August 9, 2016

Evansville's Lilly King Swims To Gold In Rio

Winner United States' Lilly King and second placed Russia's Yulia Efimova, right, celebrate with their medals after the women's 100-meter breaststroke during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - AP Photo/Lee Jin-man

Winner United States' Lilly King and second placed Russia's Yulia Efimova, right, celebrate with their medals after the women's 100-meter breaststroke during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

AP Photo/Lee Jin-man

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Evansville's Lilly King held off a late-charging Yulia Efimova to win the 100-meter breaststroke. King finished more than a half-second ahead of Efimova, who was booed before the final.

It was an especially sweet victory for the 19-year-old King after Efimova taunted her following Sunday's semifinals. Efimova has been banned in the past for doping but was cleared to compete in Rio just last Saturday in the wake of state-sponsored doping in Russia.

When Efimova waved a finger after her semifinal in the backstroke, King returned the favor and said, "if that's what she feels she needs to be able to compete, whatever, I am here to compete clean for the U.S."

King will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke Wednesday.

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