| | Event type

200 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	22 July 1976
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscine olympique, Montréal, Québec
Participants	40 from 22 countries

Shirley Babashoff had won this event at the 1975 World Championships but in June 1976, the GDR’s Kornelia Ender became the first woman to swim 200 metres in under two minutes, breaking the world record in Berlin in 1:59.78. On the night of the 200 final, Ender won the 100 metre butterfly gold medal, finishing at 1948. She received her gold medal for that event at 2001, and seven minutes later was back on the pool deck for the 200 freestyle final.

Ender had a new plan for the final. At the 1975 World she had taken it out hard and died on the final 100 to allow Babashoff to pass her the title. In Montréal she let Babashoff take the lead through 100 metres, and they were virtually even at 150. Then Ender turned on the jets, finishing the final 50 in 28.88, almost as fast as her opening 50 of 28.63, and beating Babashoff with another world record of 1:59.26. Dutchwoman Enith Brigitha placed third, as she had in the 100 freestyle a few days before. Ender would finish the Montréal Olympics with four gold medals, and one silver, added to the three silvers she had won in Munich, when she was only 13-years-old.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	99	Kornelia Ender	GDR	2:02.50 (1 h6)	1:59.26 (1)	Gold
2	220	Shirley Babashoff	USA	2:01.64 (1 h5)	2:01.22 (2)	Silver
3	131	Enith Brigitha	NED	2:01.54 (1 h4)	2:01.40 (3)	Bronze
4	136	Annelies Maas	NED	2:03.01 (2 h5)	2:02.56 (4)
5	35	Gail Amundrud	CAN	2:03.85 (1 h2)	2:03.32 (5)
6	232	Jennifer Hooker	USA	2:03.72 (2 h4)	2:04.20 (6)
7	102	Claudia Hempel	GDR	2:03.36 (1 h1)	2:04.61 (7)
8	217	Irina Vlasova	URS	2:03.67 (1 h3)	2:05.63 (8)
=9	173	Rebecca Perrott	NZL	2:03.94 (2 h3)	–
=9	243	Jill Sterkel	USA	2:03.94 (2 h6)	–
11	215	Larisa Tsaryova	URS	2:03.98 (2 h1)	–
12	138	Ineke Ran	NED	2:05.01 (3 h6)	–
13	41	Debbie Clarke	CAN	2:05.10 (2 h2)	–
14	47	Anne Jardin	CAN	2:05.28 (3 h5)	–
15	207	Lyubov Kobzova	URS	2:05.55 (3 h2)	–
16	–	Michelle Ford	AUS	2:05.72 (4 h6)	–
17	109	Andrea Pollack	GDR	2:06.12 (3 h3)	–
18	126	Marion Platten	FRG	2:06.70 (4 h3)	–
19	71	Guylaine Berger	FRA	2:06.74 (4 h5)	–
20	28	Anne Richard	BEL	2:07.90 (3 h4)	–
21	128	Jutta Weber	FRG	2:08.02 (3 h1)	–
22	10	Lesleigh Harvey	AUS	2:08.60 (4 h4)	–
23	82	Susan Barnard	GBR	2:08.76 (5 h6)	–
24	192	Gunilla Lundberg	SWE	2:09.51 (4 h2)	–
25	193	Pia Mårtensson	SWE	2:09.85 (5 h4)	–
26	87	Susan Edmondson	GBR	2:10.08 (5 h5)	–
27	–	Sonya Gray	AUS	2:10.73 (4 h1)	–
28	84	Ann Bradshaw	GBR	2:10.93 (6 h4)	–
29	199	Rachaneewan Bulakul	THA	2:12.92 (5 h1)	–
30	60	María París	CRC	2:13.17 (6 h6)	–
31	257	Vania Vázquez	VEN	2:13.54 (6 h5)	–
32	254	María Pérez	VEN	2:13.97 (7 h6)	–
33	–	Vilborg Sverrisdóttir	ISL	2:14.27 (6 h1)	–
34	124	Regina Nissen	FRG	2:14.66 (5 h3)	–
35	148	Shelley Cramer	ISV	2:14.94 (7 h5)	–
36	145	Deirdre Sheehan	IRL	2:15.69 (6 h3)	–
37	176	Georgina Osorio	PAN	2:19.06 (7 h4)	–
38	–	Susana Coppo	ARG	2:19.26 (7 h3)	–
39	179	Jane Fayer	PUR	2:19.93 (5 h2)	–
40	129	Raphaelynne Lee	HKG	2:20.76 (6 h2)	–
DNS	61	María Ramón	CUB	– (DNS h2)	–
DNS	–	Myriam Mizouni	TUN	– (DNS h6)	–

Round One

Date	22 July 1976 — 11:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Enith Brigitha	NED	2:01.54	QOR
2	–	Shirley Babashoff	USA	2:01.64	Q
3	–	Kornelia Ender	GDR	2:02.50	Q
4	–	Annelies Maas	NED	2:03.01	Q
5	–	Claudia Hempel	GDR	2:03.36	QOR
6	–	Irina Vlasova	URS	2:03.67	Q
7	–	Jennifer Hooker	USA	2:03.72	Q
8	–	Gail Amundrud	CAN	2:03.85	Q
=9	–	Rebecca Perrott	NZL	2:03.94
=9	–	Jill Sterkel	USA	2:03.94
11	–	Larisa Tsaryova	URS	2:03.98
12	–	Ineke Ran	NED	2:05.01
13	–	Debbie Clarke	CAN	2:05.10
14	–	Anne Jardin	CAN	2:05.28
15	–	Lyubov Kobzova	URS	2:05.55
16	–	Michelle Ford	AUS	2:05.72
17	–	Andrea Pollack	GDR	2:06.12
18	–	Marion Platten	FRG	2:06.70
19	–	Guylaine Berger	FRA	2:06.74
20	–	Anne Richard	BEL	2:07.90
21	–	Jutta Weber	FRG	2:08.02
22	–	Lesleigh Harvey	AUS	2:08.60
23	–	Susan Barnard	GBR	2:08.76
24	–	Gunilla Lundberg	SWE	2:09.51
25	–	Pia Mårtensson	SWE	2:09.85
26	–	Susan Edmondson	GBR	2:10.08
27	–	Sonya Gray	AUS	2:10.73
28	–	Ann Bradshaw	GBR	2:10.93
29	–	Rachaneewan Bulakul	THA	2:12.92
30	–	María París	CRC	2:13.17
31	–	Vania Vázquez	VEN	2:13.54
32	–	María Pérez	VEN	2:13.97
33	–	Vilborg Sverrisdóttir	ISL	2:14.27
34	–	Regina Nissen	FRG	2:14.66
35	–	Shelley Cramer	ISV	2:14.94
36	–	Deirdre Sheehan	IRL	2:15.69
37	–	Georgina Osorio	PAN	2:19.06
38	–	Susana Coppo	ARG	2:19.26
39	–	Jane Fayer	PUR	2:19.93
40	–	Raphaelynne Lee	HKG	2:20.76
DNS	–	María Ramón	CUB	–
DNS	–	Myriam Mizouni	TUN	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Claudia Hempel	GDR	2:03.36	29.07 (2)	1:00.43 (1)	1:32.16 (1)	31.36 (1)	31.73 (1)	31.20 (1)	QOR
2	–	Larisa Tsaryova	URS	2:03.98	29.02 (1)	1:00.81 (2)	1:32.65 (2)	31.79 (2)	31.84 (2)	31.33 (2)
3	–	Jutta Weber	FRG	2:08.02	29.95 (4)	1:02.89 (4)	1:35.92 (3)	32.94 (4)	33.03 (3)	32.10 (3)
4	–	Sonya Gray	AUS	2:10.73	29.89 (3)	1:02.62 (3)	1:36.18 (4)	32.73 (3)	33.56 (4)	34.55 (5)
5	–	Rachaneewan Bulakul	THA	2:12.92	31.13 (5)	1:05.85 (6)	1:39.86 (6)	34.72 (6)	34.01 (5)	33.06 (4)
6	–	Vilborg Sverrisdóttir	ISL	2:14.27	31.22 (6)	1:04.75 (5)	1:39.60 (5)	33.53 (5)	34.85 (6)	34.67 (6)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Gail Amundrud	CAN	2:03.85	29.24 (1)	1:00.57 (1)	1:32.06 (1)	31.33 (1)	31.49 (1)	31.79 (1)	Q
2	–	Debbie Clarke	CAN	2:05.10	29.61 (3)	1:01.15 (3)	1:33.15 (2)	31.54 (2)	32.00 (2)	31.95 (2)
3	–	Lyubov Kobzova	URS	2:05.55	29.26 (2)	1:01.05 (2)	1:33.35 (3)	31.79 (3)	32.30 (3)	32.20 (3)
4	–	Gunilla Lundberg	SWE	2:09.51	29.89 (4)	1:02.34 (4)	1:36.00 (4)	32.45 (4)	33.66 (4)	33.51 (4)
5	–	Jane Fayer	PUR	2:19.93	32.60 (5)	1:07.90 (6)	1:43.85 (5)	35.30 (6)	35.95 (5)	36.08 (5)
6	–	Raphaelynne Lee	HKG	2:20.76	32.64 (6)	1:07.75 (5)	1:44.38 (6)	35.11 (5)	36.63 (6)	36.38 (6)
DNS	–	María Ramón	CUB	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Irina Vlasova	URS	2:03.67	29.56 (=3)	1:01.27 (1)	1:32.66 (1)	31.71 (1)	31.39 (1)	31.01 (2)	Q
2	–	Rebecca Perrott	NZL	2:03.94	29.56 (=3)	1:01.67 (3)	1:33.35 (2)	32.11 (3)	31.68 (2)	30.59 (1)
3	–	Andrea Pollack	GDR	2:06.12	29.50 (2)	1:01.58 (2)	1:33.59 (3)	32.08 (2)	32.01 (3)	32.53 (4)
4	–	Marion Platten	FRG	2:06.70	29.42 (1)	1:01.73 (4)	1:34.48 (4)	32.31 (4)	32.75 (4)	32.22 (3)
5	–	Regina Nissen	FRG	2:14.66	30.53 (5)	1:04.73 (5)	1:39.75 (5)	34.20 (5)	35.02 (5)	34.91 (6)
6	–	Deirdre Sheehan	IRL	2:15.69	30.91 (6)	1:05.38 (6)	1:41.28 (6)	34.47 (6)	35.90 (6)	34.41 (5)
7	–	Susana Coppo	ARG	2:19.26	31.41 (7)	1:06.62 (7)	1:43.47 (7)	35.21 (7)	36.85 (7)	35.79 (7)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Enith Brigitha	NED	2:01.54	28.50 (1)	59.29 (1)	1:30.37 (1)	30.79 (1)	31.08 (1)	31.17 (1)	QOR
2	–	Jennifer Hooker	USA	2:03.72	28.96 (2)	1:00.44 (2)	1:32.39 (2)	31.48 (2)	31.95 (2)	31.33 (2)	Q
3	–	Anne Richard	BEL	2:07.90	30.78 (6)	1:03.18 (6)	1:35.89 (4)	32.40 (5)	32.71 (3)	32.01 (3)
4	–	Lesleigh Harvey	AUS	2:08.60	30.18 (3)	1:02.51 (3)	1:35.64 (3)	32.33 (4)	33.13 (4)	32.96 (4)
5	–	Pia Mårtensson	SWE	2:09.85	30.50 (5)	1:02.71 (4)	1:36.06 (5)	32.21 (3)	33.35 (5)	33.79 (5)
6	–	Ann Bradshaw	GBR	2:10.93	30.22 (4)	1:02.78 (5)	1:36.71 (6)	32.56 (6)	33.93 (6)	34.22 (6)
7	–	Georgina Osorio	PAN	2:19.06	31.88 (7)	1:07.06 (7)	1:43.34 (7)	35.18 (7)	36.28 (7)	35.72 (7)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Shirley Babashoff	USA	2:01.64	28.93 (1)	59.68 (1)	1:30.97 (1)	30.75 (1)	31.29 (2)	30.67 (1)	Q
2	–	Annelies Maas	NED	2:03.01	29.45 (4)	1:01.08 (2)	1:32.24 (2)	31.63 (2)	31.16 (1)	30.77 (2)	Q
3	–	Anne Jardin	CAN	2:05.28	29.33 (3)	1:01.11 (3)	1:33.26 (3)	31.78 (3)	32.15 (3)	32.02 (3)
4	–	Guylaine Berger	FRA	2:06.74	29.28 (2)	1:01.43 (4)	1:34.26 (4)	32.15 (5)	32.83 (4)	32.48 (4)
5	–	Susan Edmondson	GBR	2:10.08	30.14 (5)	1:02.20 (5)	1:35.57 (5)	32.06 (4)	33.37 (5)	34.51 (7)
6	–	Vania Vázquez	VEN	2:13.54	31.26 (6)	1:05.01 (6)	1:39.41 (6)	33.75 (6)	34.40 (6)	34.13 (5)
7	–	Shelley Cramer	ISV	2:14.94	31.47 (7)	1:05.80 (7)	1:40.75 (7)	34.33 (7)	34.95 (7)	34.19 (6)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kornelia Ender	GDR	2:02.50	28.33 (1)	59.55 (1)	1:31.34 (1)	31.22 (1)	31.79 (1)	31.16 (3)	Q
2	–	Jill Sterkel	USA	2:03.94	29.82 (2)	1:01.87 (3)	1:33.90 (3)	32.05 (4)	32.03 (=3)	30.04 (1)
3	–	Ineke Ran	NED	2:05.01	30.31 (4)	1:02.09 (4)	1:34.12 (4)	31.78 (3)	32.03 (=3)	30.89 (2)
4	–	Michelle Ford	AUS	2:05.72	30.05 (3)	1:01.79 (2)	1:33.76 (2)	31.74 (2)	31.97 (2)	31.96 (4)
5	–	Susan Barnard	GBR	2:08.76	30.53 (5)	1:03.12 (5)	1:36.41 (5)	32.59 (5)	33.29 (5)	32.35 (5)
6	–	María París	CRC	2:13.17	30.84 (6)	1:03.79 (6)	1:38.60 (6)	32.95 (6)	34.81 (7)	34.57 (7)
7	–	María Pérez	VEN	2:13.97	31.61 (7)	1:06.03 (7)	1:40.49 (7)	34.42 (7)	34.46 (6)	33.48 (6)
DNS	–	Myriam Mizouni	TUN	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Final Round

Date	22 July 1976 — 19:45

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	100 m	150 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)	100-150 m Time (Rank)	150-200 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kornelia Ender	GDR	1:59.26	28.63 (2)	59.36 (2)	1:30.38 (1)	30.73 (2)	31.02 (1)	28.88 (1)	WR
2	–	Shirley Babashoff	USA	2:01.22	28.56 (1)	59.27 (1)	1:30.45 (2)	30.71 (1)	31.18 (2)	30.77 (3)
3	–	Enith Brigitha	NED	2:01.40	28.91 (4)	1:00.24 (5)	1:31.64 (5)	31.33 (5)	31.40 (4)	29.76 (2)
4	–	Annelies Maas	NED	2:02.56	29.13 (5)	1:00.16 (4)	1:31.42 (4)	31.03 (4)	31.26 (3)	31.14 (4)
5	–	Gail Amundrud	CAN	2:03.32	28.87 (3)	59.69 (3)	1:31.36 (3)	30.82 (3)	31.67 (5)	31.96 (7)
6	–	Jennifer Hooker	USA	2:04.20	29.25 (7)	1:00.66 (7)	1:32.80 (7)	31.41 (7)	32.14 (7)	31.40 (5)
7	–	Claudia Hempel	GDR	2:04.61	29.17 (6)	1:00.51 (6)	1:32.61 (6)	31.34 (6)	32.10 (6)	32.00 (8)
8	–	Irina Vlasova	URS	2:05.63	29.72 (8)	1:01.41 (8)	1:33.72 (8)	31.69 (8)	32.31 (8)	31.91 (6)