|
| Event type

200 metres Backstroke, Women

Date25 September 1988
StatusOlympic
LocationSu-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants32 from 23 countries

As a 12-year-old, Krisztina Egerszegi had débuted at the 1987 European Championships, placing fourth in the 200 back. A few days prior to this race she had placed second in the 100 back to East German wonder woman Kristin Otto, and that gave her encouragement for the 200. But the favorite in this event was another East German, Cornelia Sirch. Sirch went to the 100 in the final with a slight lead over Egerszegi but the Hungarian teenager blitzed the third lap, and came home for the gold medal in the second fastest time ever, 2:09.29. Sirch was worn out from her early effort and was passed for silver by her teammate, Kathrin Zimmermann, although Sirch held on for bronze.

Of Egerszegi, Sirch said, “I’m sure she has a great future before her. I’m certain she will break new ground in backstroke swimming.” You could say that. This was the first of three consecutive gold medals in the event for Krisztina Egerszegi, something accomplished in a single Olympic event only by Australian sprint freestyler Dawn Fraser in the women’s 100 free. She would eventually end her Olympic career with five individual gold medals, four in backstroke events, and seven medals in all, an unequalled Olymic best for swimming through 2008. She would win both backstrokes at the 1991 World Championships, and nine titles at the Europeans from 1991-95. In 1992 she won the Europeans in a world record 2:06.62, which would stand as the world record until 2008.

PosSwimmerNOCR1B FinalFinal
1Krisztina EgerszegiHUN2:11.01 (1 h4)2:09.29 (1)Gold
2Kathrin ZimmermannGDR2:12.81 (1 h3)2:10.61 (2)Silver
3Cornelia SirchGDR2:10.46 (1 h5)2:11.45 (3)Bronze
4Beth BarrUSA2:13.91 (2 h4)2:12.39 (4)
5Nicole LivingstoneAUS2:14.81 (3 h5)2:13.43 (5)
6Andrea HayesUSA2:14.77 (2 h5)2:15.02 (6)
7Jolanda de RoverNED2:16.58 (3 h4)2:15.17 (7)
8Svenja SchlichtFRG2:16.81 (4 h4)2:15.94 (8)
9Anca PătrășcoiuROU2:17.25 (2 h3)2:15.75 (1)
10Sharon MussonNZL2:17.47 (5 h5)2:16.06 (2)
11Lin LiCHN2:18.11 (1 h2)2:16.68 (3)
12Kathy ReadGBR2:17.22 (5 h4)2:18.20 (4)
13Lorenza VigaraniITA2:17.35 (6 h4)2:18.69 (5)
=14Karen LordAUS2:16.94 (4 h5)2:18.78 (=6)
=14Satoko MorishitaJPN2:18.74 (6 h5)2:18.78 (=6)
16Johanna LarssonSWE2:18.01 (3 h3)– (DQ)
17Michelle SmithIRL2:19.50 (7 h5)
18Aileen ConveryIRL2:19.91 (2 h2)
19Lori MelienCAN2:20.45 (4 h3)
20Tomoko OnogiJPN2:21.46 (8 h5)
21Sylvia HumeNZL2:21.55 (5 h3)
22Helen SlatterGBR2:21.66 (7 h4)
23Wang BolinCHN2:21.70 (8 h4)
24Rita GarayPUR2:23.73 (3 h2)
25Christine MagnierFRA2:24.15 (6 h3)
26Hong Ji-HuiKOR2:24.58 (4 h2)
27Eva GyslingSUI2:24.61 (5 h2)
28Katja ZilioxFRG2:26.25 (7 h3)
29Ana FortínHON2:32.13 (1 h1)
30Tricia DuncanISV2:33.97 (2 h1)
31Wang ChiTPE2:36.60 (6 h2)
32Sharon PickeringFIJ2:36.99 (3 h1)
DNSRuth HochstatterAUT– (DNS h3)
DNSAkiko ThomsonPHI– (DNS h2)

Round One (25 September 1988 — 10:00)

Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Heat One

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
14Ana FortínHON2:32.13
23Tricia DuncanISV2:33.97
35Sharon PickeringFIJ2:36.99

Heat Two

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
13Lin LiCHN2:18.11q
24Aileen ConveryIRL2:19.91
36Rita GarayPUR2:23.73
42Hong Ji-HuiKOR2:24.58
55Eva GyslingSUI2:24.61
61Wang ChiTPE2:36.60
DNS7Akiko ThomsonPHI

Heat Three

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
15Kathrin ZimmermannGDR2:12.81Q
24Anca PătrășcoiuROU2:17.25q
33Johanna LarssonSWE2:18.01q
46Lori MelienCAN2:20.45
57Sylvia HumeNZL2:21.55
62Christine MagnierFRA2:24.15
71Katja ZilioxFRG2:26.25
DNS8Ruth HochstatterAUT

Heat Four

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
15Krisztina EgerszegiHUN2:11.01QOR
24Beth BarrUSA2:13.91Q
32Jolanda de RoverNED2:16.58Q
46Svenja SchlichtFRG2:16.81Q
57Kathy ReadGBR2:17.22q
63Lorenza VigaraniITA2:17.35q
71Helen SlatterGBR2:21.66
88Wang BolinCHN2:21.70

Heat Five

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
14Cornelia SirchGDR2:10.46QOR
23Andrea HayesUSA2:14.77Q
35Nicole LivingstoneAUS2:14.81Q
46Karen LordAUS2:16.94q
52Sharon MussonNZL2:17.47q
61Satoko MorishitaJPN2:18.74q
78Michelle SmithIRL2:19.50
87Tomoko OnogiJPN2:21.46

B Final (25 September 1988 — 20:00)

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
13Anca PătrășcoiuROU2:15.75
22Sharon MussonNZL2:16.06
31Lin LiCHN2:16.68
45Kathy ReadGBR2:18.20
56Lorenza VigaraniITA2:18.69
=64Karen LordAUS2:18.78
=68Satoko MorishitaJPN2:18.78
DQ7Johanna LarssonSWE

Final (25 September 1988 — 20:00)

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
15Krisztina EgerszegiHUN2:09.29OR
23Kathrin ZimmermannGDR2:10.61
34Cornelia SirchGDR2:11.45
46Beth BarrUSA2:12.39
57Nicole LivingstoneAUS2:13.43
62Andrea HayesUSA2:15.02
71Jolanda de RoverNED2:15.17
88Svenja SchlichtFRG2:15.94