Staff Reporter.
South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker won the women’s 200m breaststroke title at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on Friday.
Schoenmaker, the Olympic champion, touched the wall in 2min, 20.80sec to finish ahead of American Lilly King in 2:21.23 and Tes Schouten of the Netherlands in 2:21.63.
“I really just went into this race just having fun racing,” said Schoenmaker.
“We’re racing some of the world’s best.”
Schoenmaker went into the race with the fastest time in the semi-finals.
King was the defending champion.
“Coming back from the Olympics was a tough two years so I’m just grateful that I was able to have the opportunity to be able to race some of these girls here,” said Schoenmaker.
??Tatjana SCHOENMAKER with an amazing last 50m takes home gold ? in the 200m Breaststroke #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/U5oNZ6PYmk
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) July 28, 2023
Evgeniia Chikunova set a new world record of 2:17.55 at the Russian national championships in April but she was banned from competing in Fukuoka over her country’s involvement in the war in Ukraine.
Schoenmaker was set to turn out again in the 50m breaststroke heats in the early hours of Saturday morning, joining compatriot Lara van Niekerk who was the bronze medallist over the sprint distance at last year’s World Championships.
Two other SA swimmers were in the heats this morning, with Emma Chelius lining up in the women’s 50m freestyle and Clayton Jimmie competing in the 50m backstroke.
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.