| | Event type

200 metres Backstroke, Men

Date	31 July 1984
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympic Swim Stadium, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Participants	34 from 25 countries

In 1982 Rick Carey had won the World Championships in this event and in 1983, he bettered John Naber’s vaunted world record from the Montréal Olympics. He improved that at the 1984 US Olympic Trials with 1:58.86 and was the clear favorite for gold in the 200 back. In the heats he bettered Naber’s Olympic record, finishing in 1:58.99 and hoped to improve in the final and set another world record. He won quite easily, finishing 1½ seconds ahead of France’s Frédéric Delcourt, but his time was disappointing to him – 2:00.23. Rather than celebrate he pouted on the medal podium, did not smile, and acted like a spoiled child. Not acknowledging them, the pro-American crowd responded with a chorus of boos, and the press went after him. In his post-race interview, he said, “I would have won no matter what. I didn’t feel good but no one can beat me. That’s not vanity or cockiness. I had control of the race al all times, feeling as bad as I did.”

Carey was so harshly criticized that he had to offer a formal apology. A few days later he came back to win the 100 backstroke and this time smiled, and let everyone know he was happy. He would also win a third gold medal in Los Angeles in the medley relay. A few weeks after the Olympics, Sergey Zabolotnov of the Soviet Union broke Carey’s world record at the Friendship Games.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	454	Rick Carey	USA	1:58.99 (1 h5)	–	2:00.23 (1)	Gold
2	181	Frédéric Delcourt	FRA	2:02.59 (2 h5)	–	2:01.75 (2)	Silver
3	88	Cam Henning	CAN	2:03.36 (1 h2)	–	2:02.37 (3)	Bronze
4	65	Ricardo Prado	BRA	2:04.46 (1 h1)	–	2:03.05 (4)
5	–	Gary Hurring	NZL	2:03.29 (1 h4)	–	2:03.10 (5)
6	–	Nicolaj Klapkarek	FRG	2:04.45 (3 h2)	–	2:03.95 (6)
7	152	Ricardo Aldabe	ESP	2:03.94 (2 h2)	–	2:04.53 (7)
8	26	David Orbell	AUS	2:04.00 (1 h3)	–	2:04.61 (8)
9	309	Paolo Falchini	ITA	2:04.59 (3 h3)	2:04.64 (1)	–
10	106	Mike West	CAN	2:04.93 (2 h4)	2:04.73 (2)	–
11	434	Michael Söderlund	SWE	2:05.85 (4 h4)	2:05.02 (3)	–
12	62	Djan Madruga	BRA	2:05.23 (5 h2)	2:05.33 (4)	–
13	209	Stefan Peter	FRG	2:05.22 (4 h2)	2:05.66 (5)	–
14	221	Neil Cochran	GBR	2:05.58 (3 h4)	2:05.72 (6)	–
15	300	Fabrizio Bortolon	ITA	2:06.46 (4 h3)	2:05.86 (7)	–
16	350	Daichi Suzuki	JPN	2:06.24 (2 h1)	2:06.02 (8)	–
17	488	Jesse Vassallo	USA	2:04.51 (2 h3)	–	–		1
18	426	Hans Fredin	SWE	2:06.50 (3 h1)	–	–
19	34	Kim Terrell	AUS	2:06.56 (3 h5)	–	–
20	392	Paul Kingsman	NZL	2:06.87 (4 h1)	–	–
21	492	Giovanni Frigo	VEN	2:07.56 (5 h3)	–	–
22	–	Patrick Ferland	SUI	2:08.31 (5 h4)	–	–
23	251	Kristofer Stivenson	GRE	2:08.38 (5 h1)	–	–
24	224	Neil Harper	GBR	2:09.48 (4 h5)	–	–
25	286	Lukman Niode	INA	2:09.79 (5 h5)	–	–
26	380	Ernesto Vela	MEX	2:10.30 (6 h4)	–	–
27	329	Allan Marsh	JAM	2:11.57 (6 h3)	–	–
28	–	Wang Hao	CHN	2:12.28 (6 h5)	–	–
29	141	Emad El-Shafei	EGY	2:12.90 (7 h4)	–	–
30	396	Alejandro Alvizuri	PER	2:13.30 (6 h1)	–	–
31	43	Dave Morley	BAH	2:18.17 (6 h2)	–	–
32	149	Salvador Salguero	ESA	2:21.75 (8 h4)	–	–
33	253	Ernesto José Degenhart	GUA	2:24.08 (7 h1)	–	–
34	284	Juan José Pino	HON	2:32.48 (7 h3)	–	–
DNS	145	Sharif Nour	EGY	– (DNS h3)	–	–
DNS	–	Gordon Petersen	FIJ	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	244	Ilias Malamas	GRE	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	–	Ng Wing Hon	HKG	– (DNS h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	31 July 1984 — 10:05
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Rick Carey	USA	1:58.99	QOR
2	–	Frédéric Delcourt	FRA	2:02.59	Q
3	–	Gary Hurring	NZL	2:03.29	Q
4	–	Cam Henning	CAN	2:03.36	Q
5	–	Ricardo Aldabe	ESP	2:03.94	Q
6	–	David Orbell	AUS	2:04.00	Q
7	–	Nicolaj Klapkarek	FRG	2:04.45	Q
8	–	Ricardo Prado	BRA	2:04.46	Q
9	–	Jesse Vassallo	USA	2:04.51	q
10	–	Paolo Falchini	ITA	2:04.59	q
11	–	Mike West	CAN	2:04.93	q
12	–	Stefan Peter	FRG	2:05.22	q
13	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	2:05.23	q
14	–	Neil Cochran	GBR	2:05.58	q
15	–	Michael Söderlund	SWE	2:05.85	q
16	–	Daichi Suzuki	JPN	2:06.24	q
17	–	Fabrizio Bortolon	ITA	2:06.46
18	–	Hans Fredin	SWE	2:06.50
19	–	Kim Terrell	AUS	2:06.56
20	–	Paul Kingsman	NZL	2:06.87
21	–	Giovanni Frigo	VEN	2:07.56
22	–	Patrick Ferland	SUI	2:08.31
23	–	Kristofer Stivenson	GRE	2:08.38
24	–	Neil Harper	GBR	2:09.48
25	–	Lukman Niode	INA	2:09.79
26	–	Ernesto Vela	MEX	2:10.30
27	–	Allan Marsh	JAM	2:11.57
28	–	Wang Hao	CHN	2:12.28
29	–	Emad El-Shafei	EGY	2:12.90
30	–	Alejandro Alvizuri	PER	2:13.30
31	–	Dave Morley	BAH	2:18.17
32	–	Salvador Salguero	ESA	2:21.75
33	–	Ernesto José Degenhart	GUA	2:24.08
34	–	Juan José Pino	HON	2:32.48
DNS	–	Ng Wing Hon	HKG	–
DNS	–	Sharif Nour	EGY	–
DNS	–	Gordon Petersen	FIJ	–
DNS	–	Ilias Malamas	GRE	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Ricardo Prado	BRA	2:04.46	29.42 (4)	1:00.45 (1)	1:32.09 (1)	31.03 (1)	31.64 (1)	32.37 (2)	Q
2	–	Daichi Suzuki	JPN	2:06.24	28.83 (1)	1:01.22 (4)	1:34.20 (4)	32.39 (5)	32.98 (3)	32.04 (1)	q
3	–	Hans Fredin	SWE	2:06.50	29.57 (5)	1:01.82 (5)	1:34.06 (2)	32.25 (4)	32.24 (2)	32.44 (3)
4	–	Paul Kingsman	NZL	2:06.87	29.37 (3)	1:01.00 (3)	1:34.21 (5)	31.63 (2)	33.21 (4)	32.66 (4)
5	–	Kristofer Stivenson	GRE	2:08.38	28.85 (2)	1:00.58 (2)	1:34.19 (3)	31.73 (3)	33.61 (5)	34.19 (6)
6	–	Alejandro Alvizuri	PER	2:13.30	31.56 (6)	1:05.39 (6)	1:39.64 (6)	33.83 (6)	34.25 (6)	33.66 (5)
7	–	Ernesto José Degenhart	GUA	2:24.08	32.76 (7)	1:09.15 (7)	1:46.32 (7)	36.39 (7)	37.17 (7)	37.76 (7)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Cam Henning	CAN	2:03.36	29.20 (2)	1:00.20 (2)	1:31.73 (2)	31.00 (1)	31.53 (3)	31.63 (2)	Q
2	–	Ricardo Aldabe	ESP	2:03.94	29.06 (1)	1:00.14 (1)	1:31.65 (1)	31.08 (2)	31.51 (2)	32.29 (5)	Q
3	–	Nicolaj Klapkarek	FRG	2:04.45	30.10 (5)	1:01.56 (4)	1:33.06 (3)	31.46 (4)	31.50 (1)	31.39 (1)	Q
4	–	Stefan Peter	FRG	2:05.22	29.68 (3)	1:01.69 (5)	1:33.49 (5)	32.01 (5)	31.80 (4)	31.73 (3)	q
5	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	2:05.23	29.93 (4)	1:01.32 (3)	1:33.19 (4)	31.39 (3)	31.87 (5)	32.04 (4)	q
6	–	Dave Morley	BAH	2:18.17	31.74 (6)	1:06.28 (6)	1:41.96 (6)	34.54 (6)	35.68 (6)	36.21 (6)
DNS	–	Ng Wing Hon	HKG	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	David Orbell	AUS	2:04.00	28.80 (1)	59.74 (1)	1:31.29 (1)	30.94 (1)	31.55 (1)	32.71 (4)	Q
2	–	Jesse Vassallo	USA	2:04.51	29.24 (4)	1:00.53 (2)	1:32.47 (2)	31.29 (2)	31.94 (3)	32.04 (2)	q
3	–	Paolo Falchini	ITA	2:04.59	28.99 (3)	1:00.79 (4)	1:32.79 (3)	31.80 (3)	32.00 (4)	31.80 (1)	q
4	–	Fabrizio Bortolon	ITA	2:06.46	30.24 (6)	1:02.17 (5)	1:34.05 (5)	31.93 (5)	31.88 (2)	32.41 (3)
5	–	Giovanni Frigo	VEN	2:07.56	28.88 (2)	1:00.77 (3)	1:33.93 (4)	31.89 (4)	33.16 (5)	33.63 (5)
6	–	Allan Marsh	JAM	2:11.57	30.02 (5)	1:02.68 (6)	1:36.39 (6)	32.66 (6)	33.71 (6)	35.18 (6)
7	–	Juan José Pino	HON	2:32.48	35.04 (7)	1:13.40 (7)	1:52.62 (7)	38.36 (7)	39.22 (7)	39.86 (7)
DNS	–	Sharif Nour	EGY	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Gary Hurring	NZL	2:03.29	28.95 (1)	1:00.59 (1)	1:31.13 (1)	31.64 (3)	30.54 (1)	32.16 (3)	Q
2	–	Mike West	CAN	2:04.93	29.48 (4)	1:00.91 (4)	1:32.86 (2)	31.43 (2)	31.95 (2)	32.07 (2)	q
3	–	Neil Cochran	GBR	2:05.58	30.19 (6)	1:00.90 (3)	1:33.52 (4)	30.71 (1)	32.62 (4)	32.06 (1)	q
4	–	Michael Söderlund	SWE	2:05.85	29.14 (2)	1:00.87 (2)	1:33.43 (3)	31.73 (4)	32.56 (3)	32.42 (4)	q
5	–	Patrick Ferland	SUI	2:08.31	29.32 (3)	1:01.47 (5)	1:34.40 (5)	32.15 (5)	32.93 (5)	33.91 (5)
6	–	Ernesto Vela	MEX	2:10.30	29.69 (5)	1:02.48 (6)	1:36.28 (6)	32.79 (6)	33.80 (6)	34.02 (6)
7	–	Emad El-Shafei	EGY	2:12.90	30.87 (7)	1:04.45 (7)	1:38.85 (7)	33.58 (7)	34.40 (7)	34.05 (7)
8	–	Salvador Salguero	ESA	2:21.75	31.11 (8)	1:05.73 (8)	1:43.11 (8)	34.62 (8)	37.38 (8)	38.64 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Rick Carey	USA	1:58.99	27.63 (1)	57.81 (1)	1:28.47 (1)	30.18 (1)	30.66 (1)	30.52 (1)	QOR
2	–	Frédéric Delcourt	FRA	2:02.59	28.48 (3)	59.38 (2)	1:31.56 (2)	30.90 (2)	32.18 (3)	31.03 (2)	Q
3	–	Kim Terrell	AUS	2:06.56	29.31 (4)	1:01.27 (4)	1:33.24 (3)	31.96 (4)	31.97 (2)	33.32 (3)
4	–	Neil Harper	GBR	2:09.48	28.34 (2)	1:00.22 (3)	1:34.43 (4)	31.88 (3)	34.21 (5)	35.05 (6)
5	–	Lukman Niode	INA	2:09.79	29.46 (5)	1:02.46 (5)	1:34.91 (5)	33.00 (5)	32.45 (4)	34.88 (5)
6	–	Wang Hao	CHN	2:12.28	30.52 (6)	1:03.57 (6)	1:38.03 (6)	33.05 (6)	34.46 (6)	34.25 (4)
DNS	–	Gordon Petersen	FIJ	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ilias Malamas	GRE	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

B Final

Date	31 July 1984 — 17:02

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Paolo Falchini	ITA	2:04.64	29.50 (4)	1:01.20 (3)	1:33.36 (3)	31.70 (4)	32.16 (2)	31.28 (1)
2	–	Mike West	CAN	2:04.73	29.19 (1)	1:00.56 (1)	1:32.87 (1)	31.37 (1)	32.31 (5)	31.86 (5)
3	–	Michael Söderlund	SWE	2:05.02	29.22 (2)	1:00.67 (2)	1:32.88 (2)	31.45 (2)	32.21 (4)	32.14 (8)
4	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	2:05.33	29.94 (8)	1:01.57 (=5)	1:33.55 (4)	31.63 (3)	31.98 (1)	31.78 (4)
5	–	Stefan Peter	FRG	2:05.66	29.65 (6)	1:01.59 (7)	1:34.03 (7)	31.94 (=6)	32.44 (7)	31.63 (2)
6	–	Neil Cochran	GBR	2:05.72	29.54 (5)	1:01.48 (4)	1:33.84 (6)	31.94 (=6)	32.36 (6)	31.88 (6)
7	–	Fabrizio Bortolon	ITA	2:05.86	29.81 (7)	1:01.57 (=5)	1:33.74 (5)	31.76 (5)	32.17 (3)	32.12 (7)
8	–	Daichi Suzuki	JPN	2:06.02	29.45 (3)	1:01.65 (8)	1:34.35 (8)	32.20 (8)	32.70 (8)	31.67 (3)

Final Round

Date	31 July 1984 — 16:55

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Rick Carey	USA	2:00.23	28.09 (1)	58.49 (1)	1:29.87 (1)	30.40 (1)	31.38 (2)	30.36 (1)
2	–	Frédéric Delcourt	FRA	2:01.75	28.41 (2)	58.99 (2)	1:30.28 (2)	30.58 (3)	31.29 (1)	31.47 (5)
3	–	Cam Henning	CAN	2:02.37	29.02 (4)	59.94 (3)	1:31.36 (3)	30.92 (5)	31.42 (4)	31.01 (2)
4	–	Ricardo Prado	BRA	2:03.05	28.73 (3)	59.99 (5)	1:31.49 (5)	31.26 (6)	31.50 (5)	31.56 (6)
5	–	Gary Hurring	NZL	2:03.10	29.05 (5)	59.95 (4)	1:31.51 (6)	30.90 (4)	31.56 (6)	31.59 (7)
6	–	Nicolaj Klapkarek	FRG	2:03.95	29.27 (6)	1:00.96 (7)	1:32.68 (7)	31.69 (7)	31.72 (7)	31.27 (3)
7	–	Ricardo Aldabe	ESP	2:04.53	29.35 (7)	1:01.19 (8)	1:33.21 (8)	31.84 (8)	32.02 (8)	31.32 (4)
8	–	David Orbell	AUS	2:04.61	29.55 (8)	1:00.01 (6)	1:31.41 (4)	30.46 (2)	31.40 (3)	33.20 (8)