200 metres Backstroke, Men

John Naber was favored in this race, defeating Roland Matthes in the 100 backstroke five days earlier, and also holding the world record, bettering Matthes previous mark at the US Olympic trials in June, at Long Beach. However, in addition to the gold medal, the two-minute barrier, never bettered for the 200 back, also hung out there as a goal.

Naber qualified fastest but with a somewhat slower time, saying later he had trouble getting motivated for his “11th or 12th swim” in Montréal. Not so for the final. Naber went out in 27.73 to lead by a full second over Peter Rocca, silver medalist in the 100 back, with the third American, Dan Harrigan, stroke-for-stroke with Rocca. At 100 metres, Naber led in 57.45, a time that would have placed him fifth in the 100 backstroke final. Only in the final lap did Rocca make any inroads on the lead, but Naber finished in 1:59.19 to win the gold medal by 1.36 seconds, and become the first swimmer under the magic two-minute barrier. Rocca and Harrigan completed the American sweep, with Australia’s Mark Tonelli, the 1974 Commonwealth Games champion in the 100 backstroke, placing fourth in the Commonwealth record of 2:03.17. This completed the Olympics for John Naber, who won five medals, four of them gold, in Montréal.