Making waves in more ways than one. American swimmer Lilly King is calling out rival Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova for her past doping scandals.
Efimova, 24, held up a No. 1 finger after winning her heat in the 100-meter breaststroke semifinal with a 1:05.72 time on Sunday, August 7, but King, 19, was not impressed. While watching her competitor’s hand gesture from a monitor, she wagged her finger at Efimova.
Lilly King doesn’t hold back.
Monday’s 100m breaststroke final is about. To go. Down. https://t.co/BWGaUNiTHM https://t.co/YknNeqjv6H
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2016
The young U.S. swimmer explained the finger waving to NBC and slammed her competitor on live TV. “You’re shaking your finger No. 1, and you’ve been caught for drug cheating. I’m just not a fan,” King said.
Efimova was one of seven Russian athletes who were originally barred from the Olympics as part of Russia’s state-sponsored doping scandal, but she was later reinstated. She previously served a 16-month suspension for doping from late 2013 to February 2015. The athlete also tested positive for banned substance meldonium earlier this year, but the provisional suspension was overturned.
King went on to beat Efimova’s time, posting a 1:05.70 and claiming the top spot going into the finals. The two ladies will face off against each other in the 100-meter breaststroke final later this Monday, August 8.
“Basically, what happened this morning was that I finished and then I waved my finger a little bit, because that’s kind of how I am,” King said after her win, according to USA Today. “Then tonight just now Yulia got done with her swim and I watching in the ready room — and there she is there shaking her finger. So then I got done and I beat her time so I waved my finger again. People probably think I am serving it up a little bit but that is just how I am.”
Efimova was even booed by the crowd as she prepared for the semifinal race. “[The booing] is unfortunate but that was her decision and that’s what’s going to happen,” King said.
