| | Event type

200 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	24 October 1968
Status	Olympic
Location	Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez, Ciudad de México
Participants	57 from 26 countries

Don Schollander had dominated 1964 Olympic swimming, winning four gold medals, but his best event, the 200 freestyle, was not even on the Olympic Program in 64. The event was added for Mexico City and since Tokyo, he had set five world records in the event, capped by 1:54.3 at the US Trials in late August in Long Beach, California, which gave him nine world records overall in this event. He was considered the clear favorite. Mike Wenden had already won the 100 freestyle in Mexico City but few thought he could defeat Schollander in this race. Wenden had not heard that, as he took the lead on the first lap, having half a body length on Schollander at 50 metres. He opened that to a full body length at 100 metres and then hung on. Schollander closed in the last 25 metres but couldn’t make up the gap as Wenden won the 100-200 sprint freestyle double, 1:55.2 to 1:55.8. One absentee in the final was America’s Steve Rerych, later a renowned heart surgeon, who was a victim of the tourista in Mexico City. Schollander retired after the Mexico City Olympics. Wenden continued to compete, returning to win four gold medals at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, and competing at the Munich Olympics, although he failed to medal there.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	13052	Mike Wenden	AUS	1:59.3 (1 h2)	1:55.2 (1)	Gold
2	15366	Don Schollander	USA	2:00.0 (1 h4)	1:55.8 (2)	Silver
3	15360	John Nelson	USA	1:59.5 (1 h1)	1:58.1 (3)	Bronze
4	13938	Ralph Hutton	CAN	2:00.0 (1 h8)	1:58.6 (4)
5	16241	Alain Mosconi	FRA	2:00.1 (1 h6)	1:59.1 (5)
6	13054	Bob Windle	AUS	2:01.0 (2 h2)	2:00.9 (6)
7	21209	Semyon Belits-Geyman	URS	2:01.2 (2 h5)	2:01.5 (7)
8	15362	Steve Rerych	USA	2:00.6 (1 h5)	– (DNS)
=9	21027	Leonid Ilyichov	URS	2:01.3 (2 h6)	–
=9	21967	Juan Carlos Bello	PER	2:01.3 (1 h7)	–
11	16242	Michel Rousseau	FRA	2:01.5 (1 h9)	–
12	12251	Olaf, Baron von Schilling	FRG	2:01.7 (2 h8)	–
=13	–	Sandy Gilchrist	CAN	2:01.8 (1 h3)	–
=13	12812	Luis Nicolao	ARG	2:01.8 (2 h4)	–
=15	12245	Wolfgang Kremer	FRG	2:02.1 (2 h1)	–
=15	20401	Lester Eriksson	SWE	2:02.1 (2 h3)	–
=15	–	Kunihiro Iwasaki	JPN	2:02.1 (2 h9)	–
18	13044	Mark Anderson	AUS	2:02.2 (3 h1)	–
19	16240	Gilles Moreau	FRA	2:02.7 (3 h3)	–
20	13967	Julio Arango	COL	2:03.1 (2 h7)	–
21	13937	George Smith	CAN	2:03.2 (3 h6)	–
22	18147	Noboru Waseda	JPN	2:03.4 (4 h1)	–
23	–	Johan Schans	NED	2:04.1 (3 h4)	–
24	–	Roosevelt Abdulgafur	PHI	2:04.8 (4 h6)	–
=25	20407	Gunnar Larsson	SWE	2:04.9 (4 h4)	–
=25	–	Pano Capéronis	SUI	2:04.9 (3 h5)	–
27	19168	Ørjan Madsen	NOR	2:05.4 (4 h5)	–
28	18145	Satoru Nakano	JPN	2:05.5 (4 h3)	–
29	17108	Elt Drenth	NED	2:05.6 (5 h4)	–
30	13969	Ricardo González	COL	2:05.8 (5 h5)	–
31	19610	Władysław Wojtakajtis	POL	2:06.0 (3 h2)	–
32	15865	Tony Asamli	PHI	2:06.2 (3 h8)	–
33	19613	Zbigniew Pacelt	POL	2:06.3 (3 h7)	–
34	–	Mátyás Borlói	HUN	2:06.5 (4 h2)	–
=35	–	Gary Goodner	PUR	2:06.6 (5 h1)	–
=35	17109	Aad Oudt	NED	2:06.6 (3 h9)	–
37	21904	Fernando González	ECU	2:07.3 (5 h6)	–
38	12244	Werner Krammel	FRG	2:07.9 (6 h6)	–
39	21028	Georgijs Kuļikovs	URS	2:08.3 (6 h4)	–
40	19850	Jorge González	PUR	2:09.1 (4 h7)	–
=41	17707	Amnon Krauz	ISR	2:09.3 (5 h2)	–
=41	16681	Tony Jarvis	GBR	2:09.3 (6 h5)	–
=43	17289	Csaba Csatlós	HUN	2:10.0 (5 h7)	–
=43	–	Ingvar Eriksson	SWE	2:10.0 (4 h8)	–
45	14412	Gregorio Fiallo	CUB	2:10.5 (6 h2)	–
46	13970	Federico Sicard	COL	2:11.1 (5 h3)	–
47	16855	Ramiro Benavides	GUA	2:11.7 (7 h6)	–
48	15888	Luis Ayesa	PHI	2:12.2 (4 h9)	–
49	17293	Gábor Kucsera	HUN	2:12.8 (6 h7)	–
50	14930	Salvador Vilanova	ESA	2:14.6 (6 h1)	–
51	21939	Ronnie Wong	HKG	2:15.0 (7 h4)	–
52	21927	Andrew Loh	HKG	2:15.8 (5 h8)	–
53	14413	José Martínez	CUB	2:16.1 (6 h3)	–
54	21928	Bob Loh	HKG	2:16.2 (7 h5)	–
55	13240	Angus Edghill	BAR	2:19.1 (8 h4)	–
56	14937	José Alvarado	ESA	2:20.2 (8 h6)	–
57	14935	Ernesto Durón	ESA	2:24.1 (5 h9)	–
DNS	18753	Guillermo Echevarría	MEX	– (DNS h1)	–
DNS	17923	Michele D'Oppido	ITA	– (DNS h2)	–
DNS	16759	Mike Turner	GBR	– (DNS h3)	–
DNS	14263	Edgar Miranda	CRC	– (DNS h5)	–
DNS	13548	José Roberto Aranha	BRA	– (DNS h7)	–
DNS	23067	Udo Poser	GDR	– (DNS h7)	–
DNS	16682	John Thurley	GBR	– (DNS h8)	–
DNS	18762	Salvador Ruiz	MEX	– (DNS h8)	–
DNS	19844	José Ferraioli	PUR	– (DNS h8)	–
DNS	12814	Carlos van der Maath	ARG	– (DNS h9)	–
DNS	17855	Pietro Boscaini	ITA	– (DNS h9)	–

Round One

Date	24 October 1968 — 10:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Mike Wenden	AUS	1:59.3	Q
2	–	John Nelson	USA	1:59.5	Q
=3	–	Don Schollander	USA	2:00.0	Q
=3	–	Ralph Hutton	CAN	2:00.0	Q
5	–	Alain Mosconi	FRA	2:00.1	Q
6	–	Steve Rerych	USA	2:00.6	Q
7	–	Bob Windle	AUS	2:01.0	Q
8	–	Semyon Belits-Geyman	URS	2:01.2	Q
=9	–	Leonid Ilyichov	URS	2:01.3
=9	–	Juan Carlos Bello	PER	2:01.3
11	–	Michel Rousseau	FRA	2:01.5
12	–	Olaf, Baron von Schilling	FRG	2:01.7
=13	–	Sandy Gilchrist	CAN	2:01.8
=13	–	Luis Nicolao	ARG	2:01.8
=15	–	Wolfgang Kremer	FRG	2:02.1
=15	–	Lester Eriksson	SWE	2:02.1
=15	–	Kunihiro Iwasaki	JPN	2:02.1
18	–	Mark Anderson	AUS	2:02.2
19	–	Gilles Moreau	FRA	2:02.7
20	–	Julio Arango	COL	2:03.1
21	–	George Smith	CAN	2:03.2
22	–	Noboru Waseda	JPN	2:03.4
23	–	Johan Schans	NED	2:04.1
24	–	Roosevelt Abdulgafur	PHI	2:04.8
=25	–	Gunnar Larsson	SWE	2:04.9
=25	–	Pano Capéronis	SUI	2:04.9
27	–	Ørjan Madsen	NOR	2:05.4
28	–	Satoru Nakano	JPN	2:05.5
29	–	Elt Drenth	NED	2:05.6
30	–	Ricardo González	COL	2:05.8
31	–	Władysław Wojtakajtis	POL	2:06.0
32	–	Tony Asamli	PHI	2:06.2
33	–	Zbigniew Pacelt	POL	2:06.3
34	–	Mátyás Borlói	HUN	2:06.5
=35	–	Gary Goodner	PUR	2:06.6
=35	–	Aad Oudt	NED	2:06.6
37	–	Fernando González	ECU	2:07.3
38	–	Werner Krammel	FRG	2:07.9
39	–	Georgijs Kuļikovs	URS	2:08.3
40	–	Jorge González	PUR	2:09.1
=41	–	Amnon Krauz	ISR	2:09.3
=41	–	Tony Jarvis	GBR	2:09.3
=43	–	Csaba Csatlós	HUN	2:10.0
=43	–	Ingvar Eriksson	SWE	2:10.0
45	–	Gregorio Fiallo	CUB	2:10.5
46	–	Federico Sicard	COL	2:11.1
47	–	Ramiro Benavides	GUA	2:11.7
48	–	Luis Ayesa	PHI	2:12.2
49	–	Gábor Kucsera	HUN	2:12.8
50	–	Salvador Vilanova	ESA	2:14.6
51	–	Ronnie Wong	HKG	2:15.0
52	–	Andrew Loh	HKG	2:15.8
53	–	José Martínez	CUB	2:16.1
54	–	Bob Loh	HKG	2:16.2
55	–	Angus Edghill	BAR	2:19.1
56	–	José Alvarado	ESA	2:20.2
57	–	Ernesto Durón	ESA	2:24.1
DNS	–	Guillermo Echevarría	MEX	–
DNS	–	Michele D'Oppido	ITA	–
DNS	–	Mike Turner	GBR	–
DNS	–	Edgar Miranda	CRC	–
DNS	–	José Roberto Aranha	BRA	–
DNS	–	Udo Poser	GDR	–
DNS	–	John Thurley	GBR	–
DNS	–	Salvador Ruiz	MEX	–
DNS	–	José Ferraioli	PUR	–
DNS	–	Carlos van der Maath	ARG	–
DNS	–	Pietro Boscaini	ITA	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	John Nelson	USA	1:59.5	57.7 (1)	1:01.8 (1)	Q
2	–	Wolfgang Kremer	FRG	2:02.1	59.7 (3)	1:02.4 (2)
3	–	Mark Anderson	AUS	2:02.2	59.1 (2)	1:03.1 (3)
4	–	Noboru Waseda	JPN	2:03.4	59.8 (4)	1:03.6 (4)
5	–	Gary Goodner	PUR	2:06.6	1:01.0 (5)	1:05.6 (5)
6	–	Salvador Vilanova	ESA	2:14.6	1:03.9 (6)	1:10.7 (6)
DNS	–	Guillermo Echevarría	MEX	–	– (–)	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Mike Wenden	AUS	1:59.3	57.0 (1)	1:02.3 (2)	Q
2	–	Bob Windle	AUS	2:01.0	59.6 (2)	1:01.4 (1)	Q
3	–	Władysław Wojtakajtis	POL	2:06.0	1:01.6 (=3)	1:04.4 (3)
4	–	Mátyás Borlói	HUN	2:06.5	1:01.9 (5)	1:04.6 (4)
5	–	Amnon Krauz	ISR	2:09.3	1:01.6 (=3)	1:07.7 (=5)
6	–	Gregorio Fiallo	CUB	2:10.5	1:02.8 (6)	1:07.7 (=5)
DNS	–	Michele D'Oppido	ITA	–	– (–)	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Sandy Gilchrist	CAN	2:01.8	59.7 (2)	1:02.1 (2)
2	–	Lester Eriksson	SWE	2:02.1	1:01.1 (=3)	1:01.0 (1)
3	–	Gilles Moreau	FRA	2:02.7	59.5 (1)	1:03.2 (3)
4	–	Satoru Nakano	JPN	2:05.5	1:01.1 (=3)	1:04.4 (4)
5	–	Federico Sicard	COL	2:11.1	1:02.3 (5)	1:08.8 (5)
6	–	José Martínez	CUB	2:16.1	1:05.2 (6)	1:10.9 (6)
DNS	–	Mike Turner	GBR	–	– (–)	–

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Don Schollander	USA	2:00.0	59.8 (1)	1:00.2 (1)	Q
2	–	Luis Nicolao	ARG	2:01.8	1:00.1 (2)	1:01.7 (2)
3	–	Johan Schans	NED	2:04.1	1:01.0 (4)	1:03.1 (3)
4	–	Gunnar Larsson	SWE	2:04.9	1:00.9 (3)	1:04.0 (5)
5	–	Elt Drenth	NED	2:05.6	1:01.8 (5)	1:03.8 (4)
6	–	Georgijs Kuļikovs	URS	2:08.3	1:01.9 (6)	1:06.4 (6)
7	–	Ronnie Wong	HKG	2:15.0	1:03.7 (7)	1:11.3 (7)
8	–	Angus Edghill	BAR	2:19.1	1:06.0 (8)	1:13.1 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Steve Rerych	USA	2:00.6	58.6 (2)	1:02.0 (1)	Q
2	–	Semyon Belits-Geyman	URS	2:01.2	58.5 (1)	1:02.7 (2)	Q
3	–	Pano Capéronis	SUI	2:04.9	1:01.7 (6)	1:03.2 (3)
4	–	Ørjan Madsen	NOR	2:05.4	1:00.8 (4)	1:04.6 (4)
5	–	Ricardo González	COL	2:05.8	1:00.9 (5)	1:04.9 (5)
6	–	Tony Jarvis	GBR	2:09.3	1:00.3 (3)	1:09.0 (6)
7	–	Bob Loh	HKG	2:16.2	1:06.7 (7)	1:09.5 (7)
DNS	–	Edgar Miranda	CRC	–	– (–)	–

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Alain Mosconi	FRA	2:00.1	56.9 (1)	1:03.2 (3)	Q
2	–	Leonid Ilyichov	URS	2:01.3	58.8 (2)	1:02.5 (1)
3	–	George Smith	CAN	2:03.2	1:00.5 (4)	1:02.7 (2)
4	–	Roosevelt Abdulgafur	PHI	2:04.8	1:00.4 (3)	1:04.4 (4)
5	–	Fernando González	ECU	2:07.3	1:02.4 (6)	1:04.9 (5)
6	–	Werner Krammel	FRG	2:07.9	1:01.2 (5)	1:06.7 (7)
7	–	Ramiro Benavides	GUA	2:11.7	1:06.0 (7)	1:05.7 (6)
8	–	José Alvarado	ESA	2:20.2	1:06.8 (8)	1:13.4 (8)

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Juan Carlos Bello	PER	2:01.3	58.5 (1)	1:02.8 (2)
2	–	Julio Arango	COL	2:03.1	1:00.4 (2)	1:02.7 (1)
3	–	Zbigniew Pacelt	POL	2:06.3	1:01.0 (=3)	1:05.3 (3)
4	–	Jorge González	PUR	2:09.1	1:03.0 (6)	1:06.1 (4)
5	–	Csaba Csatlós	HUN	2:10.0	1:02.9 (5)	1:07.1 (5)
6	–	Gábor Kucsera	HUN	2:12.8	1:01.0 (=3)	1:11.8 (6)
DNS	–	José Roberto Aranha	BRA	–	– (–)	–
DNS	–	Udo Poser	GDR	–	– (–)	–

Heat #8

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Ralph Hutton	CAN	2:00.0	58.9 (2)	1:01.1 (1)	Q
2	–	Olaf, Baron von Schilling	FRG	2:01.7	58.4 (1)	1:03.3 (2)
3	–	Tony Asamli	PHI	2:06.2	1:00.3 (3)	1:05.9 (3)
4	–	Ingvar Eriksson	SWE	2:10.0	1:01.2 (4)	1:08.8 (5)
5	–	Andrew Loh	HKG	2:15.8	1:07.3 (5)	1:08.5 (4)
DNS	–	John Thurley	GBR	–	– (–)	–
DNS	–	Salvador Ruiz	MEX	–	– (–)	–
DNS	–	José Ferraioli	PUR	–	– (–)	–

Heat #9

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Michel Rousseau	FRA	2:01.5	58.9 (1)	1:02.6 (2)
2	–	Kunihiro Iwasaki	JPN	2:02.1	59.7 (2)	1:02.4 (1)
3	–	Aad Oudt	NED	2:06.6	1:00.9 (3)	1:05.7 (3)
4	–	Luis Ayesa	PHI	2:12.2	1:01.4 (4)	1:10.8 (4)
5	–	Ernesto Durón	ESA	2:24.1	1:09.7 (5)	1:14.4 (5)
DNS	–	Carlos van der Maath	ARG	–	– (–)	–
DNS	–	Pietro Boscaini	ITA	–	– (–)	–

Final Round

Date	24 October 1968 — 17:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Mike Wenden	AUS	1:55.2	56.4 (1)	58.8 (2)	OR
2	–	Don Schollander	USA	1:55.8	57.1 (2)	58.7 (1)
3	–	John Nelson	USA	1:58.1	57.4 (3)	1:00.7 (3)
4	–	Ralph Hutton	CAN	1:58.6	57.5 (4)	1:01.1 (5)
5	–	Alain Mosconi	FRA	1:59.1	58.2 (5)	1:00.9 (4)
6	–	Bob Windle	AUS	2:00.9	58.8 (6)	1:02.1 (6)
7	–	Semyon Belits-Geyman	URS	2:01.5	58.9 (7)	1:02.6 (7)
DNS	–	Steve Rerych	USA	–	– (–)	–