| Date | 11 – 13 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Beijing Guojia Youyong Zhongxin, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing |
| Participants | 44 from 39 countries |
More than other event on his Beijing schedule, this race belonged to Michael Phelps. To put simply he had not lost a race at this distance for six years and had held the world record since 2001. Having already won three Olympic titles at Beijing it seemed inconceivable that he would not win a fourth. Phelps took the lead from Moss Burmester of New Zealand at halfway and, despite having problems with water leaking into the goggles, swam away from the rest to record his sixth world record at the distance. Behind him László Cseh, Jr. and Takeshi Matsuda became the second and third swimmers to break 1:53 for the distance. The victory brought Phelps’ gold medal tally up into double figures to either equal Ray Ewry’s record of 10 Olympic victories or break the record of nine held by four other Olympians. This depends on your view of the official status of the 1906 Olympic Games.
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Phelps |  USA | 1:53.70 (1 h6) | 1:53.70 (1 h2) | 1:52.03 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | László Cseh, Jr. |  HUN | 1:54.48 (1 h4) | 1:54.35 (3 h1) | 1:52.70 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | Takeshi Matsuda |  JPN | 1:55.06 (3 h6) | 1:54.02 (1 h1) | 1:52.97 (3) | Bronze | ||
| =4 | Moss Burmester |  NZL | 1:55.80 (3 h4) | 1:55.26 (4 h1) | 1:54.35 (=4) | |||
| =4 | Wu Peng |  CHN | 1:55.39 (1 h5) | 1:54.93 (2 h2) | 1:54.35 (=4) | |||
| 6 | Paweł Korzeniowski |  POL | 1:55.21 (2 h4) | 1:55.35 (4 h2) | 1:54.60 (6) | |||
| 7 | Kaio Márcio |  BRA | 1:54.65 (2 h6) | 1:55.21 (3 h2) | 1:54.71 (7) | |||
| 8 | Nikolay Skvortsov |  RUS | 1:55.33 (4 h6) | 1:54.31 (2 h1) | 1:55.14 (8) | |||
| 9 | Gil Stovall | USA | 1:55.42 (2 h5) | 1:55.36 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 10 | Dinko Jukic |  AUT | 1:55.96 (4 h4) | 1:55.65 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 11 | Chen Yin | CHN | 1:56.55 (5 h5) | 1:55.88 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 12 | Michael Rock |  GBR | 1:55.55 (3 h5) | 1:55.90 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 13 | Ryuichi Shibata | JPN | 1:55.82 (4 h5) | 1:56.17 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 14 | Ștefan Gherghel |  ROU | 1:56.09 (5 h4) | 1:56.57 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | Serhiy Advena |  UKR | 1:56.24 (5 h6) | 1:56.64 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 16 | Hsu Chi-Chieh |  TPE | 1:56.59 (1 h3) | 1:57.48 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 17 | Christophe Lebon |  FRA | 1:56.63 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 18 | Travis Nederpelt |  AUS | 1:56.64 (6 h6) | – | – | |||
| 19 | Mathieu Fonteyn |  BEL | 1:56.65 (7 h6) | – | – | |||
| 20 | Niccolò Beni |  ITA | 1:56.99 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 21 | Denys Sylantiev | UKR | 1:57.02 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 22 | Tamás Kerékjártó | HUN | 1:57.29 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 23 | Juan Veloz |  MEX | 1:57.32 (8 h6) | – | – | |||
| 24 | Pedro Oliveira |  POR | 1:57.41 (2 h3) | – | – | |||
| 25 | Adam Sioui |  CAN | 1:57.45 (8 h4) | – | – | |||
| 26 | Simon Sjödin |  SWE | 1:57.75 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 27 | Romanos Alyfantis |  GRE | 1:57.99 (8 h5) | – | – | |||
| 28 | Alon Mandel |  ISR | 1:59.27 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 29 | James Walsh |  PHI | 1:59.39 (1 h2) | – | – | |||
| 30 | Omar Pinzón |  COL | 1:59.47 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 31 | Nikša Roki |  CRO | 1:59.58 (1 h1) | – | – | |||
| 32 | Javier Núñez |  ESP | 2:00.24 (2 h2) | – | – | |||
| 33 | Andrés González |  ARG | 2:00.36 (3 h2) | – | – | |||
| 34 | Yu Jeong-Nam |  KOR | 2:01.00 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 35 | Jeremy Knowles |  BAH | 2:01.08 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 36 | Alexis Márquez |  VEN | 2:01.25 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 37 | Daniel Bego |  MAS | 2:01.28 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 38 | Douglas Lennox-Silva |  PUR | 2:01.69 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 39 | Georgi Palazov |  BUL | 2:01.84 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 40 | Rehan Poncha |  IND | 2:01.89 (2 h1) | – | – | |||
| 41 | Emmanuel Crescimbeni |  PER | 2:02.13 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| 42 | Javier Hernández |  HON | 2:02.23 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 43 | Vladan Marković |  SRB | 2:03.12 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 44 | Donny Utomo |  INA | 2:03.44 (8 h2) | – | – |
| Date | 11 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest 16 swimmers advanced to semi-finals |
| Time | 19:07 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Nikša Roki | CRO | 1:59.58 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Rehan Poncha | IND | 2:01.89 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Emmanuel Crescimbeni | PER | 2:02.13 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Javier Hernández | HON | 2:02.23 |
| Time | 19:12 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | James Walsh | PHI | 1:59.39 | ||
| 2 | 1 | Javier Núñez | ESP | 2:00.24 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Andrés González | ARG | 2:00.36 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Yu Jeong-Nam | KOR | 2:01.00 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Alexis Márquez | VEN | 2:01.25 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Douglas Lennox-Silva | PUR | 2:01.69 | ||
| 7 | 4 | Vladan Marković | SRB | 2:03.12 | ||
| 8 | 2 | Donny Utomo | INA | 2:03.44 |
| Time | 19:17 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Hsu Chi-Chieh | TPE | 1:56.59 | ||
| 2 | 6 | Pedro Oliveira | POR | 1:57.41 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Simon Sjödin | SWE | 1:57.75 | ||
| 4 | 8 | Alon Mandel | ISR | 1:59.27 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Omar Pinzón | COL | 1:59.47 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Jeremy Knowles | BAH | 2:01.08 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Daniel Bego | MAS | 2:01.28 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Georgi Palazov | BUL | 2:01.84 |
| Time | 19:22 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | László Cseh, Jr. | HUN | 1:54.48 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Paweł Korzeniowski | POL | 1:55.21 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Moss Burmester | NZL | 1:55.80 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Dinko Jukic | AUT | 1:55.96 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Ștefan Gherghel | ROU | 1:56.09 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Niccolò Beni | ITA | 1:56.99 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Denys Sylantiev | UKR | 1:57.02 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Adam Sioui | CAN | 1:57.45 |
| Time | 19:27 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Wu Peng | CHN | 1:55.39 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Gil Stovall | USA | 1:55.42 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Michael Rock | GBR | 1:55.55 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Ryuichi Shibata | JPN | 1:55.82 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Chen Yin | CHN | 1:56.55 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Christophe Lebon | FRA | 1:56.63 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Tamás Kerékjártó | HUN | 1:57.29 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Romanos Alyfantis | GRE | 1:57.99 |
| Time | 19:32 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Michael Phelps | USA | 1:53.70 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Kaio Márcio | BRA | 1:54.65 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Takeshi Matsuda | JPN | 1:55.06 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Nikolay Skvortsov | RUS | 1:55.33 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Serhiy Advena | UKR | 1:56.24 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Travis Nederpelt | AUS | 1:56.64 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Mathieu Fonteyn | BEL | 1:56.65 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Juan Veloz | MEX | 1:57.32 |
| Date | 12 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight swimmers advanced to final |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Michael Phelps | USA | 1:53.70 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Takeshi Matsuda | JPN | 1:54.02 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Nikolay Skvortsov | RUS | 1:54.31 | ||
| 4 | 4 | László Cseh, Jr. | HUN | 1:54.35 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Wu Peng | CHN | 1:54.93 | ||
| 6 | 5 | Kaio Márcio | BRA | 1:55.21 | ||
| 7 | 2 | Moss Burmester | NZL | 1:55.26 | ||
| 8 | 3 | Paweł Korzeniowski | POL | 1:55.35 | ||
| 9 | 6 | Gil Stovall | USA | 1:55.36 | ||
| 10 | 7 | Dinko Jukic | AUT | 1:55.65 | ||
| 11 | 8 | Chen Yin | CHN | 1:55.88 | ||
| 12 | 2 | Michael Rock | GBR | 1:55.90 | ||
| 13 | 7 | Ryuichi Shibata | JPN | 1:56.17 | ||
| 14 | 1 | Ștefan Gherghel | ROU | 1:56.57 | ||
| 15 | 1 | Serhiy Advena | UKR | 1:56.64 | ||
| 16 | 8 | Hsu Chi-Chieh | TPE | 1:57.48 |
| Time | 11:05 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Takeshi Matsuda | JPN | 1:54.02 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Nikolay Skvortsov | RUS | 1:54.31 | ||
| 3 | 4 | László Cseh, Jr. | HUN | 1:54.35 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Moss Burmester | NZL | 1:55.26 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Gil Stovall | USA | 1:55.36 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Dinko Jukic | AUT | 1:55.65 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Serhiy Advena | UKR | 1:56.64 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Hsu Chi-Chieh | TPE | 1:57.48 |
| Time | 11:10 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Michael Phelps | USA | 1:53.70 | ||
| 2 | 6 | Wu Peng | CHN | 1:54.93 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Kaio Márcio | BRA | 1:55.21 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Paweł Korzeniowski | POL | 1:55.35 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Chen Yin | CHN | 1:55.88 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Michael Rock | GBR | 1:55.90 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Ryuichi Shibata | JPN | 1:56.17 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Ștefan Gherghel | ROU | 1:56.57 |
| Date | 13 August 2008 — 10:21 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Michael Phelps | USA | 1:52.03 | ||
| 2 | 6 | László Cseh, Jr. | HUN | 1:52.70 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Takeshi Matsuda | JPN | 1:52.97 | ||
| =4 | 2 | Wu Peng | CHN | 1:54.35 | ||
| =4 | 1 | Moss Burmester | NZL | 1:54.35 | ||
| 6 | 8 | Paweł Korzeniowski | POL | 1:54.60 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Kaio Márcio | BRA | 1:54.71 | ||
| 8 | 3 | Nikolay Skvortsov | RUS | 1:55.14 |
