The following is a release from Auburn Athletics.
TOKYO, Japan – Annie Lazor finished third in the semifinals of the women’s 200 breaststroke Thursday morning in Tokyo and punched her ticket to the event final.
Lazor, who won the 200 breast at the U.S. Olympic Trials to make Team USA, finished the second semifinal in 2:21.94 – less than a second off her personal best (2:21.07) that she set at Trials. Lazor was fifth-fastest in Wednesday’s heats with a time of 2:22.76.
In the final, Lazor will have a chance to become just the third female swimmer in Auburn history to medal at the Olympic Games and the first since Kirsty Coventry (South Africa) and Margaret Hoelzer (USA) both made the podium in 2008. Lazor swam at Auburn from 2013 to 2016 and is still the third-fastest in program history in the 200 breaststroke.
The 200 breaststroke final featuring Lazor will take place Friday morning in Tokyo but fans can watch it live Thursday night at 8:41 p.m. CT on NBC.
Fellow Auburn alum Julie Meynen also made her Tokyo 2020 Olympics debut Wednesday in the women’s 100 freestyle where she finished 32nd in the heats at 55.69. It’s the second Olympics for Meynen who will swim the women’s 50 freestyle later in the week.
UP NEXT: THURSDAY, JULY 29
Gymnastics
Sunisa Lee (USA) – Women’s All-Around Final, 5:50 a.m. CT
Swimming
Santiago Grassi (Argentina) – Men’s 100 Fly Heats, 5:43 a.m. CT
Luis Martinez (Guatemala) – Men’s 100 Fly Heats, 5:43 a.m. CT
Santiago Grassi (Argentina) – Men’s 100 Fly Semifinals, 8:30 p.m. CT
Luis Martinez (Guatemala) – Men’s 100 Fly Semifinal, 8:30 p.m. CT
Annie Lazor (USA) – Women’s 200 Breast Final, 8:41 p.m. CT
Track & Field
Donald Thomas (Bahamas) – Men’s High Jump Qualifying, 7:15 p.m. CT