| | Event type

50 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	24 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants	71 from 44 countries

This was the first time that 50 metre freestyle was contested at the Olympics, although there had been a 50 yard freestyle back in 1904. The winner of that event, Hungarian Zoltán von Halmay was not in Seoul to defend his title.

The two favorites were the American Tom Jager and Matt Biondi, who had traded the world record between them since Jager first swam 22.40 in 1985. Biondi broke the mark in 1986 with 22.33, equaling that in 1987, but then Jager swam 22.32 to win the 1987 Pan Pacs, and improved to 22.23 at the 1988 US Nationals. Jager was a slight favorite, having won not only those two races, but also the 1986 Worlds. One swimmer not challenging was South African Peter Williams, who could not be in Seoul because the IOC did not recognize South Africa, and also could not technically hold the world record, although he had the world’s best ever time of 22.18.

The final saw Biondi lead off the blocks, which was an upset in itself, as Jager had always been the faster starter. Biondi always finished faster, and with that start, he could not be caught, winning in a world record 22.14, with Jager finishing second in 22.36. Bronze went to Soviet Gennady Prigoda, runner-up at the 1987 Europeans, edging out Switzerland’s Dano Halsall, runner-up at the 1986 Worlds. This was Biondi’s sixth medal, and fourth gold, of the Seoul Olympics.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	548	Matt Biondi	USA	22.39 (1 h8)	–	22.14 (1)	Gold
2	561	Tom Jager	USA	22.61 (2 h9)	–	22.36 (2)	Silver
3	534	Gennady Prigoda	URS	22.57 (1 h9)	–	22.71 (3)	Bronze
4	472	Dano Halsall	SUI	22.61 (1 h7)	–	22.83 (4)
5	473	Stéfan Voléry	SUI	23.04 (3 h8)	–	22.84 (5)
6	539	Vladimir Tkachenko	URS	22.81 (2 h7)	–	22.88 (6)
7	207	Frank Henter	FRG	22.98 (3 h7)	–	23.03 (7)
8	7	Andrew Baildon	AUS	22.99 (2 h8)	–	23.15 (8)
9	484	Göran Titus	SWE	23.44 (5 h8)	23.28 (1)	–
10	480	Per Johansson	SWE	23.12 (4 h8)	23.37 (2)	–
11	459	Ang Peng Siong	SGP	23.08 (3 h9)	23.39 (3)	–
12	108	Shen Jianqiang	CHN	23.41 (=5 h9)	23.40 (4)	–
13	186	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	23.47 (1 h6)	23.45 (5)	–
14	205	Stephan Güsgen	FRG	23.22 (4 h9)	23.55 (6)	–
15	70	Mark Andrews	CAN	23.44 (1 h4)	23.64 (7)	–
16	604	Hilton Woods	AHO	23.46 (6 h8)	23.65 (8)	–
17	173	Stéphan Caron	FRA	23.22 (4 h7)	–	–		1
18	67	Tsvetan Golomeev	BUL	23.41 (=5 h9)	–	–		2
19	96	Feng Qiangbiao	CHN	23.47 (7 h9)	–	–
=20	127	Vagn Høgholm	DEN	23.50 (5 h7)	–	–
=20	298	Hans Kroes	NED	23.50 (8 h9)	–	–
22	240	Mark Foster	GBR	23.51 (6 h7)	–	–
23	491	Petr Kladiva	TCH	23.53 (7 h7)	–	–
24	457	Manuel Guzmán	PUR	23.61 (1 h5)	–	–
25	239	Mike Fibbens	GBR	23.67 (2 h6)	–	–
26	131	Peter Rohde	DEN	23.70 (7 h8)	–	–
27	25	Tom Stachewicz	AUS	23.72 (3 h6)	–	–
28	419	Yves Clausse	LUX	23.99 (4 h6)	–	–
29	424	Rodrigo González	MEX	24.01 (8 h8)	–	–
30	454	Paulo Trindade	POR	24.02 (5 h6)	–	–
31	450	Sérgio Esteves	POR	24.24 (2 h5)	–	–
32	44	Garvin Ferguson	BAH	24.25 (1 h1)	–	–
=33	58	José Moreira	BRA	24.26 (8 h7)	–	–
=33	439	Eric Buhain	PHI	24.26 (2 h4)	–	–
35	286	Johnny Li	HKG	24.30 (3 h5)	–	–
36	38	Markus Opatril	AUT	24.32 (6 h6)	–	–
37	55	Jorge Fernandes	BRA	24.40 (4 h5)	–	–
38	40	Alexander Pilhatsch	AUT	24.42 (7 h6)	–	–
39	291	Michael Wright	HKG	24.47 (5 h5)	–	–
40	335	Magnús Ólafsson	ISL	24.50 (6 h5)	–	–
41	326	Richard Bera	INA	24.63 (3 h4)	–	–
=42	138	Mohamed El-Azoul	EGY	24.64 (7 h5)	–	–
=42	499	Murat Tahir	TUR	24.64 (4 h4)	–	–
44	339	Hans Foerster	ISV	24.72 (5 h4)	–	–
=45	429	Urbano Zea	MEX	24.86 (8 h6)	–	–
=45	463	Oon Jin Gee	SGP	24.86 (1 h3)	–	–
47	340	Ronald Pickard	ISV	25.01 (2 h3)	–	–
48	139	Mohamed Hassan	EGY	25.11 (8 h5)	–	–
49	48	Paul Yelle	BAR	25.15 (2 h1)	–	–
50	498	Hakan Eskioğlu	TUR	25.24 (6 h4)	–	–
51	495	Chiang Chi-Li	TPE	25.26 (3 h3)	–	–
52	602	Vaughan Smith	ZIM	25.29 (4 h3)	–	–
53	603	Graham Thompson	ZIM	25.38 (5 h3)	–	–
54	407	Song Gwang-Seon	KOR	25.40 (6 h3)	–	–
55	327	Wirmandi Sugriat	INA	25.55 (7 h3)	–	–
56	607	Bruno N'Diaye	SEN	25.63 (8 h3)	–	–
57	165	Warren Sorby	FIJ	25.64 (1 h2)	–	–
58	300	Pablo Barahona	HON	25.79 (2 h2)	–	–
59	430	Sergio Fafitine	MOZ	25.97 (3 h1)	–	–
60	301	Plutarco Castellanos	HON	26.00 (3 h2)	–	–
61	414	Hasan Al-Shammari	KUW	26.27 (4 h2)	–	–
62	164	Jason Chute	FIJ	26.46 (5 h2)	–	–
=63	465	Michele Piva	SMR	26.60 (=6 h2)	–	–
=63	504	Ahmad Faraj	UAE	26.60 (=6 h2)	–	–
65	488	Trevor Ncala	SWZ	26.88 (8 h2)	–	–
66	464	Filippo Piva	SMR	26.96 (4 h1)	–	–
67	416	Amine El-Domyati	LBN	27.34 (5 h1)	–	–
68	505	Mubarak Faraj Bilal	UAE	27.60 (6 h1)	–	–
69	487	Yul Mark Du Pont	SWZ	27.93 (7 h1)	–	–
DQ	4	Pedro Lima	ANG	– (DQ h4)	–	–
DQ	606	Mouhamed Diop	SEN	– (DQ h4)	–	–

Round One

Date	24 September 1988 — 10:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Matt Biondi	USA	22.39	QOR
2	–	Gennady Prigoda	URS	22.57	Q
=3	–	Dano Halsall	SUI	22.61	QOR
=3	–	Tom Jager	USA	22.61	Q
5	–	Vladimir Tkachenko	URS	22.81	Q
6	–	Frank Henter	FRG	22.98	Q
7	–	Andrew Baildon	AUS	22.99	Q
8	–	Stéfan Voléry	SUI	23.04	Q
9	–	Ang Peng Siong	SGP	23.08	q
10	–	Per Johansson	SWE	23.12	q
=11	–	Stéphan Caron	FRA	23.22	q
=11	–	Stephan Güsgen	FRG	23.22	q
=13	–	Shen Jianqiang	CHN	23.41	q
=13	–	Tsvetan Golomeev	BUL	23.41	q
=15	–	Mark Andrews	CAN	23.44	QBOR
=15	–	Göran Titus	SWE	23.44	q
17	–	Hilton Woods	AHO	23.46
=18	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	23.47
=18	–	Feng Qiangbiao	CHN	23.47
=20	–	Vagn Høgholm	DEN	23.50
=20	–	Hans Kroes	NED	23.50
22	–	Mark Foster	GBR	23.51
23	–	Petr Kladiva	TCH	23.53
24	–	Manuel Guzmán	PUR	23.61
25	–	Mike Fibbens	GBR	23.67
26	–	Peter Rohde	DEN	23.70
27	–	Tom Stachewicz	AUS	23.72
28	–	Yves Clausse	LUX	23.99
29	–	Rodrigo González	MEX	24.01
30	–	Paulo Trindade	POR	24.02
31	–	Sérgio Esteves	POR	24.24
32	–	Garvin Ferguson	BAH	24.25	OR
=33	–	Eric Buhain	PHI	24.26
=33	–	José Moreira	BRA	24.26
35	–	Johnny Li	HKG	24.30
36	–	Markus Opatril	AUT	24.32
37	–	Jorge Fernandes	BRA	24.40
38	–	Alexander Pilhatsch	AUT	24.42
39	–	Michael Wright	HKG	24.47
40	–	Magnús Ólafsson	ISL	24.50
41	–	Richard Bera	INA	24.63
=42	–	Murat Tahir	TUR	24.64
=42	–	Mohamed El-Azoul	EGY	24.64
44	–	Hans Foerster	ISV	24.72
=45	–	Oon Jin Gee	SGP	24.86
=45	–	Urbano Zea	MEX	24.86
47	–	Ronald Pickard	ISV	25.01
48	–	Mohamed Hassan	EGY	25.11
49	–	Paul Yelle	BAR	25.15
50	–	Hakan Eskioğlu	TUR	25.24
51	–	Chiang Chi-Li	TPE	25.26
52	–	Vaughan Smith	ZIM	25.29
53	–	Graham Thompson	ZIM	25.38
54	–	Song Gwang-Seon	KOR	25.40
55	–	Wirmandi Sugriat	INA	25.55
56	–	Bruno N'Diaye	SEN	25.63
57	–	Warren Sorby	FIJ	25.64
58	–	Pablo Barahona	HON	25.79
59	–	Sergio Fafitine	MOZ	25.97
60	–	Plutarco Castellanos	HON	26.00
61	–	Hasan Al-Shammari	KUW	26.27
62	–	Jason Chute	FIJ	26.46
=63	–	Ahmad Faraj	UAE	26.60
=63	–	Michele Piva	SMR	26.60
65	–	Trevor Ncala	SWZ	26.88
66	–	Filippo Piva	SMR	26.96
67	–	Amine El-Domyati	LBN	27.34
68	–	Mubarak Faraj Bilal	UAE	27.60
69	–	Yul Mark Du Pont	SWZ	27.93
DQ	–	Pedro Lima	ANG	–
DQ	–	Mouhamed Diop	SEN	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Garvin Ferguson	BAH	24.25	OR
2	–	Paul Yelle	BAR	25.15
3	–	Sergio Fafitine	MOZ	25.97
4	–	Filippo Piva	SMR	26.96
5	–	Amine El-Domyati	LBN	27.34
6	–	Mubarak Faraj Bilal	UAE	27.60
7	–	Yul Mark Du Pont	SWZ	27.93

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Warren Sorby	FIJ	25.64
2	–	Pablo Barahona	HON	25.79
3	–	Plutarco Castellanos	HON	26.00
4	–	Hasan Al-Shammari	KUW	26.27
5	–	Jason Chute	FIJ	26.46
=6	–	Ahmad Faraj	UAE	26.60
=6	–	Michele Piva	SMR	26.60
8	–	Trevor Ncala	SWZ	26.88

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Oon Jin Gee	SGP	24.86
2	–	Ronald Pickard	ISV	25.01
3	–	Chiang Chi-Li	TPE	25.26
4	–	Vaughan Smith	ZIM	25.29
5	–	Graham Thompson	ZIM	25.38
6	–	Song Gwang-Seon	KOR	25.40
7	–	Wirmandi Sugriat	INA	25.55
8	–	Bruno N'Diaye	SEN	25.63

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Mark Andrews	CAN	23.44	QBOR
2	–	Eric Buhain	PHI	24.26
3	–	Richard Bera	INA	24.63
4	–	Murat Tahir	TUR	24.64
5	–	Hans Foerster	ISV	24.72
6	–	Hakan Eskioğlu	TUR	25.24
DQ	–	Pedro Lima	ANG	–
DQ	–	Mouhamed Diop	SEN	–

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Manuel Guzmán	PUR	23.61
2	–	Sérgio Esteves	POR	24.24
3	–	Johnny Li	HKG	24.30
4	–	Jorge Fernandes	BRA	24.40
5	–	Michael Wright	HKG	24.47
6	–	Magnús Ólafsson	ISL	24.50
7	–	Mohamed El-Azoul	EGY	24.64
8	–	Mohamed Hassan	EGY	25.11

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	23.47
2	–	Mike Fibbens	GBR	23.67
3	–	Tom Stachewicz	AUS	23.72
4	–	Yves Clausse	LUX	23.99
5	–	Paulo Trindade	POR	24.02
6	–	Markus Opatril	AUT	24.32
7	–	Alexander Pilhatsch	AUT	24.42
8	–	Urbano Zea	MEX	24.86

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Dano Halsall	SUI	22.61	QOR
2	–	Vladimir Tkachenko	URS	22.81	Q
3	–	Frank Henter	FRG	22.98	Q
4	–	Stéphan Caron	FRA	23.22	q
5	–	Vagn Høgholm	DEN	23.50
6	–	Mark Foster	GBR	23.51
7	–	Petr Kladiva	TCH	23.53
8	–	José Moreira	BRA	24.26

Heat #8

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Matt Biondi	USA	22.39	QOR
2	–	Andrew Baildon	AUS	22.99	Q
3	–	Stéfan Voléry	SUI	23.04	Q
4	–	Per Johansson	SWE	23.12	q
5	–	Göran Titus	SWE	23.44	q
6	–	Hilton Woods	AHO	23.46
7	–	Peter Rohde	DEN	23.70
8	–	Rodrigo González	MEX	24.01

Heat #9

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Gennady Prigoda	URS	22.57	Q
2	–	Tom Jager	USA	22.61	Q
3	–	Ang Peng Siong	SGP	23.08	q
4	–	Stephan Güsgen	FRG	23.22	q
=5	–	Shen Jianqiang	CHN	23.41	q
=5	–	Tsvetan Golomeev	BUL	23.41	q
7	–	Feng Qiangbiao	CHN	23.47
8	–	Hans Kroes	NED	23.50

B Final

Date	24 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Göran Titus	SWE	23.28
2	–	Per Johansson	SWE	23.37
3	–	Ang Peng Siong	SGP	23.39
4	–	Shen Jianqiang	CHN	23.40
5	–	Christophe Kalfayan	FRA	23.45
6	–	Stephan Güsgen	FRG	23.55
7	–	Mark Andrews	CAN	23.64
8	–	Hilton Woods	AHO	23.65

Final Round

Date	24 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Matt Biondi	USA	22.14	WR
2	–	Tom Jager	USA	22.36
3	–	Gennady Prigoda	URS	22.71
4	–	Dano Halsall	SUI	22.83
5	–	Stéfan Voléry	SUI	22.84
6	–	Vladimir Tkachenko	URS	22.88
7	–	Frank Henter	FRG	23.03
8	–	Andrew Baildon	AUS	23.15