July 29 (UPI) — U.S. swimmers took home a pair of silver medals and a bronze in four finals races at the Tokyo Aquatic Center in Japan on Thursday.
Team USA swimmers Lilly King and Annie Lazor took home silver and bronze respectively in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke on Thursday night as Tatjana Schoemaker won the event with a world record time of 2 minutes and 18.95 seconds.
King turned in a strong start, leading for much of the race but faltered in the final stretch as she was overtaken by Schoemaker. Conversely, Lazor was in the middle of the pack for much of the race before pushing her way onto the medal stand, edging out 16-year-old Evegina Chikunova.
The two Americans embraced a tearful Schoemaker at the conclusion of the race as they celebrated their medal finishes.
Ryan Murphy of Team USA snagged a silver medal in the men’s 200-meter backstroke, falling to gold medalist Evengy Rylov, who turned in an Olympic record time of 1 minute and 53.27 seconds. Luke Greenbank of Britain took home the bronze medal.
“The Olympics is unique in the fact that you’re getting everyone’s best at this event and so I think that’s what makes it really challenging,” Murphy said after the race.
Australian’s dominated the women’s 100-meter freestyle as Emma McKeon won gold with an Olympic record time of 51.96 seconds, while Cate Campbell won bronze. Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong took home the silver.
Abbey Weitzeil of the United States failed to medal, coming in at the bottom of the pack with a time of 53.23 seconds.
Michael Andrew failed to medal in the men’s 200-meter individual medley, falling apart in the final 50 meters after leading the pack for the majority of the race.
Wang Shun of China ultimately won the gold with a time of 1 minute and 55 seconds, while Duncan Scott of Britain claimed the silver and Jeremy Desplancehs of Switzerland finished with the bronze medal.