South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker Sets Olympic Record in 100m Breaststroke

SOUTH Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker has won her heat in 1:04.82 in women’s 100m breaststroke, setting an Olympic record.

She has qualified for the semi-finals taking place on Monday.

The South African superstar is regarded as the favourite for the 200m breaststroke, but showed that she means business in the 100m as well.

Schoenmaker stopped the clock in a new Olympic record of 1 minute, 04.82 seconds (1:04.82), slashing her personal best of 1:05.74 by nearly a second.

She still trails defending champion, American Lilly King, on the 2021 world list, with her best this year being 1:04.72.

Meanwhile, world record holder Kaylee McKeown was the fastest qualifier in the women’s 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Games on Sunday, setting a new Olympic record with her time of 57.88 seconds.

McKeown’s effort in the sixth heat was the third time the Olympic record had fallen during the session after Kylie Masse