Update by Les Tan

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Tao Li of Singapore. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports file picture)

Beijing, Monday, August 11, 2008 – Tao Li finished fifth in the 100m butterfly this morning at the Beijing Olympics in a time of 57.99 seconds. This was slower than the Asian record time of 57.54sec she set yesterday in the semi-final. Zhou Yafei of China finished ahead of Tao Li in fourth in 57.84sec.

The race was won by Australian Lisbeth Trickett in a new Oceanic record time of 56.73sec while Christine Magnusson of the USA was second in 57.10sec. Jessica Schipper of Australia was third in 57.25sec.

The 18-year-old Tao Li, swimming in Lane 6, had the fourth-fastest 100m butterfly time this year going into this race. However, even if she had managed to equal her Asian record time, she would have still finished fourth based on the timing of the first three competitors. This does not take away from the fact that Tao Li is the first Singaporean to reach an Olympic swimming final.

The world record is held by Inge De Bruijn with a time of 56.61sec which was set at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.