| | Event type

100 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	18 – 19 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants	57 from 35 countries

The heavy favorite was East German Kristin Otto, the reigning World and European champion, and the world record holder. She was looking for a Spitz-like performance in Seoul, aiming for six gold medals, and her first race was the 100 freestyle. Swimming World noted that this race was the first time in 12 years that all the world’s top swimmers had gathered at the Olympics. Otto was expected to be challenged by Americans Dara Torres, winner of the 1987 Pan Pacs and 1988 world leader with 55.30, and Mitzi Kremer, ranked third in the world in 1988. But they were non-factors, as Kremer did not make the final, and Torres would finish only seventh.

In the final, Otto was challenged by China’s surprising Zhuang Yong, who had been ranked only 12th in the world in 1987 and was only ninth in 1988 coming into the Olympics. Otto won easily, Zhuang setting a PR of 55.50 for the silver, the first Olympic medal won by a Chinese swimmer. France’s Catherine Plewinski was another surprise, winning the bronze medal, although she even admitted she did not think she could qualify for the A final. She had never medaled at an international meet before.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	177	Kristin Otto	GDR	55.80 (2 h8)	–	54.93 (1)	Gold
2	88	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.84 (1 h6)	–	55.47 (2)	Silver
3	121	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.53 (1 h8)	–	55.49 (3)	Bronze
4	181	Manuela Stellmach	GDR	56.14 (1 h7)	–	55.52 (4)
5	93	Sylvia Poll	CRC	56.16 (3 h8)	–	55.90 (5)
6	192	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.29 (2 h7)	–	56.15 (6)
7	338	Dara Torres	USA	56.37 (4 h8)	–	56.25 (7)
8	198	Conny van Bentum	NED	56.50 (3 h7)	–	56.54 (8)
9	314	Nataliya Trefilova	URS	56.66 (2 h6)	56.48 (1)	–
10	232	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.29 (1 h5)	56.72 (2)	–
11	272	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.67 (4 h7)	56.79 (3)	–
12	327	Mitzi Kremer	USA	56.97 (4 h6)	56.83 (4)	–
13	95	Gitta Jensen	DEN	57.28 (5 h8)	57.02 (5)	–
14	27	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	56.84 (3 h6)	57.04 (6)	–
15	306	Svetlana Isakova	URS	57.17 (6 h7)	57.07 (7)	–
16	271	Tamara Costache	ROU	56.79 (5 h7)	57.11 (8)	–
17	66	Andrea Nugent	CAN	57.33 (6 h8)	–	–
18	277	Marie-Thérèse Armentero	SUI	57.35 (7 h8)	–	–
19	137	Christiane Pielke	FRG	57.47 (8 h8)	–	–
20	61	Jane Kerr	CAN	57.55 (5 h6)	–	–
21	290	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.57 (2 h5)	–	–
22	13	Susie Baumer	AUS	57.76 (1 h4)	–	–
23	76	Lou Yaping	CHN	57.79 (6 h6)	–	–
24	48	Natasha Hristova	BUL	57.80 (7 h7)	–	–
25	149	Annabelle Cripps	GBR	57.81 (3 h5)	–	–
26	100	Pia Sørensen	DEN	57.82 (7 h6)	–	–
27	286	Karin Furuhed	SWE	57.97 (4 h5)	–	–
28	150	June Croft	GBR	58.19 (5 h5)	–	–
=29	115	Jacqueline Delord	FRA	58.22 (6 h5)	–	–
=29	218	Silvia Persi	ITA	58.22 (8 h6)	–	–
31	143	Katja Ziliox	FRG	58.39 (8 h7)	–	–
32	235	Kaori Sasaki	JPN	58.40 (7 h5)	–	–
33	300	Senda Gharbi	TUN	58.51 (8 h5)	–	–
34	40	Adriana Pereira	BRA	58.53 (2 h4)	–	–
35	299	Karen Dieffenthaler	TTO	58.64 (3 h4)	–	–
36	257	Patricia Kohlmann	MEX	59.05 (4 h4)	–	–
37	44	Isabele Vieira	BRA	59.15 (5 h4)	–	–
38	258	María Rivera	MEX	59.32 (6 h4)	–	–
39	266	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.41 (1 h3)	–	–
40	210	Bryndís Ólafsdóttir	ISL	59.56 (7 h4)	–	–
41	92	Carolina Mauri	CRC	1:00.14 (2 h3)	–	–
42	188	Celeste Hung	HKG	1:00.18 (8 h4)	–	–
43	243	Kim Eun-Jeong	KOR	1:00.39 (3 h3)	–	–
44	201	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.11 (4 h3)	–	–
45	190	Fenella Ng	HKG	1:01.27 (5 h3)	–	–
46	240	Han Yeong-Hui	KOR	1:01.55 (6 h3)	–	–
47	298	Wang Chi	TPE	1:01.72 (7 h3)	–	–
48	296	Sabrina Lum	TPE	1:02.11 (1 h2)	–	–
49	347	Catherine Fogarty	ZIM	1:02.47 (2 h2)	–	–
50	186	Veronica Cummings	GUM	1:02.63 (3 h2)	–	–
51	110	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:02.91 (4 h2)	–	–
52	111	Cina Munch	FIJ	1:03.06 (5 h2)	–	–
53	259	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:05.11 (1 h1)	–	–
54	36	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:05.39 (2 h1)	–	–
55	3	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.47 (8 h3)	–	–
56	249	Nancy Khalaf	LBN	1:06.73 (6 h2)	–	–
57	2	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:08.15 (7 h2)	–	–
DNS	270	Rita Garay	PUR	– (DNS h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	18 September 1988 — 9:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.53	Q
2	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	55.80	Q
3	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.84	Q
4	–	Manuela Stellmach	GDR	56.14	Q
5	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	56.16	Q
6	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.29	Q
7	–	Dara Torres	USA	56.37	Q
8	–	Conny van Bentum	NED	56.50	Q
9	–	Nataliya Trefilova	URS	56.66	q
10	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.67	q
11	–	Tamara Costache	ROU	56.79	q
12	–	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	56.84	q
13	–	Mitzi Kremer	USA	56.97	q
14	–	Svetlana Isakova	URS	57.17	q
15	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	57.28	q
16	–	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.29	q
17	–	Andrea Nugent	CAN	57.33
18	–	Marie-Thérèse Armentero	SUI	57.35
19	–	Christiane Pielke	FRG	57.47
20	–	Jane Kerr	CAN	57.55
21	–	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.57
22	–	Susie Baumer	AUS	57.76
23	–	Lou Yaping	CHN	57.79
24	–	Natasha Hristova	BUL	57.80
25	–	Annabelle Cripps	GBR	57.81
26	–	Pia Sørensen	DEN	57.82
27	–	Karin Furuhed	SWE	57.97
28	–	June Croft	GBR	58.19
=29	–	Jacqueline Delord	FRA	58.22
=29	–	Silvia Persi	ITA	58.22
31	–	Katja Ziliox	FRG	58.39
32	–	Kaori Sasaki	JPN	58.40
33	–	Senda Gharbi	TUN	58.51
34	–	Adriana Pereira	BRA	58.53
35	–	Karen Dieffenthaler	TTO	58.64
36	–	Patricia Kohlmann	MEX	59.05
37	–	Isabele Vieira	BRA	59.15
38	–	María Rivera	MEX	59.32
39	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.41
40	–	Bryndís Ólafsdóttir	ISL	59.56
41	–	Carolina Mauri	CRC	1:00.14
42	–	Celeste Hung	HKG	1:00.18
43	–	Kim Eun-Jeong	KOR	1:00.39
44	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.11
45	–	Fenella Ng	HKG	1:01.27
46	–	Han Yeong-Hui	KOR	1:01.55
47	–	Wang Chi	TPE	1:01.72
48	–	Sabrina Lum	TPE	1:02.11
49	–	Catherine Fogarty	ZIM	1:02.47
50	–	Veronica Cummings	GUM	1:02.63
51	–	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:02.91
52	–	Cina Munch	FIJ	1:03.06
53	–	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:05.11
54	–	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:05.39
55	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.47
56	–	Nancy Khalaf	LBN	1:06.73
57	–	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:08.15
DNS	–	Rita Garay	PUR	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Carolina Araujo	MOZ	1:05.11	30.72 (2)	34.39 (1)
2	–	Katerine Moreno	BOL	1:05.39	30.42 (1)	34.97 (2)
DNS	–	Rita Garay	PUR	–	– (–)	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Sabrina Lum	TPE	1:02.11	30.28 (4)	31.83 (1)
2	–	Catherine Fogarty	ZIM	1:02.47	29.90 (2)	32.57 (3)
3	–	Veronica Cummings	GUM	1:02.63	30.68 (5)	31.95 (2)
4	–	Angela Birch	FIJ	1:02.91	30.04 (3)	32.87 (4)
5	–	Cina Munch	FIJ	1:03.06	29.34 (1)	33.72 (5)
6	–	Nancy Khalaf	LBN	1:06.73	31.03 (6)	35.70 (6)
7	–	Carla Fernandes	ANG	1:08.15	31.81 (7)	36.34 (7)

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.41	28.62 (2)	30.79 (1)
2	–	Carolina Mauri	CRC	1:00.14	28.45 (1)	31.69 (6)
3	–	Kim Eun-Jeong	KOR	1:00.39	29.59 (4)	30.80 (2)
4	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.11	29.52 (3)	31.59 (4)
5	–	Fenella Ng	HKG	1:01.27	29.75 (5)	31.52 (3)
6	–	Han Yeong-Hui	KOR	1:01.55	29.92 (7)	31.63 (5)
7	–	Wang Chi	TPE	1:01.72	29.90 (6)	31.82 (7)
8	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.47	30.62 (8)	34.85 (8)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Susie Baumer	AUS	57.76	27.97 (1)	29.79 (1)
2	–	Adriana Pereira	BRA	58.53	28.39 (5)	30.14 (2)
3	–	Karen Dieffenthaler	TTO	58.64	28.03 (2)	30.61 (4)
4	–	Patricia Kohlmann	MEX	59.05	28.22 (3)	30.83 (6)
5	–	Isabele Vieira	BRA	59.15	28.86 (6)	30.29 (3)
6	–	María Rivera	MEX	59.32	28.30 (4)	31.02 (7)
7	–	Bryndís Ólafsdóttir	ISL	59.56	28.92 (7)	30.64 (5)
8	–	Celeste Hung	HKG	1:00.18	28.99 (8)	31.19 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.29	27.43 (1)	29.86 (2)	q
2	–	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.57	28.02 (5)	29.55 (1)
3	–	Annabelle Cripps	GBR	57.81	27.86 (4)	29.95 (3)
4	–	Karin Furuhed	SWE	57.97	27.79 (2)	30.18 (7)
5	–	June Croft	GBR	58.19	28.18 (7)	30.01 (4)
6	–	Jacqueline Delord	FRA	58.22	28.05 (6)	30.17 (6)
7	–	Kaori Sasaki	JPN	58.40	27.81 (3)	30.59 (8)
8	–	Senda Gharbi	TUN	58.51	28.36 (8)	30.15 (5)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.84	27.25 (2)	28.59 (1)	Q
2	–	Nataliya Trefilova	URS	56.66	27.64 (4)	29.02 (2)	q
3	–	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	56.84	27.21 (1)	29.63 (5)	q
4	–	Mitzi Kremer	USA	56.97	27.72 (5)	29.25 (3)	q
5	–	Jane Kerr	CAN	57.55	28.04 (7)	29.51 (4)
6	–	Lou Yaping	CHN	57.79	28.05 (8)	29.74 (6)
7	–	Pia Sørensen	DEN	57.82	27.93 (6)	29.89 (7)
8	–	Silvia Persi	ITA	58.22	27.55 (3)	30.67 (8)

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Manuela Stellmach	GDR	56.14	27.34 (3)	28.80 (1)	Q
2	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.29	27.25 (2)	29.04 (3)	Q
3	–	Conny van Bentum	NED	56.50	27.56 (5)	28.94 (2)	Q
4	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.67	27.47 (4)	29.20 (4)	q
5	–	Tamara Costache	ROU	56.79	27.17 (1)	29.62 (6)	q
6	–	Svetlana Isakova	URS	57.17	27.67 (6)	29.50 (5)	q
7	–	Natasha Hristova	BUL	57.80	28.11 (8)	29.69 (7)
8	–	Katja Ziliox	FRG	58.39	27.87 (7)	30.52 (8)

Heat #8

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.53	26.67 (1)	28.86 (2)	Q
2	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	55.80	27.30 (5)	28.50 (1)	Q
3	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	56.16	27.14 (2)	29.02 (3)	Q
4	–	Dara Torres	USA	56.37	27.19 (3)	29.18 (4)	Q
5	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	57.28	27.95 (8)	29.33 (5)	q
6	–	Andrea Nugent	CAN	57.33	27.70 (7)	29.63 (6)
7	–	Marie-Thérèse Armentero	SUI	57.35	27.52 (6)	29.83 (7)
8	–	Christiane Pielke	FRG	57.47	27.29 (4)	30.18 (8)

B Final

Date	19 September 1988 — 12:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Nataliya Trefilova	URS	56.48	27.38 (5)	29.10 (2)
2	–	Ayako Nakano	JPN	56.72	27.29 (2)	29.43 (5)
3	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.79	27.70 (7)	29.09 (1)
4	–	Mitzi Kremer	USA	56.83	27.56 (6)	29.27 (4)
5	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	57.02	27.34 (4)	29.68 (6)
6	–	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	57.04	27.31 (3)	29.73 (7)
7	–	Svetlana Isakova	URS	57.07	27.94 (8)	29.13 (3)
8	–	Tamara Costache	ROU	57.11	27.16 (1)	29.95 (8)

Final Round

Date	19 September 1988 — 12:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Kristin Otto	GDR	54.93	26.36 (1)	28.57 (2)
2	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.47	26.84 (5)	28.63 (3)
3	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.49	26.59 (2)	28.90 (4)
4	–	Manuela Stellmach	GDR	55.52	27.00 (6)	28.52 (1)
5	–	Sylvia Poll	CRC	55.90	26.78 (4)	29.12 (6)
6	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.15	27.11 (7)	29.04 (5)
7	–	Dara Torres	USA	56.25	26.71 (3)	29.54 (8)
8	–	Conny van Bentum	NED	56.54	27.15 (8)	29.39 (7)