kylie Masse started semifinal 2 with a bang. She led Peng Xuwei of China and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown by .2 at the 50. Hungary’s Katalin Burian took control over the next 50 and flipped first at the 100 wall in 1:02.54. McKeown and Masse turned essentially together in second place. McKeown pulled to the front of the pack on the third 50, followed by Liu Yaxin of China and Masse.

Masse had a massive final 50, coming home in 32.21, and secured the heat win in 2:07.82. McKeown was second with 2:07.93. Liu touched out countrywoman Peng, 2:08.65 to 2:08.76, to come in third.

In Saturday’s 200 back final, there will be two swimmers from Australia, Canada, China, and the United States.