Lilly King is an American swimmer known for her dominance in breaststroke. She achieved Olympic glory at the 2016 Summer Olympics, clinching gold in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 4x100-meter medley relay. In the 2020 Summer Olympics, she secured a silver medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay for her preliminary performance, a silver in the 200-meter breaststroke, and a bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke. King holds the current world record in the 100-meter long course breaststroke.
Lillia Camille King was born on February 10, 1997. This event marks the beginning of her life and journey.
In 2012, seeking more competitive opportunities, a young Lilly King participated in the Winter Junior National Championships as an unattached swimmer. She delivered an impressive performance, particularly in the 200-yard breaststroke, hinting at her future potential.
In 2013, Russian swimmer Yuliya Yefimova, who would later become Lilly King's rival, received a 16-month doping suspension after failing a drug test. This event marked the beginning of the controversy that would surround their rivalry.
At the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Hawaii, 17-year-old Lilly King made her mark. She clinched gold medals in the 100-meter breaststroke, setting a new Championship record with a time of 1:07.98, and in the 4x100-meter medley relay, also establishing a Championship record of 4:03.44. King's performance highlighted her rapid development and potential on the international stage.
Following the 2016 Olympics, the rivalry between Lilly King and Yulia Efimova continued to be a topic of discussion. King's outspoken nature and her stance on clean sport garnered both praise and criticism. The media attention highlighted the issue of doping in sports and the role of athletes in speaking out.
In 2016, Lilly King achieved Olympic glory by winning gold medals in the 100-meter breaststroke and 4x100-meter medley relay at the Summer Olympics. However, her outspoken stance against Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, who had a history of doping violations, sparked controversy and ignited a fierce rivalry.
Lilly King displayed her dominance in the breaststroke events at the 2016 US Olympic Trials in Omaha. She secured victories in both the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke, earning her a place on the US Olympic Team for the Rio de Janeiro Games.
The 2016 Olympics saw Lilly King and Yulia Efimova face off in the 100-meter breaststroke. King's strong stance against doping, particularly in light of Efimova's history, created a heated atmosphere. King's victory and outspokenness made headlines and solidified her image as a fierce competitor.
At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, Lilly King continued her winning ways. She claimed victory in the 100-meter breaststroke, setting a new world record time of 1:04.13. Her victory over Yulia Efimova, who finished third, added another chapter to their rivalry.
Lilly King showcased her dominance at the 2017 US Nationals, the qualifying meet for the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. She achieved a clean sweep of the breaststroke events, winning the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter races, demonstrating her versatility and readiness for the international stage.
Lilly King had a successful outing at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo, Japan. She secured gold in the 100-meter breaststroke and added two silver medals from the 200-meter breaststroke and the 4x100-meter medley relay, demonstrating her consistency on the international stage.
In 2018, Lilly King continued to excel at the US Nationals, winning the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events. Her performance secured her spot on the US team for the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Lilly King joined the inaugural International Swimming League in 2019, representing the Cali Condors. She maintained an undefeated record throughout the season, winning all 16 events she participated in. Her team finished third in the final match in Las Vegas, Nevada.
By the end of the 2021 season of the International Swimming League, which began in 2019, Lilly King had accumulated enough MVP points to rank third out of 488 competitors.
At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships, Lilly King experienced both triumph and disappointment. She successfully defended her 100-meter breaststroke title and won the 50-meter breaststroke. However, she was disqualified in the 200-meter breaststroke heats for a technical infraction. Despite this setback, King contributed to the US team's silver medal in the 4x100-meter mixed medley relay and their world record-breaking performance in the 4x100-meter medley relay.
After winning the silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Lilly King spoke out against the negative treatment of US athletes who didn't win gold, expressing her frustration with the public's perception of success.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Lilly King competed in the 100-meter breaststroke, ultimately winning the bronze medal with a time of 1:05.54. This was less than a second behind the first-place finisher, American Lydia Jacoby.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Lilly King continued to add to her medal haul. She secured a silver medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay, a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke, and a bronze medal in the 100-meter breaststroke, showcasing her consistency at the highest level of competition.
Leading up to the 2020 Olympics, Lilly King continued to be vocal about her stance against doping in sports. Her outspokenness kept the issue in the spotlight and reinforced her image as an advocate for clean competition.
Lilly King qualified for her second Olympic Games, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lilly King qualified for the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Olympics by finishing second in the event at the US Olympic Trials. This achievement added another event to her Olympic schedule.
Lilly King set a new Championship Record in the semifinals of the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 US Olympic Trials, which were delayed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her time of 1:04.72 was also the fastest time globally in the event that year.
Lilly King secured her place on the US Olympic Team for the second time by winning the 100-meter breaststroke final at the US Olympic Trials in June 2021.
In 2021, Lilly King was selected by Team Cali Condors to compete in the International Swimming League. During the final match, she won the 200-meter breaststroke and placed second in the 50-meter breaststroke. She was disqualified in the 4x100-meter medley relay but helped her team earn points in the 4x100-meter mixed medley relay. Despite a controversial disqualification, King ranked third overall in MVP points since the start of the league in 2019.
During the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Melbourne, Lilly King won gold in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay, setting a new world record in the latter with a time of 3:44.35 alongside teammates Claire Curzan, Torri Huske, and Kate Douglass. King also secured a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke and the 4x50 medley relay, and a bronze medal in the 50-meter breaststroke.
Following her performance in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2024 Olympic Trials, Lilly King got engaged to her boyfriend, James Wells.