Russian drug cheat Yulia Efimova had an extraordinary tearful meltdown minutes after she finished behind fierce rival Lilly King of the United States of America in a dramatic 100-meter breaststroke final. King took umbrage at Efimova’s No. 1 finger wag during the semifinals – the American swimmer was caught on camera responding with a finger wag of her own, the “shame on you” type.
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American Lilly King held off fast-finishing Russian Yulia Efimova to clinch the title, with fellow American Katie Meili winning bronze.
“I understand the people who didn’t congratulate me because the media was full of fake stories about me”, said Efimova, apparently referring to the snub by King and Meili after the final. “So if she was wishing to be congratulated, I apologise”, King told reporters.
King pointedly disparaged the Russian after the event over her drug history, and the feud has helped make doping spats among swimmers an intriguing subplot in the Rio Games so far.
“I really don’t know how I even reached the final”, Efimova said, her face red from crying.
Although her stance against her American teammates has not been as universally loved, King is the breakout star of these Olympics and at only 19 years old, should be in the spotlight for many years to come.
‘ It wouldn’t have felt right if I raced against someone who had tested positive and didn’t bring it up.
It would be a stretch, by nearly any definition, to refer to Lilly King and Yulia Efimova as swimming rivals. “If I do need to stir it up to put a little fire under my butt or anybody else then that’s what I’m going to do”.
Simple words, spoken from the heart. “She is not a criminal and she competed because she was allowed to compete”. “The second time was not my mistake”.
‘The athletes get back from the swim events at about 3am each morning. just hours later, at around 8 or 9am, literally knocking at their bedroom doors, the drug testers are there interrupting valuable sleep and rest, ‘ Chris Reason reported from Rio.
“It’s a victory for clean sport”, she said. “She had a fantastic swim and I always look forward to racing her, but I was really just in the moment celebrating with Katie”. The thrill of watching King and Efimova race was heightened by the backstory, the global rivalry, and the high stakes of a final event.
Russia’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko on Tuesday praised drug-tainted swimmer Yulia Efimova after she claimed a silver medal despite hostility from the crowd and criticism from rivals.
“After undergoing such a bad ordeal she has showed character, will power and courage even though, as we can see, that certain provocations still happening”.
“It’s surprising that supporters from certain countries, who have five or ten dopers that had served bans for much more serious doping violations in their line-ups, do not boo their athletes”, he said.
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In the ready room preparing to walk onto the pool deck for her heat, King, who saw Efimova’s gesture on a television, wagged her finger back and forth in disapproval, her gesture also caught by television cameras.
