Storybook ending — Lilly King grabs Gold in her final Olympic race while helping set world record

When Lilly King jumped into the pool on Sunday, it was for the final time in her historic career. The 4×100 medley relay would be her final Olympic swim — and she made sure to go out on a high note.

It was Gold. King, who swam breaststroke for the second leg of the relay, was joined by Regan Smith (backstroke), Gretchen Walsh (butterfly) and Torri Huske (freestyle) as the group that not only came away with the top spot, but also set a world record doing so.

The previous world record was 3:50.40 in 2019 — also by the United States and King as well. The previous Olympic record was 3:51.60 by Australia in 2021. Team USA and Lilly King went for 3:49.63 on Sunday in the final swimming event of the Paris Olympics.

It was also the leg of the relay from Lilly King that really put Team USA in control of the race.

“I think always for me just at this point in my career I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do,” King said during the trials in Indianapolis. “It’s just striving to be the best version of myself that I can be.”

After winning a medal in every Olympic Games that she attended, King had failed to medal in Paris up to this point. She finished eighth in the 200m breaststroke and fourth in the 100m breaststroke — by just .01 seconds, however.

“The world isn’t ending,” King said earlier this week after missing out on a medal during the 100m final.

This was King’s third Olympic Gold Medal and sixth overall.

This medal also gave Team USA the final edge of the Australians in swimming Gold Medals, 8-7.

So, as the sun sets on Sunday and the first week of the 2024 Paris Olympics, this was the storybook ending that Lilly King had hoped for — even if she didn’t say it or show it previously.

She will end her Olympic career with three Golds, two Silvers and one Bronze.

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