| | Event type

200 metres Breaststroke, Women

Date	13 – 15 August 2008
Status	Olympic
Location	Beijing Guojia Youyong Zhongxin, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing
Participants	40 from 34 countries

As world champion and world record holder Leisel Jones of Australia was already a hot favourite for the gold medal at 200 metres breaststroke. Her impressive victory in the 100 three days earlier seem to put the matter beyond doubt. Rebecca Soni’s performance in the heats, where she set an Olympic record may, have a good impression but few thought the American could challenge Jones for the title. The Australian went into an early lead but Soni was always at her shoulder and at 150 metres she surged into the lead. Over the final length of the pool Soni put over three quarters of a second between her and Jones and touched the wall in a new world record time of 2:20.22.

Another surprise was the identity of the bronze medal winner. Sara Nordenstam broke the European record and became the first Norwegian woman to win an Olympic swimming medal.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	Rebecca Soni	USA	2:22.17 (1 h5)	2:22.64 (1 h2)	2:20.22 (1)	Gold
2	Leisel Jones	AUS	2:23.81 (1 h6)	2:23.04 (1 h1)	2:22.05 (2)	Silver
3	Sara Nordenstam	NOR	2:24.47 (3 h6)	2:23.79 (2 h1)	2:23.02 (3)	Bronze
4	Mirna Jukic	AUT	2:24.39 (2 h6)	2:23.76 (2 h2)	2:23.24 (4)
5	Yuliya Yefimova	RUS	2:25.07 (3 h4)	2:24.00 (3 h1)	2:23.76 (5)
6	Annamay Pierse	CAN	2:25.01 (2 h4)	2:23.94 (3 h2)	2:23.77 (6)
7	Rie Kaneto	JPN	2:24.62 (1 h4)	2:25.65 (4 h2)	2:25.14 (7)
8	Megumi Taneda	JPN	2:24.75 (2 h5)	2:25.42 (4 h1)	2:25.23 (8)
9	Sally Foster	AUS	2:25.54 (4 h5)	2:26.33 (5 h1)	–
10	Anne Poleska	GER	2:26.74 (5 h5)	2:26.71 (6 h1)	–
11	Jeong Seul-Gi	KOR	2:25.95 (4 h6)	2:26.83 (5 h2)	–
12	Joline Höstman	SWE	2:26.00 (5 h6)	2:27.14 (7 h1)	–
13	Qi Hui	CHN	2:26.16 (6 h6)	2:27.63 (6 h2)	–
14	Jeong Da-Rae	KOR	2:27.28 (5 h4)	2:28.28 (8 h1)	–
15	Suzaan van Biljon	RSA	2:25.51 (3 h5)	2:28.45 (7 h2)	–
16	Elise Matthysen	BEL	2:27.04 (4 h4)	2:29.64 (8 h2)	–
17	Ina Kapishina	BLR	2:27.34 (1 h3)	–	–
18	Amanda Beard	USA	2:27.70 (6 h4)	–	–
19	Siow Yi Ting	MAS	2:27.80 (1 h2)	–	–
=20	Olga Detenyuk	RUS	2:27.87 (7 h4)	–	–
=20	Kirsty Balfour	GBR	2:27.87 (6 h5)	–	–
22	Adriana Marmolejo	MEX	2:28.10 (2 h3)	–	–
23	Yuliya Pidlisna	UKR	2:28.84 (7 h6)	–	–
24	Mireia Belmonte	ESP	2:29.46 (8 h4)	–	–
25	Alia Atkinson	JAM	2:29.53 (2 h2)	–	–
26	Luo Nan	CHN	2:29.67 (8 h6)	–	–
27	Katalin Bor	HUN	2:29.95 (3 h3)	–	–
28	Sara El-Bekri	MAR	2:30.04 (4 h3)	–	–
29	Diana Gomes	POR	2:30.18 (5 h3)	–	–
30	Sophie de Ronchi	FRA	2:30.93 (7 h5)	–	–
31	Marina Kuč	MNE	2:31.24 (3 h2)	–	–
32	Buse Günaydın	TUR	2:31.86 (4 h2)	–	–
33	Nađa Higl	SRB	2:32.78 (6 h3)	–	–
34	Smiljana Marinović	CRO	2:32.80 (5 h2)	–	–
35	Raminta Dvariškytė	LTU	2:33.32 (1 h1)	–	–
36	Nicolette Teo	SGP	2:34.60 (6 h2)	–	–
37	Agustina De Giovanni	ARG	2:34.94 (7 h3)	–	–
38	Angeliki Exarchou	GRE	2:36.83 (8 h3)	–	–
39	Noora Laukkanen	FIN	2:38.97 (2 h1)	–	–
40	Tatiane Sakemi	BRA	2:39.13 (3 h1)	–	–
DNS	Sarah Poewe	GER	– (DNS h5)	–	–

Round One (13 August 2008)

Fastest 16 swimmers advanced to semi-finals

Heat One (19:19)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	5	Raminta Dvariškytė	LTU	34.01 (1) 37.81 (1)	1:11.82 (1) 40.05 (1)	1:51.87 (1) 41.45 (2)	2:33.32	0.78
2	3	Noora Laukkanen	FIN	36.70 (3) 40.15 (3)	1:16.85 (3) 40.81 (2)	1:57.66 (3) 41.31 (1)	2:38.97	0.89
3	4	Tatiane Sakemi	BRA	36.12 (2) 38.87 (2)	1:14.99 (2) 41.56 (3)	1:56.55 (2) 42.58 (3)	2:39.13	0.69

Heat Two (19:23)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	2	Siow Yi Ting	MAS	34.17 (3) 37.83 (1)	1:12.00 (=1) 37.82 (1)	1:49.82 (1) 37.98 (1)	2:27.80	0.77
2	4	Alia Atkinson	JAM	34.33 (4) 38.51 (6)	1:12.84 (6) 38.16 (2)	1:51.00 (2) 38.53 (2)	2:29.53	0.80
3	7	Marina Kuč	MNE	34.10 (2) 38.42 (5)	1:12.52 (3) 39.21 (4)	1:51.73 (4) 39.51 (3)	2:31.24	0.80
4	3	Buse Günaydın	TUR	34.64 (6) 37.96 (2)	1:12.60 (4) 39.14 (3)	1:51.74 (5) 40.12 (4)	2:31.86	0.74
5	6	Smiljana Marinović	CRO	33.96 (1) 38.04 (3)	1:12.00 (=1) 39.64 (6)	1:51.64 (3) 41.16 (5)	2:32.80	0.86
6	5	Nicolette Teo	SGP	34.60 (5) 38.05 (4)	1:12.65 (5) 39.59 (5)	1:52.24 (6) 42.36 (6)	2:34.60	0.75

Heat Three (19:28)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	7	Ina Kapishina	BLR	33.48 (2) 37.68 (4)	1:11.16 (2) 37.58 (1)	1:48.74 (1) 38.60 (2)	2:27.34	0.69
2	4	Adriana Marmolejo	MEX	34.57 (6) 37.42 (2)	1:11.99 (4) 38.06 (2)	1:50.05 (3) 38.05 (1)	2:28.10	0.73
3	1	Katalin Bor	HUN	34.39 (5) 38.24 (5)	1:12.63 (6) 38.57 (4)	1:51.20 (5) 38.75 (3)	2:29.95	0.80
4	2	Sara El-Bekri	MAR	33.41 (1) 37.18 (1)	1:10.59 (1) 38.27 (3)	1:48.86 (2) 41.18 (6)	2:30.04	0.77
5	3	Diana Gomes	POR	34.11 (4) 37.62 (3)	1:11.73 (3) 38.58 (5)	1:50.31 (4) 39.87 (4)	2:30.18	0.83
6	6	Nađa Higl	SRB	35.05 (8) 38.39 (7)	1:13.44 (7) 39.11 (6)	1:52.55 (6) 40.23 (5)	2:32.78	0.81
7	8	Agustina De Giovanni	ARG	34.05 (3) 38.37 (6)	1:12.42 (5) 40.15 (7)	1:52.57 (7) 42.37 (8)	2:34.94	0.76
8	5	Angeliki Exarchou	GRE	35.03 (7) 38.65 (8)	1:13.68 (8) 40.89 (8)	1:54.57 (8) 42.26 (7)	2:36.83	0.85

Heat Four (19:32)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	6	Rie Kaneto	JPN	33.92 (4) 36.76 (1)	1:10.68 (2) 36.77 (1)	1:47.45 (1) 37.17 (2)	2:24.62	0.82	Q
2	5	Annamay Pierse	CAN	33.28 (1) 36.83 (2)	1:10.11 (1) 37.41 (3)	1:47.52 (2) 37.49 (3)	2:25.01	0.78	Q
3	4	Yuliya Yefimova	RUS	34.18 (6) 37.33 (4)	1:11.51 (5) 37.07 (2)	1:48.58 (3) 36.49 (1)	2:25.07	0.77	Q
4	8	Elise Matthysen	BEL	34.32 (8) 37.38 (5)	1:11.70 (6) 37.54 (4)	1:49.24 (5) 37.80 (4)	2:27.04	0.76	Q
5	1	Jeong Da-Rae	KOR	33.90 (3) 37.54 (6)	1:11.44 (4) 38.01 (7)	1:49.45 (6) 37.83 (5)	2:27.28	0.81	Q
6	3	Amanda Beard	USA	33.94 (5) 37.84 (8)	1:11.78 (7) 37.85 (5)	1:49.63 (7) 38.07 (6)	2:27.70	0.72
7	2	Olga Detenyuk	RUS	33.89 (2) 37.27 (3)	1:11.16 (3) 37.87 (6)	1:49.03 (4) 38.84 (7)	2:27.87	0.88
8	7	Mireia Belmonte	ESP	34.29 (7) 37.72 (7)	1:12.01 (8) 38.17 (8)	1:50.18 (8) 39.28 (8)	2:29.46	0.87

Heat Five (19:37)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Rebecca Soni	USA	32.74 (1) 36.30 (1)	1:09.04 (1) 36.43 (1)	1:45.47 (1) 36.70 (1)	2:22.17	0.77	QOR
2	5	Megumi Taneda	JPN	33.63 (6) 36.46 (2)	1:10.09 (3) 37.10 (2)	1:47.19 (3) 37.56 (2)	2:24.75	0.85	Q
3	7	Suzaan van Biljon	RSA	32.93 (2) 36.53 (3)	1:09.46 (2) 37.72 (5)	1:47.18 (2) 38.33 (4)	2:25.51	0.75	Q
4	3	Sally Foster	AUS	33.33 (4) 36.83 (4)	1:10.16 (4) 37.52 (4)	1:47.68 (5) 37.86 (3)	2:25.54	0.90	Q
5	2	Anne Poleska	GER	33.02 (3) 37.30 (7)	1:10.32 (5) 37.25 (3)	1:47.57 (4) 39.17 (5)	2:26.74	0.78	Q
6	1	Kirsty Balfour	GBR	33.46 (5) 37.15 (5)	1:10.61 (6) 37.90 (6)	1:48.51 (6) 39.36 (6)	2:27.87	0.77
7	8	Sophie de Ronchi	FRA	33.93 (7) 37.21 (6)	1:11.14 (7) 38.62 (7)	1:49.76 (7) 41.17 (7)	2:30.93	0.75
DNS	6	Sarah Poewe	GER	– (–) –	– (–) –	– (–) –	–	–

Heat Six (19:41)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Leisel Jones	AUS	32.81 (2) 36.16 (1)	1:08.97 (1) 36.99 (=1)	1:45.96 (1) 37.85 (3)	2:23.81	0.83	Q
2	5	Mirna Jukic	AUT	33.16 (4) 36.52 (2)	1:09.68 (3) 37.13 (3)	1:46.81 (3) 37.58 (1)	2:24.39	0.78	Q
3	1	Sara Nordenstam	NOR	32.70 (1) 36.94 (3)	1:09.64 (2) 36.99 (=1)	1:46.63 (2) 37.84 (2)	2:24.47	0.86	Q
4	3	Jeong Seul-Gi	KOR	33.44 (6) 36.95 (4)	1:10.39 (=5) 37.51 (5)	1:47.90 (5) 38.05 (4)	2:25.95	0.85	Q
5	6	Joline Höstman	SWE	33.17 (5) 37.08 (5)	1:10.25 (4) 37.24 (4)	1:47.49 (4) 38.51 (6)	2:26.00	0.79	Q
6	2	Qi Hui	CHN	32.93 (3) 37.46 (8)	1:10.39 (=5) 37.60 (6)	1:47.99 (6) 38.17 (5)	2:26.16	0.76	Q
7	8	Yuliya Pidlisna	UKR	33.75 (8) 37.26 (6)	1:11.01 (7) 38.53 (8)	1:49.54 (8) 39.30 (7)	2:28.84	0.78
8	7	Luo Nan	CHN	33.74 (7) 37.29 (7)	1:11.03 (8) 38.41 (7)	1:49.44 (7) 40.23 (8)	2:29.67	0.76

Semi-Finals (14 August 2008)

Fastest eight swimmers advanced to final

Heat One (10:56)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Leisel Jones	AUS	31.99 (1) 36.17 (1)	1:08.16 (1) 36.83 (1)	1:44.99 (1) 38.05 (6)	2:23.04	0.82	Q
2	5	Sara Nordenstam	NOR	32.89 (2) 36.52 (3)	1:09.41 (2) 37.46 (5)	1:46.87 (2) 36.92 (2)	2:23.79	0.88	Q
3	6	Yuliya Yefimova	RUS	33.79 (7) 36.33 (2)	1:10.12 (3) 37.07 (2)	1:47.19 (3) 36.81 (1)	2:24.00	0.78	Q
4	3	Megumi Taneda	JPN	33.60 (5) 36.79 (4)	1:10.39 (5) 37.38 (4)	1:47.77 (4) 37.65 (4)	2:25.42	0.79	Q
5	2	Sally Foster	AUS	33.71 (6) 37.40 (6)	1:11.11 (6) 37.24 (3)	1:48.35 (6) 37.98 (5)	2:26.33	0.80
6	1	Anne Poleska	GER	33.52 (4) 38.07 (8)	1:11.59 (8) 37.70 (7)	1:49.29 (8) 37.42 (3)	2:26.71	0.79
7	7	Joline Höstman	SWE	33.14 (3) 37.12 (5)	1:10.26 (4) 37.81 (8)	1:48.07 (5) 39.07 (7)	2:27.14	0.78
8	8	Jeong Da-Rae	KOR	33.99 (8) 37.43 (7)	1:11.42 (7) 37.69 (6)	1:49.11 (7) 39.17 (8)	2:28.28	0.82

Heat Two (11:02)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Rebecca Soni	USA	33.05 (2) 36.32 (1)	1:09.37 (1) 36.87 (1)	1:46.24 (1) 36.40 (1)	2:22.64	0.74	Q
2	5	Mirna Jukic	AUT	33.14 (3) 36.59 (2)	1:09.73 (3) 37.04 (2)	1:46.77 (=2) 36.99 (2)	2:23.76	0.77	Q
3	6	Annamay Pierse	CAN	32.88 (1) 36.82 (3)	1:09.70 (2) 37.07 (3)	1:46.77 (=2) 37.17 (3)	2:23.94	0.80	Q
4	3	Rie Kaneto	JPN	34.17 (7) 36.92 (4)	1:11.09 (5) 37.32 (4)	1:48.41 (4) 37.24 (4)	2:25.65	0.83	Q
5	7	Jeong Seul-Gi	KOR	33.88 (6) 37.35 (5)	1:11.23 (6) 37.42 (5)	1:48.65 (5) 38.18 (5)	2:26.83	0.87
6	1	Qi Hui	CHN	33.40 (4) 37.90 (8)	1:11.30 (7) 37.91 (6)	1:49.21 (6) 38.42 (6)	2:27.63	0.79
7	2	Suzaan van Biljon	RSA	33.43 (5) 37.63 (6)	1:11.06 (4) 38.33 (7)	1:49.39 (7) 39.06 (8)	2:28.45	0.77
8	8	Elise Matthysen	BEL	34.50 (8) 37.73 (7)	1:12.23 (8) 38.78 (8)	1:51.01 (8) 38.63 (7)	2:29.64	0.80

Final (15 August 2008 — 10:11)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction
1	4	Rebecca Soni	USA	32.17 (2) 35.29 (1)	1:07.46 (2) 36.24 (1)	1:43.70 (1) 36.52 (1)	2:20.22	0.71	WR
2	5	Leisel Jones	AUS	31.84 (1) 35.39 (2)	1:07.23 (1) 36.48 (2)	1:43.71 (2) 38.34 (8)	2:22.05	0.81
3	6	Sara Nordenstam	NOR	32.70 (4) 36.49 (5)	1:09.19 (4) 36.81 (5)	1:46.00 (4) 37.02 (3)	2:23.02	0.86
4	3	Mirna Jukic	AUT	32.69 (3) 36.36 (4)	1:09.05 (3) 36.69 (3)	1:45.74 (3) 37.50 (6)	2:23.24	0.77
5	7	Yuliya Yefimova	RUS	33.85 (7) 36.25 (3)	1:10.10 (6) 36.77 (4)	1:46.87 (6) 36.89 (2)	2:23.76	0.77
6	2	Annamay Pierse	CAN	32.86 (5) 36.56 (6)	1:09.42 (5) 36.87 (6)	1:46.29 (5) 37.48 (5)	2:23.77	0.83
7	8	Rie Kaneto	JPN	33.98 (8) 36.81 (8)	1:10.79 (8) 37.02 (7)	1:47.81 (8) 37.33 (4)	2:25.14	0.78
8	1	Megumi Taneda	JPN	33.60 (6) 36.61 (7)	1:10.21 (7) 37.19 (8)	1:47.40 (7) 37.83 (7)	2:25.23	0.78