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Tatjana Schoenmaker breaks 200m breaststroke world record; King, Lazor win medals

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South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker captured the first individual swimming world record of the Tokyo Olympics, winning the final of the women's 200m breaststroke in 2:18.95.


Her time unseats the previous mark held by Denmark's Rikke Moller Pedersen, who eight years ago went 2:19.11 at the 2013 World Swimming Championships. Schoenmaker, 24, also took second in the 100 breast behind the 17-year-old American Lydia Jacoby,


Both American swimmers in the event, Lilly King and Annie Lazor, rounded out the podium. The Indiana-based teammates touched in 2:19.92 and 2:20.84, respectively. King was out in a blistering 1:06.47 at the 100-meter mark, leading the field, but Schoenmaker came home in 1:11.89 to King's 1:13.45.


The silver is King's second medal of the Games after taking bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke, her signature event that she won in at the 2016 Olympics. King did not make the 200 breast final in 2016 (it was the only event without a U.S. swimmer in the final). 


The 2-3 finish for the Americans is the culmination of an emotional few months for the duo. When Lazor's father died suddenly a few months before the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, King promised Lazor's mother that she would do everything in her power to get Lazor to the Olympics.

SEE MORE: Lilly King means more to Annie Lazor than just competition