|
| Event type

400 metres Freestyle, Women

Date19 – 20 October 1968
StatusOlympic
LocationAlberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez, Ciudad de México
Participants30 from 17 countries

At the US Olympic Trials Debbie Meyer had set world records in the 200, 400, and 800 metre freestyles. Better in the distances she had already set five world records in this event, five in the 800, and three in the non-Olympic 1,500 free. She was the class of the field, opening a two body length lead by 100 metres, and simply opening it up throughout the race, to win by almost four seconds over teammate Linda Gustavson, who the day before had won a bronze in the 100 freestyle. Australia’s Karen Moras, only 14-years-old, won the bronze medal, edging out American Pam Kruse.

PosSwimmerNOCR1Final
1Debbie MeyerUSA4:35.0 (1 h2)4:31.8 (1)Gold
2Linda GustavsonUSA4:41.4 (1 h4)4:35.5 (2)Silver
3Karen MorasAUS4:39.6 (1 h5)4:37.0 (3)Bronze
4Pam KruseUSA4:45.2 (1 h3)4:37.2 (4)
5Gabriele WetzkoGDR4:49.8 (2 h1)4:40.2 (5)
6María Teresa RamírezMEX4:43.9 (1 h1)4:42.2 (6)
7Angela CoughlanCAN4:47.4 (1 h6)4:51.9 (7)
8Elisabeth MorrisSWE4:51.6 (2 h5)4:53.8 (8)
9Denise LangfordAUS4:52.2 (2 h6)
10Marjatta HaraFIN4:53.0 (2 h3)
11Laura VacaMEX4:53.3 (3 h1)
12Marie-José KersaudyFRA4:57.3 (2 h4)
13Kristina MoirPUR4:57.7 (3 h4)
14Eva SiggFIN4:58.5 (3 h6)
15Novella CalligarisITA4:59.4 (3 h5)
16Helen ElliottPHI4:59.9 (4 h1)
=17Norma AmezcuaMEX5:00.5 (2 h2)
=17Dominique MollierFRA5:00.5 (3 h2)
19Christine DeakesAUS5:01.5 (4 h6)
20Patricia OlanoCOL5:01.8 (5 h6)
21Sue WilliamsGBR5:02.7 (4 h4)
22Consuelo ChanganachiPER5:02.9 (4 h5)
23Sheila ClaytonGBR5:08.0 (4 h2)
24Olga de ÁnguloCOL5:08.6 (3 h3)
25Sally DavisonGBR5:11.2 (4 h3)
26Mónica E. FigueroaURU5:21.0 (5 h4)
27Silvana AsturiasGUA5:25.6 (5 h5)
28Lylián CastilloURU5:30.2 (5 h3)
29Shen Bao-NiTPE5:41.8 (5 h1)
30Lorna BlakePUR5:54.7 (6 h3)
DNSDonatella FerracutiESA– (DNS h1)
DNSClaude MandonnaudFRA– (DNS h2)
DNSPat ChanSGP– (DNS h2)
DNSElisabeth BerglundSWE– (DNS h2)
DNSMirjana ŠegrtYUG– (DNS h3)
DNSIngrid GustavssonSWE– (DNS h4)
DNSAna MarcialPUR– (DNS h5)
DNSOľga KozičováTCH– (DNS h5)
DNSOei LianaTPE– (DNS h6)

Round One (19 October 1968 — 10:00)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
14María Teresa RamírezMEX4:43.9Q
22Gabriele WetzkoGDR4:49.8Q
33Laura VacaMEX4:53.3
46Helen ElliottPHI4:59.9
55Shen Bao-NiTPE5:41.8
DNSDonatella FerracutiESA

Heat Two

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
13Debbie MeyerUSA4:35.0QOR
24Norma AmezcuaMEX5:00.5
35Dominique MollierFRA5:00.5
46Sheila ClaytonGBR5:08.0
DNSClaude MandonnaudFRA
DNSPat ChanSGP
DNSElisabeth BerglundSWE

Heat Three

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
15Pam KruseUSA4:45.2Q
27Marjatta HaraFIN4:53.0
34Olga de ÁnguloCOL5:08.6
46Sally DavisonGBR5:11.2
53Lylián CastilloURU5:30.2
62Lorna BlakePUR5:54.7
DNSMirjana ŠegrtYUG

Heat Four

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
12Linda GustavsonUSA4:41.4Q
25Marie-José KersaudyFRA4:57.3
36Kristina MoirPUR4:57.7
44Sue WilliamsGBR5:02.7
53Mónica E. FigueroaURU5:21.0
DNSIngrid GustavssonSWE

Heat Five

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
15Karen MorasAUS4:39.6Q
22Elisabeth MorrisSWE4:51.6Q
36Novella CalligarisITA4:59.4
43Consuelo ChanganachiPER5:02.9
52Silvana AsturiasGUA5:25.6
DNSAna MarcialPUR
DNSOľga KozičováTCH

Heat Six

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
13Angela CoughlanCAN4:47.4Q
22Denise LangfordAUS4:52.2
34Eva SiggFIN4:58.5
46Christine DeakesAUS5:01.5
55Patricia OlanoCOL5:01.8
DNSOei LianaTPE

Final (20 October 1968 — 17:00)

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
14Debbie MeyerUSA4:31.8OR
23Linda GustavsonUSA4:35.5
35Karen MorasAUS4:37.0
42Pam KruseUSA4:37.2
51Gabriele WetzkoGDR4:40.2
66María Teresa RamírezMEX4:42.2
77Angela CoughlanCAN4:51.9
88Elisabeth MorrisSWE4:53.8