Penny Oleksiak Breaks Own Junior World Record, Wins Silver In 100 Fly

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Swimming: August 6-13
• Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
• Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
• SwimSwam previews 
• Schedule & Results
• Live Stream (NBC)

In her second career Olympic final, Penny Oleksiak picked up her second medal, a silver, in the women’s 100 fly touching 2nd in a new junior world record and Canadian record in 56.46. Oleksiak continues to improve, as she broke the junior world and Canadian record at the Trials in 56.99 and again here in the prelims in 56.73.

This wasn’t just a junior world record and Canadian record, it was also Canada’s first individual female Olympic swimming medal in 20 years, as Marianne Limpert won silver in the 200 IM back in Atlanta in 1996. She also becomes just the second Canadian to ever medal at the Olympics in a butterfly race, joining Bruce Robertson who did so in the 100 fly back in 1972, finishing behind none other than Mark Spitz.

World record holder Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden won gold, bettering her time down to 55.48. Dana Vollmer, the 2012 Olympic champ and only other woman to get under 56 seconds, won bronze in 56.63.

Oleksiak becomes the 5th fastest 100 butterfly in history, surpassing USA’s Kelsi Worrell who went 56.48 at the US Trials last month. She is also now the 3rd fastest ever in textile suits, as the 3rd and 4th fastest performers Liu Zige and Jessicah Schipper did their times in 2009 during the tech suit era.

A look at the top five all-time performers:

1. Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 55.48, 2016 Rio Olympics
2. Dana Vollmer, USA, 55.98, 2012 London Olympics
3. Liu Zige, China, 56.07, 2009 China Open
4. Jessicah Schipper, Australia, 56.23, 2009 Rome World Championships
5. Penny Oleksiak, Canada, 56.46, 2016 Rio Olympics

Oleksiak still has the 100 free, 800 free relay and 400 medley relay to go at these Olympics, all chances to increase her already impressive medal haul.