| | Event type

100 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	22 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants	41 from 30 countries

East German Kristin Otto was trying to win six gold medals in Seoul, and she had already won the 100 freestyle. She was expected to be challenged in the 100 back by Costa Rican Silvia Poll, who led the world lists in 1987, but Otto qualified first with Poll only sixth. In the final Otto was in command for the entire race and was unchallenged in winning her second gold. About an hour later she returned to the pool with the GDR 4 x 100 free relay team and won her third gold, and she would succeed with her goal to win six gold medals in Seoul.

The silver went to surprising Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi, who would later win gold in the 200 backstroke and then become the world’s best backstroker. Bronze was won by Otto’s teammate Cornelia Sirch, as Poll placed only sixth.

In qualifying Australian Karen Lord and Italian Manuela Carosi both swam 1:04.69 to tie for 16th place and the last spot in the B final. They swam off the tie, again finishing in the same time, 1:05.05. They continued on, enduring another swim-off, this one won by Carosi in 1:04.62, but narrowly over Lord, who finished in 1:04.75. In the B final, Carosi, swimming her fourth 100 backstroke in the same day, was able to place third, for 11th overall in the event.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	177	Kristin Otto	GDR	1:01.45 (1 h6)	–	1:00.89 (1)	Gold
2	204	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	1:02.09 (2 h5)	–	1:01.56 (2)	Silver
3	180	Cornelia Sirch	GDR	1:01.63 (1 h5)	–	1:01.57 (3)	Bronze
4	332	Betsy Mitchell	USA	1:02.85 (1 h4)	–	1:02.71 (4)
5	316	Beth Barr	USA	1:02.63 (2 h6)	–	1:02.78 (5)
6	93	Sylvia Poll	CRC	1:03.21 (3 h5)	–	1:03.34 (6)
7	22	Nicole Livingstone	AUS	1:03.26 (3 h6)	–	1:04.15 (7)
8	125	Marion Aizpors	FRG	1:03.27 (4 h6)	–	1:04.19 (8)
9	274	Anca Pătrășcoiu	ROU	1:03.29 (2 h4)	1:03.33 (1)	–
10	141	Svenja Schlicht	FRG	1:03.72 (4 h5)	1:03.68 (2)	–
11	213	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:04.69 (4 h4)	1:05.05 (=1 h7)	–
12	64	Lori Melien	CAN	1:04.29 (5 h5)	1:03.87 (4)	–
13	220	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	1:03.96 (3 h4)	1:03.88 (5)	–
14	193	Jolanda de Rover	NED	1:04.39 (6 h5)	1:04.11 (6)	–
15	264	Sharon Musson	NZL	1:04.58 (7 h5)	1:04.17 (7)	–
16	161	Kathy Read	GBR	1:04.62 (5 h6)	1:04.27 (8)	–
17	23	Karen Lord	AUS	1:04.69 (6 h6)	1:05.05 (=1 h7)	–
18	160	Sharon Page	GBR	1:04.75 (8 h5)	–	–
19	47	Bistra Gospodinova	BUL	1:04.91 (5 h4)	–	–
=20	117	Laurence Guillou	FRA	1:05.07 (=6 h4)	–	–
=20	281	Eva Gysling	SUI	1:05.07 (=6 h4)	–	–
22	288	Johanna Larsson	SWE	1:05.10 (7 h6)	–	–
23	81	Wang Bolin	CHN	1:05.15 (1 h3)	–	–
24	228	Satoko Morishita	JPN	1:05.38 (8 h6)	–	–
25	263	Sylvia Hume	NZL	1:05.81 (8 h4)	–	–
26	234	Tomoko Onogi	JPN	1:06.14 (2 h3)	–	–
27	209	Michelle Smith	IRL	1:06.22 (3 h3)	–	–
28	266	Akiko Thomson	PHI	1:06.51 (4 h3)	–	–
29	208	Aileen Convery	IRL	1:06.73 (5 h3)	–	–
30	241	Hong Ji-Hui	KOR	1:08.33 (6 h3)	–	–
31	270	Rita Garay	PUR	1:08.58 (7 h3)	–	–
32	298	Wang Chi	TPE	1:09.56 (8 h3)	–	–
33	201	Ana Fortín	HON	1:10.10 (1 h2)	–	–
34	212	Tricia Duncan	ISV	1:10.37 (2 h2)	–	–
35	191	Tsang Wing Sze	HKG	1:10.50 (3 h2)	–	–
36	112	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:12.14 (4 h2)	–	–
37	110	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:13.48 (1 h1)	–	–
38	36	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:14.42 (2 h1)	–	–
39	3	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:15.56 (5 h2)	–	–
40	259	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:15.86 (3 h1)	–	–
41	2	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:21.58 (6 h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	22 September 1988 — 10:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	1:01.45	Q
2	–	Cornelia Sirch	GDR	1:01.63	Q
3	–	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	1:02.09	Q
4	–	Beth Barr	USA	1:02.63	Q
5	–	Betsy Mitchell	USA	1:02.85	Q
6	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	1:03.21	Q
7	–	Nicole Livingstone	AUS	1:03.26	Q
8	–	Marion Aizpors	FRG	1:03.27	Q
9	–	Anca Pătrășcoiu	ROU	1:03.29	q
10	–	Svenja Schlicht	FRG	1:03.72	q
11	–	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	1:03.96	q
12	–	Lori Melien	CAN	1:04.29	q
13	–	Jolanda de Rover	NED	1:04.39	q
14	–	Sharon Musson	NZL	1:04.58	q
15	–	Kathy Read	GBR	1:04.62	q
=16	–	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:04.69	q
=16	–	Karen Lord	AUS	1:04.69
18	–	Sharon Page	GBR	1:04.75
19	–	Bistra Gospodinova	BUL	1:04.91
=20	–	Eva Gysling	SUI	1:05.07
=20	–	Laurence Guillou	FRA	1:05.07
22	–	Johanna Larsson	SWE	1:05.10
23	–	Wang Bolin	CHN	1:05.15
24	–	Satoko Morishita	JPN	1:05.38
25	–	Sylvia Hume	NZL	1:05.81
26	–	Tomoko Onogi	JPN	1:06.14
27	–	Michelle Smith	IRL	1:06.22
28	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	1:06.51
29	–	Aileen Convery	IRL	1:06.73
30	–	Hong Ji-Hui	KOR	1:08.33
31	–	Rita Garay	PUR	1:08.58
32	–	Wang Chi	TPE	1:09.56
33	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:10.10
34	–	Tricia Duncan	ISV	1:10.37
35	–	Tsang Wing Sze	HKG	1:10.50
36	–	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:12.14
37	–	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:13.48
38	–	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:14.42
39	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:15.56
40	–	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:15.86
41	–	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:21.58

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:13.48	34.51 (1)	38.97 (2)
2	–	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:14.42	35.86 (3)	38.56 (1)
3	–	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:15.86	35.81 (2)	40.05 (3)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:10.10	33.22 (1)	36.88 (3)
2	–	Tricia Duncan	ISV	1:10.37	33.66 (2)	36.71 (1)
3	–	Tsang Wing Sze	HKG	1:10.50	33.78 (3)	36.72 (2)
4	–	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:12.14	34.30 (4)	37.84 (4)
5	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:15.56	36.01 (5)	39.55 (5)
6	–	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:21.58	38.30 (6)	43.28 (6)

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Wang Bolin	CHN	1:05.15	31.70 (1)	33.45 (1)
2	–	Tomoko Onogi	JPN	1:06.14	32.02 (4)	34.12 (3)
3	–	Michelle Smith	IRL	1:06.22	32.16 (5)	34.06 (2)
4	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	1:06.51	31.97 (3)	34.54 (4)
5	–	Aileen Convery	IRL	1:06.73	31.85 (2)	34.88 (5)
6	–	Hong Ji-Hui	KOR	1:08.33	32.48 (6)	35.85 (7)
7	–	Rita Garay	PUR	1:08.58	33.24 (7)	35.34 (6)
8	–	Wang Chi	TPE	1:09.56	33.43 (8)	36.13 (8)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Betsy Mitchell	USA	1:02.85	30.00 (1)	32.85 (2)	Q
2	–	Anca Pătrășcoiu	ROU	1:03.29	30.67 (3)	32.62 (1)	q
3	–	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	1:03.96	30.63 (2)	33.33 (3)	q
4	–	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:04.69	30.86 (4)	33.83 (6)	q
5	–	Bistra Gospodinova	BUL	1:04.91	31.32 (7)	33.59 (4)
=6	–	Eva Gysling	SUI	1:05.07	31.06 (6)	34.01 (7)
=6	–	Laurence Guillou	FRA	1:05.07	31.46 (8)	33.61 (5)
8	–	Sylvia Hume	NZL	1:05.81	31.04 (5)	34.77 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Cornelia Sirch	GDR	1:01.63	29.74 (1)	31.89 (1)	Q
2	–	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	1:02.09	29.86 (2)	32.23 (2)	Q
3	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	1:03.21	30.05 (3)	33.16 (4)	Q
4	–	Svenja Schlicht	FRG	1:03.72	30.74 (4)	32.98 (3)	q
5	–	Lori Melien	CAN	1:04.29	30.78 (5)	33.51 (7)	q
6	–	Jolanda de Rover	NED	1:04.39	31.02 (=6)	33.37 (5)	q
7	–	Sharon Musson	NZL	1:04.58	31.02 (=6)	33.56 (8)	q
8	–	Sharon Page	GBR	1:04.75	31.27 (8)	33.48 (6)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	1:01.45	29.60 (1)	31.85 (1)	Q
2	–	Beth Barr	USA	1:02.63	30.19 (3)	32.44 (2)	Q
3	–	Nicole Livingstone	AUS	1:03.26	30.81 (4)	32.45 (3)	Q
4	–	Marion Aizpors	FRG	1:03.27	29.92 (2)	33.35 (4)	Q
5	–	Kathy Read	GBR	1:04.62	31.17 (7)	33.45 (5)	q
6	–	Karen Lord	AUS	1:04.69	31.15 (6)	33.54 (6)
7	–	Johanna Larsson	SWE	1:05.10	31.13 (5)	33.97 (8)
8	–	Satoko Morishita	JPN	1:05.38	31.69 (8)	33.69 (7)

Swim-Off 16-17 - #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
=1	–	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:05.05	31.50 (2)	33.55 (1)	q
=1	–	Karen Lord	AUS	1:05.05	31.11 (1)	33.94 (2)

Swim-Off 16-17 - #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:04.62	31.25 (=1)	33.37 (1)	q
2	–	Karen Lord	AUS	1:04.75	31.25 (=1)	33.50 (2)

B Final

Date	22 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Anca Pătrășcoiu	ROU	1:03.33	30.68 (4)	32.65 (1)
2	–	Svenja Schlicht	FRG	1:03.68	30.94 (7)	32.74 (2)
3	–	Manuela Carosi	ITA	1:03.80	30.59 (1)	33.21 (=4)
4	–	Lori Melien	CAN	1:03.87	30.66 (3)	33.21 (=4)
5	–	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	1:03.88	30.64 (2)	33.24 (6)
6	–	Jolanda de Rover	NED	1:04.11	30.81 (5)	33.30 (7)
7	–	Sharon Musson	NZL	1:04.17	31.24 (8)	32.93 (3)
8	–	Kathy Read	GBR	1:04.27	30.83 (6)	33.44 (8)

Final Round

Date	22 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	1:00.89	29.12 (1)	31.77 (1)
2	–	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	1:01.56	29.36 (2)	32.20 (4)
3	–	Cornelia Sirch	GDR	1:01.57	29.43 (3)	32.14 (2)
4	–	Betsy Mitchell	USA	1:02.71	30.20 (5)	32.51 (5)
5	–	Beth Barr	USA	1:02.78	30.60 (6)	32.18 (3)
6	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	1:03.34	29.68 (4)	33.66 (8)
7	–	Nicole Livingstone	AUS	1:04.15	31.05 (8)	33.10 (6)
8	–	Marion Aizpors	FRG	1:04.19	30.61 (7)	33.58 (7)