100 metres Breaststroke, Women

Lilly King (USA) was the 2016 gold medalist and had won bronze at Tokyo 2020. She was also the world record holder, having set it while winning the 2017 World Championships. Tatjana Schoenmaker-Smith of South Africa was a strong medal contender, having won silver in this event in 2020 and gold in the 200 breaststroke, while still Tatjana Schoenmaker. She had recently married before the Paris Olympics.

Schoenmaker-Smith led both the heats and semi-finals, oddly both in 1:05.00. Ireland’s Mona McSharry was second in the semis, followed by King, and then China’s Tang Qianting.

Tang was the leader on the first lap of the final, but she did not finish well, coming home with the second slowest final lap, although she would hold on for the silver medal. King was in seventh at the turn, and while her last lap would be the fastest of the race, it was too late, as she would finish in a tie for fourth with Italy’s Benedetta Pilato.

Schoenmaker-Smith was out somewhat slowly, tied for fourth at the turn with Pilato, but her final lap was bettered only by King, and would bring the South African the gold medal. McSharry was steady on both laps, edging out King and Pilato for bronze by only 1/100th of a second. She became only the second Olympic swimming medalist from Ireland, after Michelle Smith won three gold medals and four medals at Atlanta 1996.

Two days later, Schoenmaker-Smith would take silver in the 200 breaststroke, giving her gold-silver in the two backstroke events at both the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, although she reversed the order in Paris.