U.S. Swimmer Lilly King Calls 'Bulls---' on Downplaying Non-Gold Medals

After winning silver in the women's 200 meter breaststroke final, she feels that athletes should be comfortable in celebrating non-gold medals.

U.S. swimmers Lilly King and Annie Lazor won silver and bronze, respectively, in the women's 200-meter breaststroke final on Day 7 of the Tokyo Olympics. It marked the seventh time in this year's Olympics that two U.S. swimmers participated in a medal ceremony.

After winning the event, King—who posted a time of 2:19.92—expressed her feelings on some Americans' tendency to regard silver and bronze medals as failures.

"Pardon my French, but the fact that we're not able to celebrate silver and bronze is bullshit," the 24-year-old said.

Lilly King, speaking it plain as always, regarding the American tendency to downplay medals that aren't gold: "Pardon my French, but the fact that we’re not able to celebrate silver and bronze is bullshit."

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) July 30, 2021

King, a veteran of Team USA as a two-time Olympic gold medalist in Rio in 2016, won bronze in the women's 100-meter breaststroke earlier this week.

FORDE: Unfiltered and Unafraid, Lilly King Ready to Make Waves in Tokyo

South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker won the gold and broke the world record in the event with a time of 2:18.95. The previous world record of 2:19.11 in the 200-meter breaststroke was set in 2013 by Denmark's Rikke Moller Pedersen. 

Lazor, who finished with a 2:20.84, was not only happy for herself but relished the moment to swim with Schoenmaker in the event. Both Americans immediately celebrated with the South African event winner in the pool upon seeing she'd broken the world record.

One of my favorite moments of the #Olympics. 🇿🇦’s Tatjana Schoenmaker wins gold in 100m breaststroke, realizes she also broke the world record and #USA’s Lilly King and Annie Lazor, who win silver and bronze, swim over to her lane to congratulate her pic.twitter.com/QzeqoJswam

— Luis Miguel Echegaray (@lmechegaray) July 30, 2021

"It’s just an incredible swim,” Lazor said. “That world record has been standing for a little bit too long, I think. So to see someone finally crack 2:19, we’ve all been working towards that I think, to see someone like her do it, she’s just a great person, just to be there and experience that with someone is something that you’ll really never forget.”