Tatjana Schoenmaker made sure that she will contest her first-ever Olympic final tomorrow morning when she won her semi-final heat in the 100m-breaststroke at the Tokyo Games. 

For the second consecutive day, the Tuks based swimmer clocked the fastest time. She won her semifinal heat this morning at 1:05.07. It was impressive to see how she outswam the world-record-holder, Lily King (USA), over the race's latter stages. King's time was 1:05.40. The American swimmer is the defending Olympic champion. 

Lydia Jacoby won the second semifinal heat in a time of 1:05.72, with Sweden's Sophia Hanssen second in 1:05.81. Yuliya Efimova (Russia), who won silver during the 2016 Rio Olympics, was third this morning swimming 1:06.34. 

Schoenmaker was happy with how her race played out. 

"The aim was to see how my body would hold up swimming in the morning. I felt slightly tired. The exciting thing was that I could stay with Lily King. I achieved what I set to do. That is to secure a lane for the final."

According to the Tuks based swimmer, yesterday's record-breaking performance of 1:04.82 still feels unreal. Her time is one of the ten fastest ever in the 100m-breaststroke. Only four female swimmers have been quicker. 

Schoenmaker's coach, Rocco Meiring, admits that he has been caught off-guard by what has happened. 

"I am really happy for Tatjana. She sacrificed so much in the build-up to the Games. But nothing has been won yet. South African sports fans should realise that the actual racing has not yet begun. The big names are keeping their 'cards' close to their chests. 

"What has become clear to me is that there are going to be some surprises during the Olympics. Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia) proved it when he won the 400m-freestyle yesterday."

Asked if he had any advice for Schoenmaker for tomorrow's final, Tuks's swimming head coach replied, "the less I say, the better". 

"What can I say? Tatjana knows what needs to be done. She realises these were only the heats. The 'girls' are going to come for her in the final. The last thing she needs is for me to 'nag' in her ears. 

"But whatever happens tomorrow for me, it is mission accomplished. Every time Tatjana competes at a major event, the goal is to swim a personal best time, and she did so yesterday. Today's time was her second fastest ever in the 100m-breaststroke."