100 metres Butterfly, Women

Dana Vollmer (USA) had competed at the 2004 Olympics and was considered a likely medal contender in Beijing, but she failed to get past the US Olympic Trials and did not make the team. She came into London as the defending World Champion and the favorite in this event, looking for redemption. In the preliminary heats, Vollmer posted a world textile best of 56.25 to better the Olympic record. She actually did not start well in the final, trailing Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen to the wall, as the Dane was 0.66 seconds under the world record split, with Vollmer only in third place. But the last lap was all Vollmer as she came home in a world record 55.98 to become the first female swimmer to better 56 seconds in the 100 fly. Ottesen’s start was too fast and she faded to sixth place, as the silver was won by China’s Lu Ying, bronze medalist at the 2011 Worlds. The bronze went to Australian Alicia Coutts, runner-up to Vollmer at the 2011 Worlds, who inexplicably was in last place at the turn, but stormed home to win a medal.