| | Event type

800 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	24 – 25 July 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	28 from 22 countries

Janet Evans began the Atlanta Olympics by handing the Olympic torch over to Muhammad Ali at the Opening Ceremony. She ended her career with an attempt to win the Olympic title at 800 metres for an unprecedented third time.

A year earlier Evans would have been favourite to retain her title but in 1995 her eight-year winning streak at the distance had been snapped by compatriot Brooke Bennett. Despite having only just turned 16 Bennett dominated the event in front of her home crowd. She hit the lead on the second of the 16 lengths and slowly moved away over the rest of the race. Bennett finished two seconds clear of second-placed Dagmar Hase of Germany.

This was the last race before retirement for Janet Evans although 16 years later and by then aged 40, she returned to make an unsuccessful attempt at qualifying for the 2012 Games.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	Final
1	Brooke Bennett	USA	8:32.38 (1 h3)	8:27.89 (1)	Gold
2	Dagmar Hase	GER	8:33.55 (2 h3)	8:29.91 (2)	Silver
3	Kirsten Vlieghuis	NED	8:39.73 (4 h3)	8:30.84 (3)	Bronze
4	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	8:36.33 (3 h3)	8:31.06 (4)
5	Irene Dalby	NOR	8:37.73 (2 h2)	8:38.34 (5)
6	Janet Evans	USA	8:38.08 (3 h2)	8:38.91 (6)
7	Carla Geurts	NED	8:39.85 (4 h2)	8:40.43 (7)
8	Sarah Hardcastle	GBR	8:37.54 (1 h2)	8:41.75 (8)
9	Lin Chi-Chan	TPE	8:40.31 (1 h4)	–
10	Eri Yamanoi	JPN	8:40.47 (2 h4)	–
11	Stacey Gartrell	AUS	8:42.39 (3 h4)	–
12	Pu Yiqi	CHN	8:45.32 (4 h4)	–
13	Hayley Lewis	AUS	8:45.79 (5 h4)	–
14	Nikki Dryden	CAN	8:47.19 (5 h3)	–
15	Olga Šplíchalová	CZE	8:47.68 (6 h3)	–
16	Sandra Cam	BEL	8:48.33 (5 h2)	–
17	Alicia Barrancos	ARG	8:48.54 (6 h4)	–
18	Itziar Esparza	ESP	8:50.22 (6 h2)	–
19	Stephanie Richardson	CAN	8:52.61 (7 h3)	–
20	Carla-Creola Negrea	ROU	8:54.19 (7 h4)	–
21	Aiko Miyake	JPN	8:55.77 (8 h4)	–
22	Mirjana Boševska	MKD	8:57.52 (8 h3)	–
23	Ravee Intaporn-Udom	THA	9:01.14 (1 h1)	–
24	Seo Hyeon-Su	KOR	9:03.22 (2 h1)	–
25	Rita Kovács	HUN	9:06.97 (7 h2)	–
26	Maritza Chiaway	PER	9:09.12 (3 h1)	–
27	Olga Korotayeva	KGZ	9:21.20 (4 h1)	–
28	Daniela Menegon	SWZ	10:12.46 (5 h1)	–
DNS	Chen Yan	CHN	– (DNS h2)	–

Round One (24 July 1996)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One (12:00)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	Time	Reaction
1	5	Ravee Intaporn-Udom	THA	1:03.96 (2) 1:06.85 (2)	2:10.81 (2) 1:07.84 (2)	3:18.65 (2) 1:08.45 (2)	4:27.10 (2) 1:08.89 (1)	5:35.99 (2) 1:08.84 (1)	6:44.83 (2) 1:09.03 (2)	7:53.86 (2) 1:07.28 (1)	9:01.14	0.83
2	4	Seo Hyeon-Su	KOR	1:03.08 (1) 1:05.83 (1)	2:08.91 (1) 1:06.88 (1)	3:15.79 (1) 1:08.22 (1)	4:24.01 (1) 1:08.90 (2)	5:32.91 (1) 1:09.78 (3)	6:42.69 (1) 1:10.35 (4)	7:53.04 (1) 1:10.18 (3)	9:03.22	0.86
3	6	Maritza Chiaway	PER	1:07.04 (4) 1:07.80 (3)	2:14.84 (4) 1:08.18 (3)	3:23.02 (3) 1:09.69 (3)	4:32.71 (3) 1:09.59 (3)	5:42.30 (3) 1:09.51 (2)	6:51.81 (3) 1:09.45 (3)	8:01.26 (3) 1:07.86 (2)	9:09.12	0.96
4	3	Olga Korotayeva	KGZ	1:05.87 (3) 1:08.70 (4)	2:14.57 (3) 1:09.27 (4)	3:23.84 (4) 1:10.92 (4)	4:34.76 (4) 1:11.61 (4)	5:46.37 (4) 1:11.59 (4)	6:57.96 (4) 1:12.26 (5)	8:10.22 (4) 1:10.98 (4)	9:21.20	0.89
5	2	Daniela Menegon	SWZ	1:10.20 (5) 1:15.21 (5)	2:25.41 (5) 1:16.45 (5)	3:41.86 (5) 1:17.30 (5)	4:59.16 (5) 1:17.92 (5)	6:17.08 (5) 1:18.77 (5)	7:35.85 (5) 1:00.00 (1)	8:35.85 (5) 1:36.61 (5)	10:12.46	0.83

Heat Two (12:15)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	Time	Reaction
1	3	Sarah Hardcastle	GBR	1:03.03 (4) 1:05.19 (4)	2:08.22 (4) 1:05.24 (2)	3:13.46 (4) 1:05.42 (2)	4:18.88 (4) 1:04.95 (1)	5:23.83 (4) 1:05.20 (1)	6:29.03 (2) 1:05.35 (2)	7:34.38 (2) 1:03.16 (1)	8:37.54	0.79	Q
2	6	Irene Dalby	NOR	1:02.33 (2) 1:04.43 (1)	2:06.76 (1) 1:05.03 (1)	3:11.79 (1) 1:05.85 (4)	4:17.64 (1) 1:05.93 (4)	5:23.57 (3) 1:05.54 (3)	6:29.11 (3) 1:05.17 (1)	7:34.28 (1) 1:03.45 (2)	8:37.73	0.83	Q
3	4	Janet Evans	USA	1:02.53 (3) 1:05.10 (3)	2:07.63 (3) 1:05.28 (3)	3:12.91 (3) 1:05.30 (1)	4:18.21 (3) 1:05.26 (2)	5:23.47 (2) 1:05.44 (2)	6:28.91 (1) 1:05.51 (3)	7:34.42 (3) 1:03.66 (3)	8:38.08	0.82	Q
4	2	Carla Geurts	NED	1:02.06 (1) 1:05.00 (2)	2:07.06 (2) 1:05.47 (4)	3:12.53 (2) 1:05.51 (3)	4:18.04 (2) 1:05.42 (3)	5:23.46 (1) 1:05.82 (4)	6:29.28 (4) 1:05.86 (4)	7:35.14 (4) 1:04.71 (4)	8:39.85	0.72	Q
5	1	Sandra Cam	BEL	1:03.05 (5) 1:05.52 (5)	2:08.57 (5) 1:06.27 (5)	3:14.84 (5) 1:06.60 (6)	4:21.44 (5) 1:06.91 (5)	5:28.35 (5) 1:07.17 (6)	6:35.52 (5) 1:07.42 (6)	7:42.94 (5) 1:05.39 (6)	8:48.33	0.79
6	7	Itziar Esparza	ESP	1:04.39 (6) 1:06.87 (6)	2:11.26 (6) 1:06.75 (6)	3:18.01 (6) 1:06.56 (5)	4:24.57 (6) 1:07.09 (6)	5:31.66 (6) 1:06.90 (5)	6:38.56 (6) 1:06.31 (5)	7:44.87 (6) 1:05.35 (5)	8:50.22	0.78
7	8	Rita Kovács	HUN	1:04.56 (7) 1:07.31 (7)	2:11.87 (7) 1:08.41 (7)	3:20.28 (7) 1:09.16 (7)	4:29.44 (7) 1:09.34 (7)	5:38.78 (7) 1:09.57 (7)	6:48.35 (7) 1:09.64 (7)	7:57.99 (7) 1:08.98 (7)	9:06.97	0.90
DNS	5	Chen Yan	CHN	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	–	–

Heat Three (12:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Brooke Bennett	USA	1:02.51 (1) 1:04.79 (1)	2:07.30 (1) 1:04.46 (1)	3:11.76 (1) 1:04.23 (1)	4:15.99 (1) 1:03.71 (1)	5:19.70 (1) 1:04.36 (1)	6:24.06 (1) 1:04.70 (2)	7:28.76 (1) 1:03.62 (2)	8:32.38	0.84	Q
2	3	Dagmar Hase	GER	1:02.71 (2) 1:04.87 (2)	2:07.58 (2) 1:04.63 (2)	3:12.21 (2) 1:04.25 (2)	4:16.46 (2) 1:04.17 (2)	5:20.63 (2) 1:04.41 (2)	6:25.04 (2) 1:04.64 (1)	7:29.68 (2) 1:03.87 (3)	8:33.55	0.87	Q
3	6	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	1:02.91 (4) 1:05.52 (4)	2:08.43 (4) 1:05.23 (3)	3:13.66 (4) 1:04.99 (3)	4:18.65 (3) 1:04.88 (3)	5:23.53 (3) 1:04.71 (3)	6:28.24 (3) 1:04.97 (3)	7:33.21 (3) 1:03.12 (1)	8:36.33	0.86	Q
4	5	Kirsten Vlieghuis	NED	1:02.93 (5) 1:05.35 (3)	2:08.28 (3) 1:05.36 (4)	3:13.64 (3) 1:05.18 (4)	4:18.82 (4) 1:05.38 (4)	5:24.20 (4) 1:05.59 (4)	6:29.79 (4) 1:05.73 (4)	7:35.52 (4) 1:04.21 (4)	8:39.73	0.81	Q
5	7	Nikki Dryden	CAN	1:02.90 (3) 1:05.56 (5)	2:08.46 (5) 1:05.57 (5)	3:14.03 (5) 1:06.32 (5)	4:20.35 (5) 1:06.93 (6)	5:27.28 (5) 1:07.55 (6)	6:34.83 (6) 1:07.79 (6)	7:42.62 (6) 1:04.57 (5)	8:47.19	0.93
6	2	Olga Šplíchalová	CZE	1:03.16 (6) 1:05.86 (6)	2:09.02 (6) 1:05.98 (6)	3:15.00 (6) 1:06.51 (6)	4:21.51 (6) 1:06.43 (5)	5:27.94 (6) 1:06.60 (5)	6:34.54 (5) 1:07.12 (5)	7:41.66 (5) 1:06.02 (6)	8:47.68	0.94
7	1	Stephanie Richardson	CAN	1:03.64 (7) 1:06.24 (7)	2:09.88 (7) 1:06.50 (7)	3:16.38 (7) 1:07.10 (7)	4:23.48 (7) 1:07.19 (7)	5:30.67 (7) 1:07.76 (7)	6:38.43 (7) 1:07.91 (7)	7:46.34 (7) 1:06.27 (7)	8:52.61	0.82
8	8	Mirjana Boševska	MKD	1:04.03 (8) 1:06.92 (8)	2:10.95 (8) 1:07.49 (8)	3:18.44 (8) 1:07.49 (8)	4:25.93 (8) 1:08.19 (8)	5:34.12 (8) 1:07.93 (8)	6:42.05 (8) 1:08.06 (8)	7:50.11 (8) 1:07.41 (8)	8:57.52	0.79

Heat Four (12:45)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	Time	Reaction
1	6	Lin Chi-Chan	TPE	1:02.66 (2) 1:05.26 (1)	2:07.92 (1) 1:05.95 (4)	3:13.87 (1) 1:05.98 (2)	4:19.85 (1) 1:06.22 (3)	5:26.07 (1) 1:05.92 (2)	6:31.99 (2) 1:05.39 (2)	7:37.38 (1) 1:02.93 (1)	8:40.31	0.82
2	7	Eri Yamanoi	JPN	1:03.22 (6) 1:05.52 (4)	2:08.74 (5) 1:05.77 (2)	3:14.51 (5) 1:05.94 (1)	4:20.45 (4) 1:05.85 (1)	5:26.30 (2) 1:05.50 (1)	6:31.80 (1) 1:05.70 (4)	7:37.50 (2) 1:02.97 (2)	8:40.47	0.86
3	5	Stacey Gartrell	AUS	1:02.90 (3) 1:05.55 (5)	2:08.45 (4) 1:05.96 (5)	3:14.41 (4) 1:06.24 (3)	4:20.65 (5) 1:06.18 (2)	5:26.83 (3) 1:05.94 (3)	6:32.77 (3) 1:05.59 (3)	7:38.36 (3) 1:04.03 (3)	8:42.39	0.84
4	3	Pu Yiqi	CHN	1:02.56 (1) 1:05.48 (3)	2:08.04 (2) 1:05.91 (3)	3:13.95 (2) 1:06.43 (5)	4:20.38 (3) 1:06.67 (6)	5:27.05 (5) 1:07.07 (6)	6:34.12 (5) 1:05.22 (1)	7:39.34 (4) 1:05.98 (6)	8:45.32	0.87
5	4	Hayley Lewis	AUS	1:02.96 (4) 1:05.33 (2)	2:08.29 (3) 1:05.71 (1)	3:14.00 (3) 1:06.35 (4)	4:20.35 (2) 1:06.55 (5)	5:26.90 (4) 1:06.72 (4)	6:33.62 (4) 1:06.46 (5)	7:40.08 (5) 1:05.71 (5)	8:45.79	0.81
6	1	Alicia Barrancos	ARG	1:04.13 (8) 1:05.87 (7)	2:10.00 (8) 1:06.34 (7)	3:16.34 (8) 1:06.55 (7)	4:22.89 (7) 1:06.48 (4)	5:29.37 (7) 1:06.92 (5)	6:36.29 (6) 1:06.55 (6)	7:42.84 (6) 1:05.70 (4)	8:48.54	0.89
7	8	Carla-Creola Negrea	ROU	1:03.09 (5) 1:06.11 (8)	2:09.20 (6) 1:06.60 (8)	3:15.80 (7) 1:07.38 (8)	4:23.18 (8) 1:07.82 (8)	5:31.00 (8) 1:08.44 (7)	6:39.44 (8) 1:08.19 (7)	7:47.63 (8) 1:06.56 (7)	8:54.19	0.86
8	2	Aiko Miyake	JPN	1:03.47 (7) 1:05.77 (6)	2:09.24 (7) 1:06.12 (6)	3:15.36 (6) 1:06.47 (6)	4:21.83 (6) 1:06.84 (7)	5:28.67 (6) 1:08.51 (8)	6:37.18 (7) 1:09.70 (8)	7:46.88 (7) 1:08.89 (8)	8:55.77	0.84

Final (25 July 1996 — 19:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Brooke Bennett	USA	1:01.90 (1) 1:03.99 (2)	2:05.89 (1) 1:03.29 (1)	3:09.18 (1) 1:03.60 (1)	4:12.78 (1) 1:03.12 (1)	5:15.90 (1) 1:03.78 (1)	6:19.68 (1) 1:04.26 (2)	7:23.94 (1) 1:03.95 (4)	8:27.89	0.84
2	5	Dagmar Hase	GER	1:02.22 (3) 1:03.91 (1)	2:06.13 (2) 1:03.61 (2)	3:09.74 (2) 1:03.83 (2)	4:13.57 (2) 1:03.85 (2)	5:17.42 (2) 1:04.35 (3)	6:21.77 (2) 1:04.43 (3)	7:26.20 (2) 1:03.71 (3)	8:29.91	0.85
3	1	Kirsten Vlieghuis	NED	1:02.80 (7) 1:04.49 (5)	2:07.29 (5) 1:04.30 (4)	3:11.59 (5) 1:04.66 (4)	4:16.25 (5) 1:04.38 (4)	5:20.63 (4) 1:04.16 (2)	6:24.79 (4) 1:04.22 (1)	7:29.01 (3) 1:01.83 (1)	8:30.84	0.85
4	3	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	1:02.41 (4) 1:04.42 (3)	2:06.83 (3) 1:04.32 (5)	3:11.15 (4) 1:04.52 (3)	4:15.67 (3) 1:04.22 (3)	5:19.89 (3) 1:04.47 (4)	6:24.36 (3) 1:04.85 (4)	7:29.21 (4) 1:01.85 (2)	8:31.06	0.89
5	2	Irene Dalby	NOR	1:02.46 (5) 1:04.46 (4)	2:06.92 (4) 1:04.18 (3)	3:11.10 (3) 1:04.93 (5)	4:16.03 (4) 1:05.18 (5)	5:21.21 (5) 1:06.20 (7)	6:27.41 (5) 1:06.25 (7)	7:33.66 (5) 1:04.68 (7)	8:38.34	0.81
6	7	Janet Evans	USA	1:02.51 (6) 1:04.79 (6)	2:07.30 (6) 1:04.81 (6)	3:12.11 (6) 1:05.17 (6)	4:17.28 (6) 1:05.47 (7)	5:22.75 (6) 1:05.88 (5)	6:28.63 (6) 1:05.73 (5)	7:34.36 (6) 1:04.55 (6)	8:38.91	0.83
7	8	Carla Geurts	NED	1:02.07 (2) 1:05.68 (8)	2:07.75 (7) 1:05.23 (8)	3:12.98 (7) 1:05.77 (8)	4:18.75 (7) 1:05.39 (6)	5:24.14 (7) 1:05.98 (6)	6:30.12 (7) 1:05.87 (6)	7:35.99 (7) 1:04.44 (5)	8:40.43	0.73
8	6	Sarah Hardcastle	GBR	1:03.17 (8) 1:05.01 (7)	2:08.18 (8) 1:05.21 (7)	3:13.39 (8) 1:05.60 (7)	4:18.99 (8) 1:05.48 (8)	5:24.47 (8) 1:06.21 (8)	6:30.68 (8) 1:06.35 (8)	7:37.03 (8) 1:04.72 (8)	8:41.75	0.80