Tatjana Schoenmaker sets Olympic record in women's 200m breaststroke

July 28, 2021 - 7:32am

Tatjana Schoenmaker, of South Africa, reacts after winning a semifinal in the women's 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Petr David Josek/AP)

If Tatjana Schoenmaker is saving the best for last, we are all in for a treat.

The South African swimmer set a new Olympic record in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke during the preliminary round on Wednesday, with a time of 2:19.16. The event’s semifinals happen on Thursday evening.

Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa sets a new OLYMPIC RECORD in the 200m breaststroke at the #TokyoOlympics! pic.twitter.com/I4fK7wCfqc

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2021

Schoenmaker had already broken one Olympic record in Tokyo, in the 100-metre breaststroke preliminary rounds with a time of 1:04.82. She ended up claiming silver in the 100-metre event on Monday.

The 24-year-old entered Tokyo as one of the favourites in both the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events. Schoenmaker’s silver in the 2020 Olympics was the first medal in women’s swimming for South Africa since 2000.

The women’s 200-metre breaststroke final is slated for Thursday.

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