Olympic Games Snapshot: A Capsule Look At the Day Six Events in Tokyo; Cate Campbell Seeks Gold
With the 2020ne Olympic Games less than a month away, Swimming World will run eight consecutive days of capsules that take a quick look at the events that will be held on a specific day in Tokyo. These capsules will provide a snapshot of the various events, including an historical snippet for each discipline.
Day Six
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
World Record: Rikke Moller Pedersen (Denmark/2013) 2:19.11
2016 Olympic Champion: Rie Kaneto (Japan) 2:20.30
Most Titles: United States (Four)
Biggest Victory Margin: 2.73 Seconds (Marina Kosheveya Over Marina Yurchenya – 1976)
Top-Five Times (2021) – Olympic Qualifiers
1. Tatjana Schoenmaker (South Africa) 2:20.17
2. Molly Renshaw (Great Britain) 2:20.89
3. Annie Lazor (United States) 2:21.07
4. Evgeniia Chikunova (Russia) 2:21.63
5. Abbie Wood (Great Britain) 2:21.69
Historical Note: Four-time American Olympian Amanda Beard has an Olympic medal of each color from the 200 breaststroke. She won gold in 2004, silver in 1996 and bronze in 2000.
Men’s 200 Backstroke
World Record: Aaron Peirsol (United States/2009) 1:51.92
2016 Olympic Champion: Ryan Murphy (United States) 1:53.62
Most Titles: United States (Nine)
Biggest Victory Margin: 9.0 Seconds (Ernst Hoppenberg Over Karl Ruberl – 1900)
Top-Five Times (2021) – Olympic Qualifiers
1. Evgeny Rylov (Russia) 1:53.23
2. Ryan Murphy (United States) 1:54.20
3. Luke Greenbank (Great Britain) 1:54.43
4. Bryce Mefford (United States) 1:54.79
5. Ryosuke Irie (Japan) 1:55.52
Historical Note: The United States is seeking its seventh consecutive victory in this event. The streak started at the 1996 Olympics, when Brad Bridgewater won the gold medal.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden/2017) 51.71
2016 Olympic Champion: Simone Manuel (United States)/Penny Oleksiak (Canada) 52.70
Most Titles: United States (Eight)
Biggest Victory Margin: 3.4 Seconds (Ethelda Bleibtrey Over Irene Guest – 1920)
Top-Five Times (2021) – Olympic Qualifiers
1. Emma McKeon (Australia) 52.19
2. Cate Campbell (Australia) 52.59
3. Penny Oleksiak (Canada) 52.89
4. Zhang Yufei (China) 52.90
5. Femke Heemskerk (Netherlands) 53.03
Historical Note: Through her victories at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics, Australia’s Dawn Fraser became the first athlete to win the same event at three consecutive Games.
Men’s 200 Individual Medley
World Record: Ryan Lochte (United States/2011) 1:54.00
2016 Olympic Champion: Michael Phelps (United States) 1:54.66
Most Titles: United States (Five)
Biggest Victory Margin: 2.29 Seconds (Michael Phelps Over Laszlo Cseh – 2008)
Top-Five Times (2021) – Olympic Qualifiers
1. Michael Andrew (United States) 1:55.26
2. Duncan Scott (Great Britain) 1:55.90
3. Mitch Larkin (Australia) 1:56.29
4. Hugo Gonzalez (Spain) 1:56.76
5. Wang Shun (China) 1:56.78
Historical Note: Michael Phelps is the only swimmer in history to win the same event at four straight Olympics, accomplishing the feat in the 200 individual medley in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Emma McKeon went 52.19 in the prelims. at the Aus trials