| | Event type

200 metres Butterfly, Women

Date	26 July 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	34 from 28 countries

Chinese swimmers Qu Yun and Liu Limin had dominated the event at the 1994 World Championships but the Chinese Olympic team was a shadow of the team they had been two years earlier and instead the mantle of pre-Games favourites fell on the shoulders of the Australian pairing of Susie O’Neill and Petria Thomas. As the events of Atlanta unfolded another name was added to the list of contenders as Michelle Smith of Ireland had already visited the top of the Olympic podium on three occasions.

O’Neill had burst onto the world scene as a 16-year-old in 1990 but this was to be her first global title. She led for the entirety of the race and eventually won by a large margin of 2.06 seconds. Behind her Petria Thomas took a large slice off her personal best to finish second ahead of Smith who finally lost an Olympic race. O’Neill would go on to win silver in this event in front of her home crowd in Sydney in 2000 and retired afterwards, having won a total of eight Olympic medals

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	Susie O'Neill	AUS	2:09.46 (1 h5)	–	2:07.76 (1)	Gold
2	Petria Thomas	AUS	2:10.64 (1 h3)	–	2:09.82 (2)	Silver
3	Michelle Smith	IRL	2:10.03 (2 h5)	–	2:09.91 (3)	Bronze
4	Qu Yun	CHN	2:11.35 (2 h3)	–	2:10.26 (4)
5	Liu Limin	CHN	2:13.12 (3 h5)	–	2:10.70 (5)
6	Jessica Deglau	CAN	2:12.48 (3 h3)	–	2:11.40 (6)
7	Mika Haruna	JPN	2:12.59 (1 h4)	–	2:11.93 (7)
8	Trina Jackson	USA	2:12.69 (4 h3)	–	2:11.96 (8)
9	Sophia Skou	DEN	2:13.59 (5 h3)	2:12.41 (1)	–
10	Cécile Jeanson	FRA	2:13.58 (2 h4)	2:12.99 (2)	–
11	María Peláez	ESP	2:13.85 (3 h4)	2:13.05 (3)	–
=12	Anna Uryniuk	POL	2:13.90 (4 h4)	2:13.64 (=4)	–
=12	Annette Salmeen	USA	2:14.69 (6 h5)	2:13.64 (=4)	–
14	Hitomi Kashima	JPN	2:16.04 (5 h4)	2:13.97 (6)	–
15	Andrea Schwartz	CAN	2:13.33 (4 h5)	2:14.07 (7)	–
16	Bárbara Franco	ESP	2:13.34 (5 h5)	2:14.16 (8)	–
17	Ilaria Tocchini	ITA	2:16.10 (6 h3)	–	–
18	Hsieh Shu-Tzu	TPE	2:16.27 (6 h4)	–	–
19	Sabine Herbst	GER	2:16.66 (7 h4)	–	–
20	Nataliya Zolotukhina	UKR	2:16.68 (1 h2)	–	–
21	Loredana Zisu	ROU	2:17.56 (7 h5)	–	–
22	Ana Francisco	POR	2:17.61 (7 h3)	–	–
=23	Edit Klocker	HUN	2:17.90 (8 h3)	–	–
=23	Nataša Meškovska	MKD	2:17.90 (2 h2)	–	–
25	Praphalsai Minpraphal	THA	2:18.19 (8 h5)	–	–
26	Nida Zuhal	TUR	2:18.46 (3 h2)	–	–
27	Marcela Kubalčíková	CZE	2:19.38 (4 h2)	–	–
28	María Pereyra	ARG	2:19.57 (5 h2)	–	–
29	Marina Karystinou	GRE	2:20.57 (6 h2)	–	–
30	Mandy Loots	RSA	2:20.73 (7 h2)	–	–
31	Tinka Dančević	CRO	2:20.74 (8 h2)	–	–
32	Park U-Hui	KOR	2:22.99 (1 h1)	–	–
33	Melissa Mata	CRC	2:23.89 (2 h1)	–	–
34	Sonia Álvarez	PUR	2:25.24 (3 h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	26 July 1996
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	4	Susie O'Neill	AUS	2:09.46	Q
2	3	Michelle Smith	IRL	2:10.03	Q
3	3	Petria Thomas	AUS	2:10.64	Q
4	4	Qu Yun	CHN	2:11.35	Q
5	6	Jessica Deglau	CAN	2:12.48	Q
6	5	Mika Haruna	JPN	2:12.59	Q
7	5	Trina Jackson	USA	2:12.69	Q
8	5	Liu Limin	CHN	2:13.12	Q
9	2	Andrea Schwartz	CAN	2:13.33	q
10	7	Bárbara Franco	ESP	2:13.34	q
11	2	Cécile Jeanson	FRA	2:13.58	q
12	2	Sophia Skou	DEN	2:13.59	q
13	7	María Peláez	ESP	2:13.85	q
14	6	Anna Uryniuk	POL	2:13.90	q
15	6	Annette Salmeen	USA	2:14.69	q
16	4	Hitomi Kashima	JPN	2:16.04	q
17	7	Ilaria Tocchini	ITA	2:16.10
18	1	Hsieh Shu-Tzu	TPE	2:16.27
19	8	Sabine Herbst	GER	2:16.66
20	6	Nataliya Zolotukhina	UKR	2:16.68
21	1	Loredana Zisu	ROU	2:17.56
22	1	Ana Francisco	POR	2:17.61
=23	5	Nataša Meškovska	MKD	2:17.90
=23	8	Edit Klocker	HUN	2:17.90
25	8	Praphalsai Minpraphal	THA	2:18.19
26	8	Nida Zuhal	TUR	2:18.46
27	4	Marcela Kubalčíková	CZE	2:19.38
28	2	María Pereyra	ARG	2:19.57
29	3	Marina Karystinou	GRE	2:20.57
30	1	Mandy Loots	RSA	2:20.73
31	7	Tinka Dančević	CRO	2:20.74
32	4	Park U-Hui	KOR	2:22.99
33	5	Melissa Mata	CRC	2:23.89
34	3	Sonia Álvarez	PUR	2:25.24

Heat #1

Time	9:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	4	Park U-Hui	KOR	2:22.99	0.86	32.79 (3)	1:09.38 (3)	1:44.92 (1)	36.59 (3)	35.54 (1)	38.07 (1)
2	5	Melissa Mata	CRC	2:23.89	0.81	32.26 (1)	1:08.48 (1)	1:45.54 (2)	36.22 (1)	37.06 (2)	38.35 (2)
3	3	Sonia Álvarez	PUR	2:25.24	0.80	32.62 (2)	1:08.89 (2)	1:46.33 (3)	36.27 (2)	37.44 (3)	38.91 (3)

Heat #2

Time	9:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	6	Nataliya Zolotukhina	UKR	2:16.68	0.86	29.78 (1)	1:03.49 (1)	1:39.32 (1)	33.71 (1)	35.83 (2)	37.36 (5)
2	5	Nataša Meškovska	MKD	2:17.90	0.80	30.91 (3)	1:05.13 (2)	1:41.08 (2)	34.22 (2)	35.95 (4)	36.82 (3)
3	8	Nida Zuhal	TUR	2:18.46	0.87	31.05 (4)	1:05.57 (4)	1:41.78 (4)	34.52 (4)	36.21 (5)	36.68 (2)
4	4	Marcela Kubalčíková	CZE	2:19.38	0.92	30.85 (2)	1:05.35 (3)	1:41.27 (3)	34.50 (3)	35.92 (3)	38.11 (8)
5	2	María Pereyra	ARG	2:19.57	0.81	32.03 (8)	1:07.22 (7)	1:42.90 (6)	35.19 (6)	35.68 (1)	36.67 (1)
6	3	Marina Karystinou	GRE	2:20.57	0.81	31.26 (5)	1:06.17 (5)	1:42.49 (5)	34.91 (5)	36.32 (7)	38.08 (7)
7	1	Mandy Loots	RSA	2:20.73	0.82	31.42 (6)	1:07.45 (8)	1:43.73 (8)	36.03 (8)	36.28 (6)	37.00 (4)
8	7	Tinka Dančević	CRO	2:20.74	0.80	31.58 (7)	1:06.87 (6)	1:43.28 (7)	35.29 (7)	36.41 (8)	37.46 (6)

Heat #3

Time	9:50

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	3	Petria Thomas	AUS	2:10.64	0.75	29.32 (1)	1:02.10 (1)	1:35.91 (1)	32.78 (1)	33.81 (1)	34.73 (3)	Q
2	4	Qu Yun	CHN	2:11.35	0.77	29.67 (3)	1:03.58 (4)	1:37.73 (4)	33.91 (5)	34.15 (3)	33.62 (1)	Q
3	6	Jessica Deglau	CAN	2:12.48	0.77	30.62 (5)	1:04.21 (5)	1:38.09 (5)	33.59 (4)	33.88 (2)	34.39 (2)	Q
4	5	Trina Jackson	USA	2:12.69	0.69	29.82 (4)	1:03.27 (3)	1:37.69 (3)	33.45 (3)	34.42 (5)	35.00 (4)	Q
5	2	Sophia Skou	DEN	2:13.59	0.84	29.63 (2)	1:02.95 (2)	1:37.32 (2)	33.32 (2)	34.37 (4)	36.27 (6)	q
6	7	Ilaria Tocchini	ITA	2:16.10	0.87	30.76 (8)	1:04.77 (6)	1:39.78 (6)	34.01 (6)	35.01 (6)	36.32 (7)
7	1	Ana Francisco	POR	2:17.61	0.86	30.73 (6)	1:05.81 (8)	1:41.54 (8)	35.08 (8)	35.73 (7)	36.07 (5)
8	8	Edit Klocker	HUN	2:17.90	0.90	30.75 (7)	1:05.18 (7)	1:41.18 (7)	34.43 (7)	36.00 (8)	36.72 (8)

Heat #4

Time	10:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	5	Mika Haruna	JPN	2:12.59	0.86	30.28 (2)	1:03.60 (2)	1:37.75 (1)	33.32 (1)	34.15 (2)	34.84 (1)	Q
2	2	Cécile Jeanson	FRA	2:13.58	0.79	30.75 (5)	1:04.56 (5)	1:38.51 (2)	33.81 (4)	33.95 (1)	35.07 (2)	q
3	7	María Peláez	ESP	2:13.85	0.80	30.36 (3)	1:04.19 (3)	1:38.54 (3)	33.83 (5)	34.35 (4)	35.31 (4)	q
4	6	Anna Uryniuk	POL	2:13.90	0.82	30.56 (4)	1:04.30 (4)	1:38.60 (4)	33.74 (3)	34.30 (3)	35.30 (3)	q
5	4	Hitomi Kashima	JPN	2:16.04	0.78	29.92 (1)	1:03.31 (1)	1:38.94 (5)	33.39 (2)	35.63 (7)	37.10 (7)	q
6	1	Hsieh Shu-Tzu	TPE	2:16.27	0.91	30.76 (6)	1:04.99 (6)	1:40.42 (6)	34.23 (6)	35.43 (6)	35.85 (6)
7	8	Sabine Herbst	GER	2:16.66	0.78	31.17 (7)	1:05.68 (7)	1:40.90 (7)	34.51 (7)	35.22 (5)	35.76 (5)

Heat #5

Time	10:10

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	4	Susie O'Neill	AUS	2:09.46	0.88	29.46 (2)	1:02.04 (2)	1:35.46 (1)	32.58 (2)	33.42 (1)	34.00 (1)	Q
2	3	Michelle Smith	IRL	2:10.03	0.81	29.22 (1)	1:01.77 (1)	1:35.49 (2)	32.55 (1)	33.72 (2)	34.54 (2)	Q
3	5	Liu Limin	CHN	2:13.12	0.76	30.07 (3)	1:03.60 (3)	1:38.07 (5)	33.53 (5)	34.47 (6)	35.05 (4)	Q
4	2	Andrea Schwartz	CAN	2:13.33	0.76	30.08 (4)	1:03.92 (6)	1:38.37 (6)	33.84 (6)	34.45 (5)	34.96 (3)	q
5	7	Bárbara Franco	ESP	2:13.34	0.77	30.37 (5)	1:03.62 (4)	1:38.03 (4)	33.25 (4)	34.41 (4)	35.31 (5)	q
6	6	Annette Salmeen	USA	2:14.69	0.82	30.62 (6)	1:03.71 (5)	1:37.67 (3)	33.09 (3)	33.96 (3)	37.02 (8)	q
7	1	Loredana Zisu	ROU	2:17.56	0.83	30.63 (7)	1:05.45 (7)	1:41.06 (7)	34.82 (8)	35.61 (7)	36.50 (7)
8	8	Praphalsai Minpraphal	THA	2:18.19	0.76	31.39 (8)	1:06.03 (8)	1:41.78 (8)	34.64 (7)	35.75 (8)	36.41 (6)

B Final

Date	26 July 1996 — 19:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	6	Sophia Skou	DEN	2:12.41	0.88	29.88 (1)	1:03.66 (1)	1:37.35 (1)	33.78 (4)	33.69 (1)	35.06 (7)
2	3	Cécile Jeanson	FRA	2:12.99	0.76	30.43 (4)	1:04.15 (4)	1:38.37 (3)	33.72 (3)	34.22 (4)	34.62 (3)
3	2	María Peláez	ESP	2:13.05	0.80	30.46 (5)	1:04.16 (5)	1:38.19 (2)	33.70 (2)	34.03 (3)	34.86 (4)
=4	1	Annette Salmeen	USA	2:13.64	0.83	30.99 (7)	1:04.95 (7)	1:39.19 (7)	33.96 (=5)	34.24 (5)	34.45 (1)
=4	7	Anna Uryniuk	POL	2:13.64	0.82	30.18 (2)	1:04.14 (3)	1:38.67 (4)	33.96 (=5)	34.53 (7)	34.97 (6)
6	8	Hitomi Kashima	JPN	2:13.97	0.76	30.50 (6)	1:03.84 (2)	1:39.02 (6)	33.34 (1)	35.18 (8)	34.95 (5)
7	4	Andrea Schwartz	CAN	2:14.07	0.75	30.30 (3)	1:04.37 (6)	1:38.88 (5)	34.07 (7)	34.51 (6)	35.19 (8)
8	5	Bárbara Franco	ESP	2:14.16	0.77	31.07 (8)	1:05.57 (8)	1:39.55 (8)	34.50 (8)	33.98 (2)	34.61 (2)

Final Round

Date	26 July 1996 — 19:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m	100-150 m	150-200 m
1	4	Susie O'Neill	AUS	2:07.76	0.84	28.54 (1)	1:00.66 (1)	1:33.76 (1)	32.12 (1)	33.10 (2)	34.00 (2)
2	3	Petria Thomas	AUS	2:09.82	0.75	29.05 (2)	1:01.79 (=3)	1:35.45 (3)	32.74 (5)	33.66 (=3)	34.37 (3)
3	5	Michelle Smith	IRL	2:09.91	0.72	29.16 (3)	1:01.38 (2)	1:34.45 (2)	32.22 (2)	33.07 (1)	35.46 (8)
4	6	Qu Yun	CHN	2:10.26	0.76	29.32 (5)	1:02.56 (6)	1:36.33 (5)	33.24 (6)	33.77 (6)	33.93 (1)
5	8	Liu Limin	CHN	2:10.70	0.78	29.24 (4)	1:01.79 (=3)	1:35.55 (4)	32.55 (3)	33.76 (5)	35.15 (5)
6	2	Jessica Deglau	CAN	2:11.40	0.81	30.06 (8)	1:03.33 (8)	1:36.99 (8)	33.27 (7)	33.66 (=3)	34.41 (4)
7	7	Mika Haruna	JPN	2:11.93	0.89	29.70 (7)	1:02.40 (5)	1:36.50 (6)	32.70 (4)	34.10 (8)	35.43 (7)
8	1	Trina Jackson	USA	2:11.96	0.73	29.43 (6)	1:02.71 (7)	1:36.76 (7)	33.28 (8)	34.05 (7)	35.20 (6)