Rio Olympics 2016: Russian swimmer Efimova in tears after losing to USA’s King
It was one hell of a 100-meter women’s breaststroke final at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Filled with top-class swimming and effusive emotions. Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova had a dramatic breakdown that ended in tears minutes after she finished second, behind top rival Lilly King of the USA.
Fate joked around with the two athletes and decided to put the rivals in adjacent lanes - 4 and 5. Efimova kept it together for a considerable amount of time – she held her emotions back when Lily King beat her to the finish line and celebrated without inhibition alongside her and also when she was on her round of TV interviews.
Then, Efimova spotted her agent Anna Mitkova from across the room standing in the media room and she uncontrollably burst into tears accompanied by drone sobbing.
Minutes later they were spotted hugging with Efimova crying hysterically for almost 5 minutes and Mitkova trying to console her.
The semi-finals on Sunday had ended on a different note with its own drama. The pre-finals had seen Efimova edge out her rival and she celebrated by wagging her finger to say ‘No. 1’. When Lilly King beat Efimova in the finals, she couldn’t help but wag her own finger.
When asked to comment on her rivalry with Lilly King, she wisely refused to comment, stating only: “I am sad that I could not win a gold for Russia, but I am happy to have won silver.”
Lilly King of the United States, who recently won the gold in that race ahead of the Russian, had overtly expressed her displeasure that Efimova had been allowed to participate despite being banned before for doping infractions.
“A lot of people have said a lot of things about her,” Mitkova said. “It’s not fair. She is not a criminal and she competed because she was allowed to compete.”
Efimova commented on what she went through, “All the stuff that happened with me was unbelievable. I am happy to be here and racing finally. That is what is best. Try to understand me if you switch your and my side. I have once made mistakes and been banned for six months. The second time it was not my mistake. For me it is very hard to swim. These few weeks have been crazy."
A 16-month ban from 2013 to February 2015 had seen Efimova suspended for doping. She also failed a test for meldonium earlier this year, but the result was later overturned.