| | Event type
100 metres Freestyle, Women
| Date | 18 – 19 August 2004 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympiako Kentro Ugrou Stivou, Olympiako Athletiko Kentro Athinon Spiros Loues, Athina (Main Pool) |
| Participants | 50 from 44 countries |
For the first time in a number of Olympic Games, the women’s 100 metres freestyle looked to be an open event. Inge de Bruijn returned as defending champion but not as world record holder because of the performance of Libby Lenton in the semi-finals of the Australian Olympic Trials. Also favoured to challenge were World Champion Hanna-Maria Seppälä of Finland, Pan-Pacific title holder Natalie Coughlin, newly crowned European Champ Malia Metella of France and Jodie Henry who had defeated Lenton in the final of the Australian trials.
The semi-finals were, to say the least, eventful as Henry established herself as favourite by taking a chunk out of Lenton’s world record. Lenton herself failed to live to expectations and, along with Seppälä, was forced to exit before even reaching the final.
Henry made a poor start to the final and trailed the field in the early stages. Recovering to fifth at 50 metres the Australian took the lead at the three-quarter mark and held off the challenge of de Bruijn to record a first Aussie win in the event since the glory days of Dawn Fraser 40 years earlier with Coughlin filling up the final place on the victory podium.
| Pos | Swimmer | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jodie Henry |  AUS | 55.13 (2 h6) | 53.52 (1 h2) | 53.84 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | Inge de Bruijn |  NED | 54.43 (1 h5) | 54.06 (2 h2) | 54.16 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | Natalie Coughlin |  USA | 54.82 (1 h7) | 54.37 (3 h2) | 54.40 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | Malia Metella |  FRA | 55.08 (1 h6) | 54.57 (4 h2) | 54.50 (4) | |||
| 5 | Kara Lynn Joyce | USA | 54.53 (2 h5) | 54.81 (1 h1) | 54.54 (5) | |||
| 6 | Nery Mantey Niagkkouara |  GRE | 55.12 (3 h7) | 55.02 (3 h1) | 54.81 (6) | |||
| 7 | Martina Moravcová |  SVK | 55.17 (4 h7) | 55.08 (4 h1) | 55.12 (7) | |||
| 8 | Alena Popchanka |  BLR | 55.49 (3 h6) | 54.97 (2 h1) | 55.24 (8) | |||
| 9 | Libby Lenton | AUS | 54.89 (2 h7) | 55.17 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 10 | Federica Pellegrini |  ITA | 55.41 (5 h7) | 55.30 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 11 | Marleen Veldhuis | NED | 55.81 (4 h5) | 55.32 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 12 | Hanna-Maria Seppälä |  FIN | 56.01 (5 h6) | 55.59 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 13 | Hanna Shcherba | BLR | 56.01 (1 h4) | 55.67 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 14 | Josefin Lillhage |  SWE | 55.87 (5 h5) | 55.76 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | Ryu Yun-Ji |  KOR | 56.02 (6 h6) | 55.85 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 16 | Tomoko Nagai |  JPN | 55.76 (3 h5) | 56.03 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 17 | Franziska van Almsick |  GER | 55.57 (4 h6) | – | – | 1 | ||
| 18 | Jeanette Ottesen Gray |  DEN | 56.17 (2 h4) | – | – | |||
| 19 | Paulina Barzycka |  POL | 56.20 (6 h7) | – | – | |||
| 20 | Rebeca Gusmão |  BRA | 56.26 (7 h6) | – | – | |||
| 21 | Alison Fitch |  NZL | 56.29 (3 h4) | – | – | |||
| 22 | Cheng Jiaru |  CHN | 56.39 (8 h6) | – | – | |||
| 23 | Jana Myšková |  CZE | 56.59 (7 h7) | – | – | |||
| =24 | Xu Yanwei | CHN | 56.66 (8 h7) | – | – | |||
| =24 | Johanna Sjöberg | SWE | 56.66 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| =26 | Sara Isakovič |  SLO | 56.67 (4 h4) | – | – | |||
| =26 | Dominique Diezi |  SUI | 56.67 (1 h3) | – | – | |||
| 28 | Florencia Szigeti |  ARG | 56.71 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 29 | Arlene Semeco |  VEN | 57.04 (2 h3) | – | – | |||
| 30 | Eileen Marie Coparropa |  PAN | 57.09 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 31 | Olha Mukomol |  UKR | 57.12 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 32 | Anya Gostomelsky |  ISR | 57.15 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 33 | Judith Draxler |  AUT | 57.29 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 34 | Hannah Wilson |  HKG | 57.33 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 35 | Vanessa García |  PUR | 57.38 (1 h2) | – | – | |||
| 36 | Lara Heinz |  LUX | 57.40 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 37 | Jana Kolukanova |  EST | 57.45 (8 h4) | – | – | |||
| 38 | Ágnes Mutina |  HUN | 58.10 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 39 | Angelia Chuck |  JAM | 58.33 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 40 | Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir |  ISL | 58.47 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 41 | Yelena Skalinskaya |  KAZ | 58.56 (2 h2) | – | – | |||
| 42 | Linda McEachrane |  TTO | 58.92 (3 h2) | – | – | |||
| 43 | Agnese Ozoliņa |  LAT | 59.03 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 44 | Sung Yi-Chieh |  TPE | 59.18 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 45 | Irina Shlemova |  UZB | 59.21 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 46 | Shikha Tandon |  IND | 59.70 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 47 | Nicoleta Coica |  MDA | 59.85 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 48 | Carolina Cerqueda |  AND | 1:00.38 (1 h1) | – | – | |||
| 49 | Larissa Inangorore |  BDI | 1:23.90 (2 h1) | – | – | |||
| 50 | Gloria Koussihouede |  BEN | 1:30.90 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| Melanie Marshall |  GBR | – (DNS h5) | – | – |
Round One (18 August 2004)
Fastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat One (10:00)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Carolina Cerqueda | AND | 1:00.38 | 0.75 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Larissa Inangorore | BDI | 1:23.90 | 0.86 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Gloria Koussihouede | BEN | 1:30.90 | 1.04 |
Heat Two (10:03)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Vanessa García | PUR | 57.38 | 0.72 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Yelena Skalinskaya | KAZ | 58.56 | 0.92 | |||
| 3 | 4 | Linda McEachrane | TTO | 58.92 | 0.78 | |||
| 4 | 3 | Agnese Ozoliņa | LAT | 59.03 | 0.78 | |||
| 5 | 6 | Sung Yi-Chieh | TPE | 59.18 | 0.95 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Irina Shlemova | UZB | 59.21 | 0.80 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Shikha Tandon | IND | 59.70 | 0.82 | |||
| 8 | 1 | Nicoleta Coica | MDA | 59.85 | 0.89 |
Heat Three (10:07)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Dominique Diezi | SUI | 56.67 | 0.77 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Arlene Semeco | VEN | 57.04 | 0.77 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Judith Draxler | AUT | 57.29 | 0.80 | |||
| 4 | 8 | Hannah Wilson | HKG | 57.33 | 0.76 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Lara Heinz | LUX | 57.40 | 0.86 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Ágnes Mutina | HUN | 58.10 | 0.68 | |||
| 7 | 1 | Angelia Chuck | JAM | 58.33 | 0.68 | |||
| 8 | 4 | Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir | ISL | 58.47 | 0.83 |
Heat Four (10:10)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Hanna Shcherba | BLR | 56.01 | 0.73 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Jeanette Ottesen Gray | DEN | 56.17 | 0.75 | |||
| 3 | 1 | Alison Fitch | NZL | 56.29 | 0.87 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Sara Isakovič | SLO | 56.67 | 0.85 | |||
| 5 | 8 | Eileen Marie Coparropa | PAN | 57.09 | 0.76 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Olha Mukomol | UKR | 57.12 | 0.88 | |||
| 7 | 5 | Anya Gostomelsky | ISR | 57.15 | 0.74 | |||
| 8 | 4 | Jana Kolukanova | EST | 57.45 | 0.86 |
Heat Five (10:13)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Inge de Bruijn | NED | 54.43 | 0.73 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Kara Lynn Joyce | USA | 54.53 | 0.71 | |||
| 3 | 1 | Tomoko Nagai | JPN | 55.76 | 0.76 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Marleen Veldhuis | NED | 55.81 | 0.84 | |||
| 5 | 7 | Josefin Lillhage | SWE | 55.87 | 0.81 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Johanna Sjöberg | SWE | 56.66 | 0.89 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Florencia Szigeti | ARG | 56.71 | 0.63 | |||
| 3 | Melanie Marshall | GBR | – | – |
Heat Six (10:16)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Malia Metella | FRA | 55.08 | 0.77 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Jodie Henry | AUS | 55.13 | 0.82 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Alena Popchanka | BLR | 55.49 | 0.69 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Franziska van Almsick | GER | 55.57 | 0.83 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Hanna-Maria Seppälä | FIN | 56.01 | 0.76 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Ryu Yun-Ji | KOR | 56.02 | 0.81 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Rebeca Gusmão | BRA | 56.26 | 0.70 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Cheng Jiaru | CHN | 56.39 | 0.78 |
Heat Seven (10:19)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Natalie Coughlin | USA | 54.82 | 0.69 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Libby Lenton | AUS | 54.89 | 0.77 | |||
| 3 | 2 | Nery Mantey Niagkkouara | GRE | 55.12 | 0.78 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Martina Moravcová | SVK | 55.17 | 0.73 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Federica Pellegrini | ITA | 55.41 | 0.84 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Paulina Barzycka | POL | 56.20 | 0.86 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Jana Myšková | CZE | 56.59 | 0.87 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Xu Yanwei | CHN | 56.66 | 0.73 |
Semi-Finals (18 August 2004)
Fastest eight advanced to the final.
Heat One (19:39)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Kara Lynn Joyce | USA | 54.81 | 0.71 | |||
| 2 | 2 | Alena Popchanka | BLR | 54.97 | 0.72 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Nery Mantey Niagkkouara | GRE | 55.02 | 0.74 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Martina Moravcová | SVK | 55.08 | 0.74 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Libby Lenton | AUS | 55.17 | 0.77 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Marleen Veldhuis | NED | 55.32 | 0.84 | |||
| 7 | 1 | Hanna Shcherba | BLR | 55.67 | 0.78 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Ryu Yun-Ji | KOR | 55.85 | 0.80 |
Heat Two (19:44)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Jodie Henry | AUS | 53.52 | 0.80 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Inge de Bruijn | NED | 54.06 | 0.72 | |||
| 3 | 5 | Natalie Coughlin | USA | 54.37 | 0.69 | |||
| 4 | 3 | Malia Metella | FRA | 54.57 | 0.77 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Federica Pellegrini | ITA | 55.30 | 0.82 | |||
| 6 | 8 | Hanna-Maria Seppälä | FIN | 55.59 | 0.75 | |||
| 7 | 1 | Josefin Lillhage | SWE | 55.76 | 0.79 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Tomoko Nagai | JPN | 56.03 | 0.77 |
Final (19 August 2004 — 20:35)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Jodie Henry | AUS | 53.84 | 0.81 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Inge de Bruijn | NED | 54.16 | 0.74 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Natalie Coughlin | USA | 54.40 | 0.70 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Malia Metella | FRA | 54.50 | 0.78 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Kara Lynn Joyce | USA | 54.54 | 0.70 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Nery Mantey Niagkkouara | GRE | 54.81 | 0.76 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Martina Moravcová | SVK | 55.12 | 0.76 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Alena Popchanka | BLR | 55.24 | 0.72 |