| | Event type

100 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	29 – 30 July 2012
Status	Olympic
Location	London Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park, Stratford, London
Participants	45 from 38 countries

Missy Franklin (USA) had won the 2011 World Championships at 200 metres and the US Olympic Trials in both backstrokes, but Australian Emily Seebohm had been best in the preliminaries in London, setting an Olympic record of 58.23 in her heat. Franklin swam this final only 12 minutes after she left the pool from her 200 freestyle semi-final, in which she placed fourth in her heat. Because of the close time between races she was allowed to cool down in the diving warm-down pool before this final.

Seebohm led out the final, turning 0.14 seconds ahead of world record pace, but Franklin stayed close. She took the lead only a few strokes from the finish and won the gold medal in an American record 58.33, with Seebohm second. Japan’s Aya Terakawa won the bronze in an Asian record 58.83. The final was very close with the top seven finishers within one second of each other, with Franklin’s winning time ranking fourth all-time. This was Franklin’s second medal of the 2012 Olympics, after the 4x100 free relay, but she would eventually win five medals and four gold medals in London.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	Missy Franklin	USA	59.37 (1 h6)	59.12 (1 h1)	58.33 (1)	Gold
2	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.23 (1 h4)	58.39 (1 h2)	58.68 (2)	Silver
3	Aya Terakawa	JPN	59.82 (3 h6)	59.34 (2 h1)	58.83 (3)	Bronze
4	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.88 (1 h5)	59.68 (3 h2)	59.00 (4)
5	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.05 (4 h5)	59.70 (3 h1)	59.20 (5)
6	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.97 (3 h4)	59.55 (2 h2)	59.23 (6)
7	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.61 (2 h6)	59.79 (4 h2)	59.29 (7)
8	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	59.96 (4 h6)	59.82 (4 h1)	1:00.50 (8)
9	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	59.94 (2 h5)	59.91 (5 h2)	–
10	Simona Baumrtová	CZE	59.99 (5 h6)	1:00.02 (5 h1)	–
11	Rachel Bootsma	USA	1:00.03 (3 h5)	1:00.04 (6 h2)	–
12	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:00.16 (6 h6)	1:00.24 (6 h1)	–
13	Arianna Barbieri	ITA	1:00.25 (5 h4)	1:00.27 (7 h1)	–
14	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:00.24 (4 h4)	1:00.39 (7 h2)	–
15	Georgia Davies	GBR	59.92 (2 h4)	1:00.56 (8 h1)	–
16	Sinéad Russell	CAN	1:00.10 (5 h5)	1:00.57 (8 h2)	–
17	Mie Ø. Nielsen	DEN	1:00.38 (6 h4)	–	–
=18	Daryna Zevina	UKR	1:00.57 (6 h5)	–	–
=18	Duane Da Rocha	ESP	1:00.57 (7 h4)	–	–
20	Sharon van Rouwendaal	NED	1:00.61 (8 h4)	–	–
21	Jenny Mensing	GER	1:00.72 (7 h6)	–	–
22	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:01.03 (8 h6)	–	–
23	Fernanda González	MEX	1:01.28 (1 h3)	–	–
24	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.40 (7 h5)	–	–
25	Alicja Tchórz	POL	1:01.44 (2 h3)	–	–
26	Tao Li	SGP	1:01.60 (1 h2)	–	–
27	Elena Gemo	ITA	1:01.77 (8 h5)	–	–
28	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.81 (3 h3)	–	–
29	Kimberly Buys	BEL	1:01.92 (4 h3)	–	–
30	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.94 (5 h3)	–	–
31	Ekaterina Avramova	BUL	1:02.20 (6 h3)	–	–
32	Eygló Ósk Gústafsdóttir	ISL	1:02.40 (2 h2)	–	–
33	Melanie Nocher	IRL	1:02.44 (3 h2)	–	–
34	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.68 (4 h2)	–	–
35	Therese Svendsen	SWE	1:03.11 (7 h3)	–	–
36	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:03.38 (5 h2)	–	–
37	Eszter Povázsay	HUN	1:03.55 (6 h2)	–	–
38	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:03.64 (7 h2)	–	–
39	Stephanie Au	HKG	1:04.31 (8 h3)	–	–
40	Hazal Sarıkaya	TUR	1:04.80 (8 h2)	–	–
41	Karen Vilorio	HON	1:06.38 (1 h1)	–	–
42	Mònica Ramírez	AND	1:07.72 (2 h1)	–	–
43	Inés Remersaro	URU	1:08.03 (3 h1)	–	–
44	Anahit Barseghyan	ARM	1:08.19 (4 h1)	–	–
45	Angélique Trinquier	MON	1:10.79 (5 h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	29 July 2012 — 10:00
Format	Fastest 16 swimmers advanced to semi-finals

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.23	QOR
2	–	Missy Franklin	USA	59.37	Q
3	–	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.61	Q
4	–	Aya Terakawa	JPN	59.82	Q
5	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.88	Q
6	–	Georgia Davies	GBR	59.92	Q
7	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	59.94	Q
8	–	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	59.96	Q
9	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.97	Q
10	–	Simona Baumrtová	CZE	59.99	Q
11	–	Rachel Bootsma	USA	1:00.03	Q
12	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.05	Q
13	–	Sinéad Russell	CAN	1:00.10	Q
14	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:00.16	Q
15	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:00.24	Q
16	–	Arianna Barbieri	ITA	1:00.25	Q
17	–	Mie Ø. Nielsen	DEN	1:00.38
=18	–	Duane Da Rocha	ESP	1:00.57
=18	–	Daryna Zevina	UKR	1:00.57
20	–	Sharon van Rouwendaal	NED	1:00.61
21	–	Jenny Mensing	GER	1:00.72
22	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:01.03
23	–	Fernanda González	MEX	1:01.28
24	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.40
25	–	Alicja Tchórz	POL	1:01.44
26	–	Tao Li	SGP	1:01.60
27	–	Elena Gemo	ITA	1:01.77
28	–	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.81
29	–	Kimberly Buys	BEL	1:01.92
30	–	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.94
31	–	Ekaterina Avramova	BUL	1:02.20
32	–	Eygló Ósk Gústafsdóttir	ISL	1:02.40
33	–	Melanie Nocher	IRL	1:02.44
34	–	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.68
35	–	Therese Svendsen	SWE	1:03.11
36	–	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:03.38
37	–	Eszter Povázsay	HUN	1:03.55
38	–	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:03.64
39	–	Stephanie Au	HKG	1:04.31
40	–	Hazal Sarıkaya	TUR	1:04.80
41	–	Karen Vilorio	HON	1:06.38
42	–	Mònica Ramírez	AND	1:07.72
43	–	Inés Remersaro	URU	1:08.03
44	–	Anahit Barseghyan	ARM	1:08.19
45	–	Angélique Trinquier	MON	1:10.79

Heat #1

Time	10:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Karen Vilorio	HON	1:06.38	0.74	32.17 (1)	34.21
2	–	Mònica Ramírez	AND	1:07.72	0.67	33.39 (3)	34.33
3	–	Inés Remersaro	URU	1:08.03	0.66	33.45 (4)	34.58
4	–	Anahit Barseghyan	ARM	1:08.19	0.62	32.62 (2)	35.57
5	–	Angélique Trinquier	MON	1:10.79	0.80	33.88 (5)	36.91

Heat #2

Time	10:03

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Tao Li	SGP	1:01.60	0.55	29.80 (1)	31.80
2	–	Eygló Ósk Gústafsdóttir	ISL	1:02.40	0.68	30.42 (=4)	31.98
3	–	Melanie Nocher	IRL	1:02.44	0.69	30.42 (=4)	32.02
4	–	Anja Čarman	SLO	1:02.68	0.68	30.59 (7)	32.09
5	–	Sanja Jovanović	CRO	1:03.38	0.77	30.36 (3)	33.02
6	–	Eszter Povázsay	HUN	1:03.55	0.66	30.57 (6)	32.98
7	–	Yekaterina Rudenko	KAZ	1:03.64	0.73	30.30 (2)	33.34
8	–	Hazal Sarıkaya	TUR	1:04.80	0.67	31.71 (8)	33.09

Heat #3

Time	10:06

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Fernanda González	MEX	1:01.28	0.58	30.05 (2)	31.23
2	–	Alicja Tchórz	POL	1:01.44	0.63	30.18 (3)	31.26
3	–	Carolina Colorado	COL	1:01.81	0.68	30.47 (6)	31.34
4	–	Kimberly Buys	BEL	1:01.92	0.63	29.79 (1)	32.13
5	–	Melissa Ingram	NZL	1:01.94	0.67	30.38 (5)	31.56
6	–	Ekaterina Avramova	BUL	1:02.20	0.64	30.48 (7)	31.72
7	–	Therese Svendsen	SWE	1:03.11	0.72	30.25 (4)	32.86
8	–	Stephanie Au	HKG	1:04.31	0.58	30.89 (8)	33.42

Heat #4

Time	10:09

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.23	0.68	28.57 (1)	29.66	QOR
2	–	Georgia Davies	GBR	59.92	0.69	29.19 (4)	30.73	Q
3	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.97	0.58	29.26 (5)	30.71	Q
4	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:00.24	0.62	29.16 (3)	31.08	Q
5	–	Arianna Barbieri	ITA	1:00.25	0.70	29.10 (2)	31.15	Q
6	–	Mie Ø. Nielsen	DEN	1:00.38	0.62	29.60 (7)	30.78
7	–	Duane Da Rocha	ESP	1:00.57	0.71	29.29 (6)	31.28
8	–	Sharon van Rouwendaal	NED	1:00.61	0.60	29.90 (8)	30.71

Heat #5

Time	10:13

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.88	0.70	29.17 (3)	30.71	Q
2	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	59.94	0.64	28.89 (1)	31.05	Q
3	–	Rachel Bootsma	USA	1:00.03	0.59	29.10 (2)	30.93	Q
4	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	1:00.05	0.67	29.34 (4)	30.71	Q
5	–	Sinéad Russell	CAN	1:00.10	0.64	29.38 (5)	30.72	Q
6	–	Daryna Zevina	UKR	1:00.57	0.61	29.68 (6)	30.89
7	–	Fabíola Molina	BRA	1:01.40	0.61	30.15 (8)	31.25
8	–	Elena Gemo	ITA	1:01.77	0.77	29.93 (7)	31.84

Heat #6

Time	10:16

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Missy Franklin	USA	59.37	0.66	29.09 (2)	30.28	Q
2	–	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.61	0.72	29.38 (=6)	30.23	Q
3	–	Aya Terakawa	JPN	59.82	0.57	29.26 (=3)	30.56	Q
4	–	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	59.96	0.61	28.60 (1)	31.36	Q
5	–	Simona Baumrtová	CZE	59.99	0.60	29.31 (5)	30.68	Q
6	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:00.16	0.75	29.26 (=3)	30.90	Q
7	–	Jenny Mensing	GER	1:00.72	0.76	29.80 (8)	30.92
8	–	Laure Manaudou	FRA	1:01.03	0.62	29.38 (=6)	31.65

Semi-Finals

Date	29 July 2012 — 20:49
Format	Fastest eight swimmers advanced to final

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.39	Q
2	–	Missy Franklin	USA	59.12	Q
3	–	Aya Terakawa	JPN	59.34	Q
4	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.55	Q
5	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.68	Q
6	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.70	Q
7	–	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.79	Q
8	–	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	59.82	Q
9	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	59.91
10	–	Simona Baumrtová	CZE	1:00.02
11	–	Rachel Bootsma	USA	1:00.04
12	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:00.24
13	–	Arianna Barbieri	ITA	1:00.27
14	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:00.39
15	–	Georgia Davies	GBR	1:00.56
16	–	Sinéad Russell	CAN	1:00.57

Heat #1

Time	20:49

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Missy Franklin	USA	59.12	0.64	29.09 (=2)	30.03	Q
2	–	Aya Terakawa	JPN	59.34	0.60	29.01 (1)	30.33	Q
3	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.70	0.69	29.28 (5)	30.42	Q
4	–	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	59.82	0.59	29.13 (4)	30.69	Q
5	–	Simona Baumrtová	CZE	1:00.02	0.61	29.52 (7)	30.50
6	–	Alexianne Castel	FRA	1:00.24	0.73	29.75 (8)	30.49
7	–	Arianna Barbieri	ITA	1:00.27	0.73	29.09 (=2)	31.18
8	–	Georgia Davies	GBR	1:00.56	0.68	29.43 (6)	31.13

Heat #2

Time	20:56

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.39	0.64	28.66 (1)	29.73	Q
2	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.55	0.59	28.97 (3)	30.58	Q
3	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.68	0.71	29.02 (4)	30.66	Q
4	–	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.79	0.73	29.52 (7)	30.27	Q
5	–	Julia Wilkinson	CAN	59.91	0.65	29.09 (5)	30.82
6	–	Rachel Bootsma	USA	1:00.04	0.59	28.71 (2)	31.33
7	–	Kirsty Coventry	ZIM	1:00.39	0.61	29.59 (8)	30.80
8	–	Sinéad Russell	CAN	1:00.57	0.64	29.45 (6)	31.12

Final Round

Date	30 July 2012 — 19:51

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Missy Franklin	USA	58.33	0.63	28.82 (2)	29.51
2	–	Emily Seebohm	AUS	58.68	0.65	28.57 (1)	30.11
3	–	Aya Terakawa	JPN	58.83	0.58	28.96 (5)	29.87
4	–	Anastasiya Zuyeva	RUS	59.00	0.71	28.82 (2)	30.18
5	–	Gemma Spofforth	GBR	59.20	0.67	29.03 (6)	30.17
6	–	Zhao Jing	CHN	59.23	0.57	28.84 (4)	30.39
7	–	Belinda Hocking	AUS	59.29	0.67	29.35 (8)	29.94
8	–	Fu Yuanhui	CHN	1:00.50	0.60	29.23 (7)	31.27