100 metres Freestyle, Women

The Australian Campbell sisters were expected to dominate this race. Cate Campbell had recently set the world record with 52.06, while Bronte Campbell had won the 2015 World Championships. They were expected to go 1-2, with the bronze challengers including the defending gold medalist, Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands and Sweden’s Sarah Sjoström.

Nobody expected this result as neither Campbell sister made the podium. Cate led at 50 metres and then crashed and burned to finish sixth, while Bronte was 0.05 seconds off the podium in fourth. The gold medal turned out to be a rare tie between American Simone Manuel and Canadian prodigy Penny Oleksiak, who had only turned 16 two months before the Rio Games, and was quite unknown. Sjoström seemed off the podium until the last few strokes when she caught Bronte Campbell to win the bronze. The only other gold medal tie in this event had occurred at the 1984 Olympics between Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer. It was only the third such tie in Olympic swimming, the other one occurring in the 2000 men’s 50 freestyle.