TOKYO (Reuters) – World record holder Kaylee McKeown was the fastest qualifier in the women’s 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Games on Sunday, setting a new Olympic record with her time of 57.88 seconds.
McKeown’s effort in the sixth heat was the third time the Olympic record had fallen during the session after Kylie Masse of Canada and American Regan Masse also broke it.
The trio are the three fastest swimmers in the history of the event.
Masse posted 58.17 in the fourth heat to break the previous Olympic Record of 58.23 set by Australian Emily Seebohm in 2012.
Smith lowered it to 57.96 before McKeown responded to the challenge.
There was also an Olympic record in the 100m breaststroke with Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa touching the wall in 1:05.74.
South Korea’s Hwang Sunwoo was fastest in the men’s 200m freestyle, qualifying for the semi-finals with a time of 1:44.62.
(Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Ed Osmond)
