| | Event type

50 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	25 July 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	64 from 58 countries

In 1992 Aleksandr Popov was an outsider to win an Olympic title but things were very different when he came to defend the two gold medals in Atlanta. The four years between Olympics had been good for Popov and he was undefeated in major championships at both 50 and 100 metres freestyle since the Barcelona Games.

Popov’s main danger for the gold medal was Gary Hall, Jr. and the two men enjoyed a fierce rivalry and regularly swapped insults through newspaper interviews. The Russian had already defeated Hall in the 100 metres freestyle and repeated the feat in the shorter event. For 40 metres Popov and Hall were level but the defending champion finished the quicker and won by 0.13 of a second.

The bronze medalist, Xuxa Scherer of Brazil, was one of three men who tied for the seventh qualifying place for the final and only qualified via a swim-off.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	22.22 (1 h9)	–	22.13 (1)	Gold
2	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	22.36 (1 h8)	–	22.26 (2)	Silver
3	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.68 (3 h8)	–	22.29 (3)	Bronze
4	Jiang Chengji	CHN	22.55 (1 h7)	–	22.33 (4)
5	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	22.60 (2 h8)	–	22.59 (5)
6	David Fox	USA	22.64 (2 h9)	–	22.68 (6)
7	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	22.68 (=2 h7)	–	22.72 (7)
8	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	22.61 (1 h6)	–	22.73 (8)
9	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	22.82 (4 h9)	22.67 (1)	–
10	Bengt Zikarsky	GER	22.68 (=2 h7)	22.73 (2)	–
11	Yuriy Vlasov	UKR	22.77 (5 h8)	22.82 (3)	–
=12	Allan Murray	BAH	22.75 (3 h9)	22.92 (=4)	–
=12	Gustavo Borges	BRA	22.86 (5 h9)	22.92 (=4)	–
=14	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	22.83 (6 h8)	22.96 (=6)	–
=14	René Gusperti	ITA	22.85 (4 h7)	22.96 (=6)	–
16	Mark Foster	GBR	22.73 (4 h8)	23.01 (8)	–
17	Pavlo Khnykin	UKR	22.91 (5 h7)	–	–
=18	Chris Fydler	AUS	22.98 (6 h9)	–	–
=18	Raimundas Mažuolis	LTU	22.98 (6 h7)	–	–
20	Vladimir Predkin	RUS	23.03 (7 h8)	–	–
21	Alexander Lüderitz	GER	23.06 (7 h7)	–	–
22	Aleh Rukhlevich	BLR	23.12 (7 h9)	–	–
23	José Meolans	ARG	23.21 (8 h7)	–	–
24	Yoav Bruck	ISR	23.22 (8 h9)	–	–
25	Felipe Delgado	ECU	23.26 (2 h6)	–	–
=26	Indrek Sei	EST	23.29 (=3 h6)	–	–
=26	Sergey Borisenko	KAZ	23.29 (=3 h6)	–	–
28	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	23.34 (5 h6)	–	–
29	Sion Brinn	JAM	23.35 (1 h5)	–	–
30	Juan Benavides	ESP	23.36 (6 h6)	–	–
31	Stavros Michailidis	CYP	23.37 (2 h5)	–	–
32	Enrico Linscheer	SUR	23.45 (3 h5)	–	–
33	Pär Lindström	SWE	23.47 (7 h6)	–	–
34	Georgios Giziotis	GRE	23.56 (8 h6)	–	–
35	Yukihiro Matsushita	JPN	23.60 (1 h4)	–	–
=36	Salim Iles	ALG	23.61 (=2 h4)	–	–
=36	Dzmitry Kalinovski	BLR	23.61 (8 h8)	–	–
=36	Janne Blomqvist	FIN	23.61 (=2 h4)	–	–
39	Hugues Legault	CAN	23.63 (4 h5)	–	–
=40	Nick Tongue	NZL	23.73 (1 h3)	–	–
=40	Paulo Trindade	POR	23.73 (5 h5)	–	–
42	Arthur Li	HKG	23.77 (2 h3)	–	–
43	Maxim Cazmirciuc	MDA	23.78 (3 h3)	–	–
44	Richard Bera	INA	23.80 (6 h5)	–	–
45	Ravil Nachayev	UZB	23.93 (4 h4)	–	–
46	Darrick Bollinger	GUM	23.97 (4 h3)	–	–
47	Tamer Zinhom	EGY	24.02 (5 h4)	–	–
48	Nick O'Hare	IRL	24.03 (7 h5)	–	–
49	Sebastian Xavier	IND	24.15 (6 h4)	–	–
50	Alen Lončar	CRO	24.17 (7 h4)	–	–
51	Kaan Berberoğlu	TUR	24.37 (5 h3)	–	–
52	Vitaly Vasilyev	KGZ	24.54 (8 h4)	–	–
53	Khemo Rivera	ISV	24.62 (1 h2)	–	–
54	Howard Hinds	AHO	24.63 (2 h2)	–	–
55	Tamás Kerékjártó	HUN	24.67 (6 h3)	–	–
56	Huang Chih-Yung	TPE	24.89 (3 h2)	–	–
57	Alfredo Carrillo	PAR	24.91 (4 h2)	–	–
58	Sng Ju Wei	SGP	25.04 (7 h3)	–	–
59	Emin Quliyev	AZE	25.23 (8 h3)	–	–
60	Woody Lawrence	DMA	27.88 (1 h1)	–	–
61	Moosa Nazim	MDV	28.37 (2 h1)	–	–
62	René Makosso	CGO	30.00 (3 h1)	–	–
63	Michael Collier	SLE	34.21 (5 h2)	–	–
DQ	Alexandru Ioanovici	ROU	– (DQ h5)	–	–
DNS	Musa Bakare	NGR	– (DNS h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	25 July 1996
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	22.22	Q
2	–	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	22.36	Q
3	–	Jiang Chengji	CHN	22.55	Q
4	–	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	22.60	Q
5	–	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	22.61	Q
6	–	David Fox	USA	22.64	Q
=7	–	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	22.68	Q
=7	–	Bengt Zikarsky	GER	22.68	q
=7	–	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.68	Q
10	–	Mark Foster	GBR	22.73	q
11	–	Allan Murray	BAH	22.75	q
12	–	Yuriy Vlasov	UKR	22.77	q
13	–	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	22.82	q
14	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	22.83	q
15	–	René Gusperti	ITA	22.85	q
16	–	Gustavo Borges	BRA	22.86	q
17	–	Pavlo Khnykin	UKR	22.91
=18	–	Raimundas Mažuolis	LTU	22.98
=18	–	Chris Fydler	AUS	22.98
20	–	Vladimir Predkin	RUS	23.03
21	–	Alexander Lüderitz	GER	23.06
22	–	Aleh Rukhlevich	BLR	23.12
23	–	José Meolans	ARG	23.21
24	–	Yoav Bruck	ISR	23.22
25	–	Felipe Delgado	ECU	23.26
=26	–	Sergey Borisenko	KAZ	23.29
=26	–	Indrek Sei	EST	23.29
28	–	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	23.34
29	–	Sion Brinn	JAM	23.35
30	–	Juan Benavides	ESP	23.36
31	–	Stavros Michailidis	CYP	23.37
32	–	Enrico Linscheer	SUR	23.45
33	–	Pär Lindström	SWE	23.47
34	–	Georgios Giziotis	GRE	23.56
35	–	Yukihiro Matsushita	JPN	23.60
=36	–	Salim Iles	ALG	23.61
=36	–	Janne Blomqvist	FIN	23.61
=36	–	Dzmitry Kalinovski	BLR	23.61
39	–	Hugues Legault	CAN	23.63
=40	–	Nick Tongue	NZL	23.73
=40	–	Paulo Trindade	POR	23.73
42	–	Arthur Li	HKG	23.77
43	–	Maxim Cazmirciuc	MDA	23.78
44	–	Richard Bera	INA	23.80
45	–	Ravil Nachayev	UZB	23.93
46	–	Darrick Bollinger	GUM	23.97
47	–	Tamer Zinhom	EGY	24.02
48	–	Nick O'Hare	IRL	24.03
49	–	Sebastian Xavier	IND	24.15
50	–	Alen Lončar	CRO	24.17
51	–	Kaan Berberoğlu	TUR	24.37
52	–	Vitaly Vasilyev	KGZ	24.54
53	–	Khemo Rivera	ISV	24.62
54	–	Howard Hinds	AHO	24.63
55	–	Tamás Kerékjártó	HUN	24.67
56	–	Huang Chih-Yung	TPE	24.89
57	–	Alfredo Carrillo	PAR	24.91
58	–	Sng Ju Wei	SGP	25.04
59	–	Emin Quliyev	AZE	25.23
60	–	Woody Lawrence	DMA	27.88
61	–	Moosa Nazim	MDV	28.37
62	–	René Makosso	CGO	30.00
63	–	Michael Collier	SLE	34.21
DQ	–	Alexandru Ioanovici	ROU	–		1
DNS	–	Musa Bakare	NGR	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Woody Lawrence	DMA	27.88	1.01
2	–	Moosa Nazim	MDV	28.37	0.72
3	–	René Makosso	CGO	30.00	0.87

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Khemo Rivera	ISV	24.62	0.80
2	–	Howard Hinds	AHO	24.63	0.80
3	–	Huang Chih-Yung	TPE	24.89	0.73
4	–	Alfredo Carrillo	PAR	24.91	0.83
5	–	Michael Collier	SLE	34.21	0.86
DNS	–	Musa Bakare	NGR	–	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Nick Tongue	NZL	23.73	0.75
2	–	Arthur Li	HKG	23.77	0.75
3	–	Maxim Cazmirciuc	MDA	23.78	0.75
4	–	Darrick Bollinger	GUM	23.97	0.77
5	–	Kaan Berberoğlu	TUR	24.37	0.77
6	–	Tamás Kerékjártó	HUN	24.67	0.75
7	–	Sng Ju Wei	SGP	25.04	0.82
8	–	Emin Quliyev	AZE	25.23	0.74

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Yukihiro Matsushita	JPN	23.60	0.69
=2	–	Salim Iles	ALG	23.61	0.77
=2	–	Janne Blomqvist	FIN	23.61	0.77
4	–	Ravil Nachayev	UZB	23.93	0.83
5	–	Tamer Zinhom	EGY	24.02	0.83
6	–	Sebastian Xavier	IND	24.15	0.70
7	–	Alen Lončar	CRO	24.17	0.78
8	–	Vitaly Vasilyev	KGZ	24.54	0.77

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Sion Brinn	JAM	23.35	0.75
2	–	Stavros Michailidis	CYP	23.37	0.72
3	–	Enrico Linscheer	SUR	23.45	0.74
4	–	Hugues Legault	CAN	23.63	0.71
5	–	Paulo Trindade	POR	23.73	0.71
6	–	Richard Bera	INA	23.80	0.70
7	–	Nick O'Hare	IRL	24.03	0.71
DQ	–	Alexandru Ioanovici	ROU	–	–	2

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	22.61	0.61	Q
2	–	Felipe Delgado	ECU	23.26	0.69
=3	–	Sergey Borisenko	KAZ	23.29	0.86
=3	–	Indrek Sei	EST	23.29	0.76
5	–	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	23.34	0.75
6	–	Juan Benavides	ESP	23.36	0.78
7	–	Pär Lindström	SWE	23.47	0.72
8	–	Georgios Giziotis	GRE	23.56	0.76

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Jiang Chengji	CHN	22.55	0.68	Q
=2	–	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	22.68	0.87	Q
=2	–	Bengt Zikarsky	GER	22.68	0.78	q
4	–	René Gusperti	ITA	22.85	0.73	q
5	–	Pavlo Khnykin	UKR	22.91	0.76
6	–	Raimundas Mažuolis	LTU	22.98	0.75
7	–	Alexander Lüderitz	GER	23.06	0.77
8	–	José Meolans	ARG	23.21	0.80

Heat #8

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	22.36	0.76	Q
2	–	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	22.60	0.70	Q
3	–	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.68	0.78	Q
4	–	Mark Foster	GBR	22.73	0.83	q
5	–	Yuriy Vlasov	UKR	22.77	0.84	q
6	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	22.83	0.71	q
7	–	Vladimir Predkin	RUS	23.03	0.80
8	–	Dzmitry Kalinovski	BLR	23.61	0.83

Heat #9

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	22.22	0.84	Q
2	–	David Fox	USA	22.64	0.74	Q
3	–	Allan Murray	BAH	22.75	0.71	q
4	–	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	22.82	0.85	q
5	–	Gustavo Borges	BRA	22.86	0.78	q
6	–	Chris Fydler	AUS	22.98	0.81
7	–	Aleh Rukhlevich	BLR	23.12	0.81
8	–	Yoav Bruck	ISR	23.22	0.75

Swim-Off 8-9

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.71	0.85	Q	3
2	–	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	22.74	0.81	Q
DQ	–	Bengt Zikarsky	GER	–	–

B Final

Date	25 July 1996

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	22.67	0.79
2	–	Bengt Zikarsky	GER	22.73	0.81
3	–	Yuriy Vlasov	UKR	22.82	0.80
=4	–	Allan Murray	BAH	22.92	0.71
=4	–	Gustavo Borges	BRA	22.92	0.84
=6	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	22.96	0.75
=6	–	René Gusperti	ITA	22.96	0.73
8	–	Mark Foster	GBR	23.01	0.80

Final Round

Date	25 July 1996

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time
1	–	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	22.13	0.83
2	–	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	22.26	0.73
3	–	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.29	0.78
4	–	Jiang Chengji	CHN	22.33	0.67
5	–	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	22.59	0.68
6	–	David Fox	USA	22.68	0.76
7	–	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	22.72	0.76
8	–	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	22.73	0.63