Lilly King wins Olympic swimming gold, taunts Russian rival on doping

On Monday, Team USA swimmer Lilly King took the gold in both the 100m breaststroke and in talking smack.

Just moments after she set a new Olympic-record time of 1:04.93, the 19-year-old told an interviewer her win "proves that you can compete clean and still come out on top with all the work you put in." King was referring to Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, who she beat by more than half a second. Efimova has failed drug tests for banned substances twice, and was one of seven Russians banned from competing in the Olympics by the International Swimming Federation (she was reinstated before the Games began).

This wasn't the first time King got in some choice words against Efimova. On Sunday night, Efimova, who was booed during her preliminary race and semifinal, held up the "No. 1" sign after coming in first during the semifinal. While watching backstage, King mocked Efimova, wagging her finger at the TV screen. King went on to beat Efimova's time, and when asked about her reaction by NBC, King replied: "You're shaking your finger No. 1, and you've been caught for drug cheating. I'm just not a fan."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up