| | Event type

100 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	10 – 12 August 2008
Status	Olympic
Location	Beijing Guojia Youyong Zhongxin, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing
Participants	48 from 37 countries

American Natalie Coughlin had been the outstanding 100 metre backstroker since 2001 and arrived in Beijing as Olympic champion, world champion, world record holder and a firm favourite to retain her Olympic title. It was a minor surprise when Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe qualified fastest from the heats and when she followed this by lowering Coughlin’s world record in the semi-final it looked like an upset may be in the making. Coughlin gambled everything in the final by blasting through the first 50 metres and was just able off the fast finishing Zimbabwean to retain her grip on the Olympic title. Margaret Hoelzer of the USA, who finished 5th in 2004, took the bronze medal.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	Natalie Coughlin	USA	59.69 (2 h7)	59.43 (1 h1)	58.96 (1)	Gold
2	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	59.00 (1 h7)	58.77 (1 h2)	59.19 (2)	Silver
3	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	1:00.13 (3 h6)	59.84 (3 h2)	59.34 (3)	Bronze
4	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.11 (3 h7)	59.79 (3 h1)	59.38 (4)
5	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.61 (1 h5)	59.77 (2 h2)	59.40 (5)
6	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.36 (1 h6)	59.64 (2 h1)	59.72 (6)
7	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.09 (2 h6)	1:00.19 (4 h2)	1:00.10 (7)
8	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.16 (4 h6)	1:00.13 (4 h1)	1:00.18 (8)
9	Emily Seebohm	AUS	1:00.27 (2 h5)	1:00.31 (5 h2)	–
10	Lizzie Simmonds	GBR	1:00.53 (4 h5)	1:00.39 (5 h1)	–
11	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.54 (5 h5)	1:00.50 (6 h2)	–
12	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	1:00.38 (1 h4)	1:00.60 (6 h1)	–
13	Sophie Edington	AUS	1:00.65 (6 h5)	1:01.05 (7 h1)	–
14	Kseniya Moskvina	RUS	1:00.70 (5 h6)	1:01.06 (8 h1)	–
15	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:00.48 (3 h5)	1:01.15 (7 h2)	–
16	Elizabeth Coster	NZL	1:00.66 (4 h7)	1:01.45 (8 h2)	–
17	Xu Tianlongzi	CHN	1:00.82 (7 h5)	–	–
18	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.00 (5 h7)	–	–
19	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.19 (1 h3)	–	–
20	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.24 (2 h4)	–	–
21	Kateryna Zubkova	UKR	1:01.25 (8 h5)	–	–
22	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:01.30 (6 h6)	–	–
23	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:01.44 (6 h7)	–	–
24	Nikolett Szepesi	HUN	1:01.77 (7 h7)	–	–
25	Anya Gostomelsky	ISR	1:01.87 (2 h3)	–	–
=26	Romina Armellini	ITA	1:02.21 (=3 h4)	–	–
=26	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.21 (=3 h4)	–	–
28	Merche Peris	ESP	1:02.30 (5 h4)	–	–
29	Sarah Sjöström	SWE	1:02.38 (3 h3)	–	–
30	Hanna-Maria Seppälä	FIN	1:02.39 (6 h4)	–	–
31	Aisling Cooney	IRL	1:02.50 (7 h4)	–	–
32	Alana Dillette	BAH	1:02.56 (4 h3)	–	–
33	Kiera Aitken	BER	1:02.62 (1 h1)	–	–
34	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:02.68 (5 h3)	–	–
35	Fernanda González	MEX	1:02.76 (6 h3)	–	–
36	Zuzanna Mazurek	POL	1:02.77 (1 h2)	–	–
37	Iryna Amshennikova	UKR	1:02.85 (7 h6)	–	–
38	Gisela Morales	GUA	1:02.92 (2 h2)	–	–
39	Petra Klosová	CZE	1:03.36 (7 h3)	–	–
40	Marica Stražmešter	SRB	1:03.56 (3 h2)	–	–
41	Sarah Bateman	ISL	1:03.82 (8 h3)	–	–
42	Christin Zenner	GER	1:03.87 (8 h6)	–	–
43	Erin Volcán	VEN	1:03.90 (4 h2)	–	–
44	Kim Yu-Yeon	KOR	1:04.63 (5 h2)	–	–
45	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:04.85 (6 h2)	–	–
46	María Báez	PAR	1:05.39 (2 h1)	–	–
47	Christie Bodden	PAN	1:07.18 (3 h1)	–	–
DQ	Zhao Jing	CHN	– (DQ h7)	–	–
DNS	Sviatlana Khokhlava	BLR	– (DNS h4)	–	–

Round One

Date	10 August 2008
Format	Fastest 16 swimmers advanced to semi-finals

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	59.00	QOR
2	–	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.36	QOR
3	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.61	QOR
4	–	Natalie Coughlin	USA	59.69	Q
5	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.09	Q
6	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.11	Q
7	–	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	1:00.13	Q
8	–	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.16	Q
9	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	1:00.27	Q
10	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	1:00.38	Q
11	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:00.48	Q
12	–	Lizzie Simmonds	GBR	1:00.53	Q
13	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.54	Q
14	–	Sophie Edington	AUS	1:00.65	Q
15	–	Elizabeth Coster	NZL	1:00.66	Q
16	–	Kseniya Moskvina	RUS	1:00.70	Q
17	–	Xu Tianlongzi	CHN	1:00.82
18	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.00
19	–	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.19
20	–	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.24
21	–	Kateryna Zubkova	UKR	1:01.25
22	–	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:01.30
23	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:01.44
24	–	Nikolett Szepesi	HUN	1:01.77
25	–	Anya Gostomelsky	ISR	1:01.87
=26	–	Romina Armellini	ITA	1:02.21
=26	–	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.21
28	–	Merche Peris	ESP	1:02.30
29	–	Sarah Sjöström	SWE	1:02.38
30	–	Hanna-Maria Seppälä	FIN	1:02.39
31	–	Aisling Cooney	IRL	1:02.50
32	–	Alana Dillette	BAH	1:02.56
33	–	Kiera Aitken	BER	1:02.62
34	–	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:02.68
35	–	Fernanda González	MEX	1:02.76
36	–	Zuzanna Mazurek	POL	1:02.77
37	–	Iryna Amshennikova	UKR	1:02.85
38	–	Gisela Morales	GUA	1:02.92
39	–	Petra Klosová	CZE	1:03.36
40	–	Marica Stražmešter	SRB	1:03.56
41	–	Sarah Bateman	ISL	1:03.82
42	–	Christin Zenner	GER	1:03.87
43	–	Erin Volcán	VEN	1:03.90
44	–	Kim Yu-Yeon	KOR	1:04.63
45	–	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:04.85
46	–	María Báez	PAR	1:05.39
47	–	Christie Bodden	PAN	1:07.18
DQ	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	–		1
DNS	–	Sviatlana Khokhlava	BLR	–

Heat #1

Time	18:33

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kiera Aitken	BER	1:02.62	0.73	30.07 (1)	32.55 (1)
2	–	María Báez	PAR	1:05.39	0.63	31.97 (2)	33.42 (2)
3	–	Christie Bodden	PAN	1:07.18	0.60	32.06 (3)	35.12 (3)

Heat #2

Time	18:36

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Zuzanna Mazurek	POL	1:02.77	0.69	30.65 (1)	32.12 (2)
2	–	Gisela Morales	GUA	1:02.92	0.73	30.82 (3)	32.10 (1)
3	–	Marica Stražmešter	SRB	1:03.56	0.67	30.78 (2)	32.78 (4)
4	–	Erin Volcán	VEN	1:03.90	0.66	31.27 (5)	32.63 (3)
5	–	Kim Yu-Yeon	KOR	1:04.63	0.69	31.32 (6)	33.31 (5)
6	–	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:04.85	0.75	31.10 (4)	33.75 (6)

Heat #3

Time	18:39

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.19	0.60	30.39 (5)	30.80 (1)
2	–	Anya Gostomelsky	ISR	1:01.87	0.60	30.25 (2)	31.62 (2)
3	–	Sarah Sjöström	SWE	1:02.38	0.75	30.26 (3)	32.12 (4)
4	–	Alana Dillette	BAH	1:02.56	0.50	30.48 (7)	32.08 (3)
5	–	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:02.68	0.57	29.99 (1)	32.69 (7)
6	–	Fernanda González	MEX	1:02.76	0.67	30.43 (6)	32.33 (5)
7	–	Petra Klosová	CZE	1:03.36	0.73	30.86 (8)	32.50 (6)
8	–	Sarah Bateman	ISL	1:03.82	0.62	30.36 (4)	33.46 (8)

Heat #4

Time	18:41

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	1:00.38	0.74	29.84 (1)	30.54 (1)	Q
2	–	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.24	0.66	30.26 (4)	30.98 (2)
=3	–	Romina Armellini	ITA	1:02.21	0.62	30.59 (6)	31.62 (4)
=3	–	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.21	0.72	30.60 (7)	31.61 (3)
5	–	Merche Peris	ESP	1:02.30	0.66	30.40 (5)	31.90 (5)
6	–	Hanna-Maria Seppälä	FIN	1:02.39	0.64	30.21 (3)	32.18 (6)
7	–	Aisling Cooney	IRL	1:02.50	0.68	30.00 (2)	32.50 (7)
DNS	–	Sviatlana Khokhlava	BLR	–	–	– (–)	–

Heat #5

Time	18:44

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.61	0.70	29.32 (2)	30.29 (1)	QOR
2	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	1:00.27	0.58	29.36 (3)	30.91 (3)	Q
3	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:00.48	0.61	29.44 (4)	31.04 (5)	Q
4	–	Lizzie Simmonds	GBR	1:00.53	0.69	29.71 (7)	30.82 (2)	Q
5	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.54	0.58	29.51 (5)	31.03 (4)	Q
6	–	Sophie Edington	AUS	1:00.65	0.64	29.16 (1)	31.49 (8)	Q
7	–	Xu Tianlongzi	CHN	1:00.82	0.53	29.52 (6)	31.30 (7)
8	–	Kateryna Zubkova	UKR	1:01.25	0.65	30.03 (8)	31.22 (6)

Heat #6

Time	18:48

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.36	0.62	28.92 (1)	30.44 (1)	QOR
2	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.09	0.77	29.35 (2)	30.74 (4)	Q
3	–	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	1:00.13	0.62	29.47 (5)	30.66 (3)	Q
4	–	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.16	0.62	29.55 (6)	30.61 (2)	Q
5	–	Kseniya Moskvina	RUS	1:00.70	0.74	29.46 (4)	31.24 (5)	Q
6	–	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:01.30	0.65	29.41 (3)	31.89 (6)
7	–	Iryna Amshennikova	UKR	1:02.85	0.59	29.92 (7)	32.93 (7)
8	–	Christin Zenner	GER	1:03.87	0.69	30.72 (8)	33.15 (8)

Heat #7

Time	18:50

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	59.00	0.68	28.99 (2)	30.01 (1)	QOR
2	–	Natalie Coughlin	USA	59.69	0.60	28.97 (1)	30.72 (3)	Q
3	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.11	0.59	29.40 (3)	30.71 (2)	Q
4	–	Elizabeth Coster	NZL	1:00.66	0.58	29.78 (6)	30.88 (4)	Q
5	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.00	0.60	29.52 (4)	31.48 (5)
6	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:01.44	0.73	29.77 (5)	31.67 (6)
7	–	Nikolett Szepesi	HUN	1:01.77	0.65	29.97 (7)	31.80 (7)
DQ	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	–	–	– (–)	–		2

Semi-Finals

Date	11 August 2008
Format	Fastest eight swimmers advanced to final

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	58.77	QWR
2	–	Natalie Coughlin	USA	59.43	Q
3	–	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.64	Q
4	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.77	Q
5	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.79	Q
6	–	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	59.84	Q
7	–	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.13	Q
8	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.19	Q
9	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	1:00.31
10	–	Lizzie Simmonds	GBR	1:00.39
11	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.50
12	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	1:00.60
13	–	Sophie Edington	AUS	1:01.05
14	–	Kseniya Moskvina	RUS	1:01.06
15	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:01.15
16	–	Elizabeth Coster	NZL	1:01.45

Heat #1

Time	10:05

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Natalie Coughlin	USA	59.43	0.58	28.87 (1)	30.56 (1)	Q
2	–	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.64	0.63	29.06 (3)	30.58 (2)	Q
3	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.79	0.56	28.92 (2)	30.87 (6)	Q
4	–	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.13	0.58	29.51 (5)	30.62 (=3)	Q
5	–	Lizzie Simmonds	GBR	1:00.39	0.63	29.77 (7)	30.62 (=3)
6	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	1:00.60	0.70	29.80 (8)	30.80 (5)
7	–	Sophie Edington	AUS	1:01.05	0.67	29.43 (4)	31.62 (8)
8	–	Kseniya Moskvina	RUS	1:01.06	0.73	29.74 (6)	31.32 (7)

Heat #2

Time	10:08

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	58.77	0.63	28.86 (1)	29.91 (1)	QWR
2	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.77	0.70	29.42 (5)	30.35 (2)	Q
3	–	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	59.84	0.72	29.40 (4)	30.44 (3)	Q
4	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.19	0.68	28.96 (2)	31.23 (5)	Q
5	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	1:00.31	0.27	29.06 (3)	31.25 (6)
6	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.50	0.63	29.51 (6)	30.99 (4)
7	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:01.15	0.59	29.88 (7)	31.27 (7)
8	–	Elizabeth Coster	NZL	1:01.45	0.59	29.94 (8)	31.51 (8)

Final Round

Date	12 August 2008 — 10:23

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Natalie Coughlin	USA	58.96	0.61	28.52 (1)	30.44 (5)
2	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	59.19	0.68	28.92 (2)	30.27 (2)
3	–	Margaret Hoelzer	USA	59.34	0.69	29.02 (5)	30.32 (3)
4	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.38	0.58	29.15 (7)	30.23 (1)
5	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.40	0.77	29.01 (4)	30.39 (4)
6	–	Reiko Nakamura	JPN	59.72	0.64	28.97 (3)	30.75 (6)
7	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:00.10	0.74	29.10 (6)	31.00 (8)
8	–	Hanae Ito	JPN	1:00.18	0.53	29.22 (8)	30.96 (7)