| | Event type

100 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	17 – 18 September 2000
Status	Olympic
Location	Sydney International Aquatic Centre, Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales
Participants	46 from 39 countries

With world champion Lea Loveless missing out on a place on the US team, the eyes of the world focused on the 21-year-old Japanese swimmer Mai Nakamura as a possible Olympic champion. Nakamura had placed second behind Loveless at the 1998 worlds and arrived at Sydney as Pan-Pacific champion.

Another strong medal contender was Nina Zhivanevskaya who had won a hat-trick of European titles just a few months before the Olympics. Originally from Russia, she had been an Olympic medal winner as part of the Unified team but had married a Spaniard and gained Spanish citizenship in 1999.

Both women made the Olympic podium in Sydney but the top step was reserved for the 16-year-old Diana Mocanu of Romania. That Mocanu should do well at the Olympics was not a complete surprise but a victory was deemed to be unlikely. Nakamura took the first part of the race at breakneck speed and was well under world record splits at halfway. The Japanese swimmer still led with 25 metres to go but she began to pay for her fast start and, as she faded, Mocanu came through to record the first victory by a Romania swimmer in an Olympic final.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:01.18 (2 h6)	1:00.70 (1 h1)	1:00.21 (1)	Gold
2	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:00.88 (1 h6)	1:01.07 (1 h2)	1:00.55 (2)	Silver
3	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:01.97 (3 h4)	1:01.41 (3 h2)	1:00.89 (3)	Bronze
4	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.66 (1 h4)	1:01.61 (4 h2)	1:01.10 (4)
5	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:02.19 (4 h6)	1:01.25 (2 h2)	1:01.14 (5)
6	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.70 (2 h4)	1:01.61 (2 h1)	1:01.47 (6)
7	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:02.46 (4 h4)	1:01.86 (4 h1)	1:01.61 (7)
8	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:01.98 (3 h6)	1:01.69 (3 h1)	1:02.02 (8)
9	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:02.23 (2 h5)	1:01.91 (5 h2)	–
10	Kelly Stefanyshyn	CAN	1:02.78 (4 h5)	1:02.35 (5 h1)	–
11	Katy Sexton	GBR	1:02.67 (3 h5)	1:02.35 (6 h2)	–
12	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:03.05 (1 h3)	1:02.54 (6 h1)	–
13	Michelle Lischinsky	CAN	1:02.89 (5 h6)	1:02.55 (7 h1)	–
14	Zhan Shu	CHN	1:02.19 (1 h5)	1:02.92 (8 h1)	–
15	Sandra Völker	GER	1:02.88 (5 h5)	1:03.01 (7 h2)	–
16	Lu Donghua	CHN	1:02.91 (5 h4)	1:03.31 (8 h2)	–
17	Charlene Wittstock	RSA	1:03.18 (6 h4)	–	–
18	Courtney Shealy	USA	1:03.19 (6 h6)	–	–
=19	Giaan Rooney	AUS	1:03.20 (6 h5)	–	–
=19	Sim Min-Ji	KOR	1:03.20 (2 h3)	–	–
21	Sarah Price	GBR	1:03.22 (7 h4)	–	–
22	Ilona Hlaváčková	CZE	1:03.28 (7 h6)	–	–
23	Anu Koivisto	FIN	1:03.44 (7 h5)	–	–
24	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:03.68 (8 h6)	–	–
25	Aleksandra Miciul	POL	1:04.51 (8 h5)	–	–
26	Monique Robins	NZL	1:04.52 (3 h3)	–	–
=27	Sofie Wolfs	BEL	1:04.66 (=4 h3)	–	–
=27	Nadiya Beshevli	UKR	1:04.66 (=4 h3)	–	–
29	Irina Rayevskaya	RUS	1:04.76 (6 h3)	–	–
30	Ana María González	CUB	1:04.95 (7 h3)	–	–
31	Camilla Johansson	SWE	1:04.99 (1 h2)	–	–
32	Katerina Bliamou	GRE	1:05.09 (8 h3)	–	–
33	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:05.28 (2 h2)	–	–
34	Brenda Starink	NED	1:05.93 (8 h4)	–	–
35	Chonlathorn Vorathamrong	THA	1:05.98 (3 h2)	–	–
36	Annamária Kiss	HUN	1:06.12 (4 h2)	–	–
37	Marie-Lizza Danila	PHI	1:06.48 (1 h1)	–	–
=38	Elsa Manora Nasution	INA	1:06.57 (=5 h2)	–	–
=38	Serrana Fernández	URU	1:06.57 (=5 h2)	–	–
40	Kuan Chia-Hsien	TPE	1:07.18 (7 h2)	–	–
41	Marica Stražmešter	SCG	1:07.21 (2 h1)	–	–
42	Şadan Derya Erke	TUR	1:07.26 (3 h1)	–	–
43	Kolbrún Ýr Kristjánsdóttir	ISL	1:07.28 (4 h1)	–	–
44	Anzhelika Solovyova	KGZ	1:07.63 (5 h1)	–	–
45	Andrea Prono	PAR	1:08.11 (6 h1)	–	–
46	Monika Bakale	CGO	1:16.36 (7 h1)	–	–
DNS	Tessa Solomon	AHO	– (DNS h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	17 September 2000
Format	Fastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:00.88	Q
2	–	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:01.18	Q
3	–	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.66	Q
4	–	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.70	Q
5	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:01.97	Q
6	–	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:01.98	Q
=7	–	Zhan Shu	CHN	1:02.19	Q
=7	–	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:02.19	Q
9	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:02.23	Q
10	–	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:02.46	Q
11	–	Katy Sexton	GBR	1:02.67	Q
12	–	Kelly Stefanyshyn	CAN	1:02.78	Q
13	–	Sandra Völker	GER	1:02.88	Q
14	–	Michelle Lischinsky	CAN	1:02.89	Q
15	–	Lu Donghua	CHN	1:02.91	Q
16	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:03.05	Q
17	–	Charlene Wittstock	RSA	1:03.18
18	–	Courtney Shealy	USA	1:03.19
=19	–	Sim Min-Ji	KOR	1:03.20
=19	–	Giaan Rooney	AUS	1:03.20
21	–	Sarah Price	GBR	1:03.22
22	–	Ilona Hlaváčková	CZE	1:03.28
23	–	Anu Koivisto	FIN	1:03.44
24	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:03.68
25	–	Aleksandra Miciul	POL	1:04.51
26	–	Monique Robins	NZL	1:04.52
=27	–	Nadiya Beshevli	UKR	1:04.66
=27	–	Sofie Wolfs	BEL	1:04.66
29	–	Irina Rayevskaya	RUS	1:04.76
30	–	Ana María González	CUB	1:04.95
31	–	Camilla Johansson	SWE	1:04.99
32	–	Katerina Bliamou	GRE	1:05.09
33	–	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:05.28
34	–	Brenda Starink	NED	1:05.93
35	–	Chonlathorn Vorathamrong	THA	1:05.98
36	–	Annamária Kiss	HUN	1:06.12
37	–	Marie-Lizza Danila	PHI	1:06.48
=38	–	Serrana Fernández	URU	1:06.57
=38	–	Elsa Manora Nasution	INA	1:06.57
40	–	Kuan Chia-Hsien	TPE	1:07.18
41	–	Marica Stražmešter	SCG	1:07.21
42	–	Şadan Derya Erke	TUR	1:07.26
43	–	Kolbrún Ýr Kristjánsdóttir	ISL	1:07.28
44	–	Anzhelika Solovyova	KGZ	1:07.63
45	–	Andrea Prono	PAR	1:08.11
46	–	Monika Bakale	CGO	1:16.36
DNS	–	Tessa Solomon	AHO	–

Heat #1

Time	10:02

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Marie-Lizza Danila	PHI	1:06.48	31.67 (1)	34.81 (3)
2	–	Marica Stražmešter	SCG	1:07.21	32.82 (5)	34.39 (1)
3	–	Şadan Derya Erke	TUR	1:07.26	32.52 (3)	34.74 (2)
4	–	Kolbrún Ýr Kristjánsdóttir	ISL	1:07.28	32.12 (2)	35.16 (5)
5	–	Anzhelika Solovyova	KGZ	1:07.63	32.55 (4)	35.08 (4)
6	–	Andrea Prono	PAR	1:08.11	32.88 (6)	35.23 (6)
7	–	Monika Bakale	CGO	1:16.36	36.07 (7)	40.29 (7)

Heat #2

Time	10:05

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Camilla Johansson	SWE	1:04.99	31.76 (=3)	33.23 (1)
2	–	Sherry Tsai	HKG	1:05.28	31.69 (2)	33.59 (2)
3	–	Chonlathorn Vorathamrong	THA	1:05.98	31.76 (=3)	34.22 (5)
4	–	Annamária Kiss	HUN	1:06.12	32.44 (6)	33.68 (3)
=5	–	Serrana Fernández	URU	1:06.57	31.51 (1)	35.06 (7)
=5	–	Elsa Manora Nasution	INA	1:06.57	32.21 (5)	34.36 (6)
7	–	Kuan Chia-Hsien	TPE	1:07.18	33.09 (7)	34.09 (4)
DNS	–	Tessa Solomon	AHO	–	– (–)	–

Heat #3

Time	10:08

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:03.05	31.09 (2)	31.96 (1)	Q
2	–	Sim Min-Ji	KOR	1:03.20	30.64 (1)	32.56 (2)
3	–	Monique Robins	NZL	1:04.52	31.20 (4)	33.32 (5)
=4	–	Nadiya Beshevli	UKR	1:04.66	31.16 (3)	33.50 (7)
=4	–	Sofie Wolfs	BEL	1:04.66	31.38 (6)	33.28 (4)
6	–	Irina Rayevskaya	RUS	1:04.76	31.62 (7)	33.14 (3)
7	–	Ana María González	CUB	1:04.95	31.26 (5)	33.69 (8)
8	–	Katerina Bliamou	GRE	1:05.09	31.74 (8)	33.35 (6)

Heat #4

Time	10:11

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.66	30.42 (3)	31.24 (1)	Q
2	–	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.70	30.14 (1)	31.56 (2)	Q
3	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:01.97	30.38 (2)	31.59 (3)	Q
4	–	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:02.46	30.76 (7)	31.70 (4)	Q
5	–	Lu Donghua	CHN	1:02.91	30.70 (5)	32.21 (5)	Q
6	–	Charlene Wittstock	RSA	1:03.18	30.72 (6)	32.46 (6)
7	–	Sarah Price	GBR	1:03.22	30.67 (4)	32.55 (7)
8	–	Brenda Starink	NED	1:05.93	31.70 (8)	34.23 (8)

Heat #5

Time	10:14

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Zhan Shu	CHN	1:02.19	30.12 (1)	32.07 (4)	Q
2	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:02.23	30.27 (2)	31.96 (2)	Q
3	–	Katy Sexton	GBR	1:02.67	30.61 (6)	32.06 (3)	Q
4	–	Kelly Stefanyshyn	CAN	1:02.78	31.07 (7)	31.71 (1)	Q
5	–	Sandra Völker	GER	1:02.88	30.60 (5)	32.28 (5)	Q
6	–	Giaan Rooney	AUS	1:03.20	30.55 (4)	32.65 (6)
7	–	Anu Koivisto	FIN	1:03.44	30.52 (3)	32.92 (7)
8	–	Aleksandra Miciul	POL	1:04.51	31.23 (8)	33.28 (8)

Heat #6

Time	10:18

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:00.88	29.21 (1)	31.67 (4)	Q
2	–	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:01.18	30.37 (2)	30.81 (1)	Q
3	–	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:01.98	30.57 (5)	31.41 (3)	Q
4	–	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:02.19	30.84 (6)	31.35 (2)	Q
5	–	Michelle Lischinsky	CAN	1:02.89	31.04 (7)	31.85 (5)	Q
6	–	Courtney Shealy	USA	1:03.19	30.39 (=3)	32.80 (7)
7	–	Ilona Hlaváčková	CZE	1:03.28	30.39 (=3)	32.89 (8)
8	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:03.68	31.41 (8)	32.27 (6)

Semi-Finals

Date	18 September 2000
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:00.70	Q
2	–	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:01.07	Q
3	–	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:01.25	Q
4	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:01.41	Q
=5	–	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.61	Q
=5	–	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.61	Q
7	–	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:01.69	Q
8	–	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:01.86	Q
9	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:01.91
=10	–	Kelly Stefanyshyn	CAN	1:02.35
=10	–	Katy Sexton	GBR	1:02.35
12	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:02.54
13	–	Michelle Lischinsky	CAN	1:02.55
14	–	Zhan Shu	CHN	1:02.92
15	–	Sandra Völker	GER	1:03.01
16	–	Lu Donghua	CHN	1:03.31

Heat #1

Time	19:02

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:00.70	29.86 (2)	30.84 (1)	Q
2	–	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.61	30.39 (5)	31.22 (=2)	Q
3	–	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:01.69	30.14 (3)	31.55 (5)	Q
4	–	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:01.86	29.80 (1)	32.06 (7)	Q
5	–	Kelly Stefanyshyn	CAN	1:02.35	31.13 (8)	31.22 (=2)
6	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:02.54	31.00 (7)	31.54 (4)
7	–	Michelle Lischinsky	CAN	1:02.55	30.86 (6)	31.69 (6)
8	–	Zhan Shu	CHN	1:02.92	30.29 (4)	32.63 (8)

Heat #2

Time	19:07

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:01.07	29.36 (1)	31.71 (5)	Q
2	–	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:01.25	30.27 (5)	30.98 (1)	Q
3	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:01.41	29.74 (2)	31.67 (4)	Q
4	–	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.61	30.56 (6)	31.05 (2)	Q
5	–	Antje Buschschulte	GER	1:01.91	30.09 (4)	31.82 (6)
6	–	Katy Sexton	GBR	1:02.35	30.94 (7)	31.41 (3)
7	–	Sandra Völker	GER	1:03.01	30.05 (3)	32.96 (8)
8	–	Lu Donghua	CHN	1:03.31	30.98 (8)	32.33 (7)

Final Round

Date	18 September 2000 — 19:04

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Diana Mocanu	ROU	1:00.21	29.80 (3)	30.41 (1)	OR
2	–	Mai Nakamura	JPN	1:00.55	29.17 (1)	31.38 (5)
3	–	Nina Zhivanevskaya	ESP	1:00.89	29.86 (5)	31.03 (3)
4	–	Roxana Maracineanu	FRA	1:01.10	30.08 (7)	31.02 (2)
5	–	Noriko Inada	JPN	1:01.14	29.83 (4)	31.31 (4)
6	–	B. J. Bedford	USA	1:01.47	29.76 (2)	31.71 (8)
7	–	Dyana Calub	AUS	1:01.61	30.00 (6)	31.61 (=6)
8	–	Louise Ørnstedt	DEN	1:02.02	30.41 (8)	31.61 (=6)