| | Event type

4 x 100 metres Medley Relay, Women

Date	24 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants	79 from 18 countries

The world record was 4:03.69 set by East Germany in winning the 1984 Friendship Games, and they had held the record since 1973. They were the defending World and European Champions. While the United States had won the 1987 Pan Pacs, they were in a different league. The 100 strokes had all been decided in Seoul by the time this event started and the best East German times added up to 4:03.90, while the best American times came to only 4:07.77. The biggest problem for East Germany was where to put Kristin Otto, who had won the 100 free, 100 back, and 100 fly. They rested her in the prelims and then had her lead off on backstroke in the final. Her 1:01.03 split had her over 1½ seconds ahead of the USA’s Beth Barr and the race for gold was over. East Germany increased their margin on each leg, winning in 4:03.74, the second fastest time ever. The USA was well back for silver, finishing in 4:07.90, but that was also almost three seconds ahead of the Canadians, who finished third. The East German victory gave Kristin Otto her fifth gold medal in Seoul. She would later win a sixth in the 50 free.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	Final
1	East Germany	GDR	4:08.53 (1 h2)	4:03.74 (1)	Gold
	Kristin Otto • Silke Hörner • Birte Weigang • Katrin Meißner • Cornelia Sirch • Manuela Stellmach
2	United States	USA	4:10.38 (1 h3)	4:07.90 (2)	Silver
	Beth Barr • Tracey McFarlane • Janel Jorgensen • Mary Wayte • Betsy Mitchell • Mary T. Meagher • Dara Torres
3	Canada	CAN	4:14.23 (2 h2)	4:10.49 (3)	Bronze
	Lori Melien • Allison Higson • Jane Kerr • Andrea Nugent • Keltie Duggan • Patricia Noall
4	Australia	AUS	4:14.32 (1 h1)	4:11.57 (4)
	Nicole Livingstone • Lara Hooiveld • Fiona Alessandri • Karen Van Wirdum
5	Netherlands	NED	4:11.82 (2 h3)	4:12.19 (5)
	Jolanda de Rover • Linda Moes • Conny van Bentum • Karin Brienesse
6	Bulgaria	BUL	4:15.22 (3 h2)	4:12.36 (6)
	Bistra Gospodinova • Tanya Dangalakova • Nevyana Miteva • Natasha Hristova
7	West Germany	FRG	4:13.19 (3 h3)	4:12.89 (7)
	Svenja Schlicht • Britta Dahm • Gabi Reha • Marion Aizpors
8	Italy	ITA	4:14.68 (2 h1)	4:13.85 (8)
	Lorenza Vigarani • Manuela Dalla Valle • Ilaria Tocchini • Silvia Persi
9	Great Britain	GBR	4:16.18 (4 h3)	–
	Kathy Read • Suki Brownsdon • Caroline Foot • Joanna Coull
10	France	FRA	4:16.21 (5 h3)	–
	Laurence Guillou • Pascaline Louvrier • Catherine Plewinski • Jacqueline Delord
11	Sweden	SWE	4:17.72 (4 h2)	–
	Johanna Larsson • Anna-Karin Persson • Agneta Eriksson • Eva Nyberg
12	Japan	JPN	4:18.88 (3 h1)	–
	Satoko Morishita • Yoshie Nishioka • Kiyomi Takahashi • Ayako Nakano
13	Spain	ESP	4:21.84 (4 h1)	–
	Natalia Autric • Silvia Parera • María Luisa Fernández • Amaya Garbayo
14	Republic of Korea	KOR	4:28.90 (6 h3)	–
	Hong Ji-Hui • Park Seong-Won • Lee Hong-Mi • Han Yeong-Hui
15	Costa Rica	CRC	4:31.75 (5 h2)	–
	Sylvia Poll • Sigrid Niehaus • Marcela Cuesta • Carolina Mauri
16	Chinese Taipei	TPE	4:39.49 (5 h1)	–
	Wang Chi • Seto Car-Wai • Chang Hui-Chien • Kim Chen
DQ	People's Republic of China	CHN	– (DQ h1)	–
	Yang Wenyi • Huang Xiaomin • Qian Hong • Zhuang Yong
DQ	Denmark	DEN	– (DQ h2)	–
	Mette Jacobsen • Pia Sørensen • Annette Moldrup Jørgensen • Gitta Jensen

Round One (24 September 1988 — 10:00)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	3	Australia	AUS		4:14.32		Q
		Nicole Livingstone		–	1:04.07	1:04.07 (2)
		Lara Hooiveld		–	1:10.97	2:15.04 (2)
		Fiona Alessandri		–	1:02.12	3:17.16 (2)
		Karen Van Wirdum		–	57.16	4:14.32 (1)
2	4	Italy	ITA		4:14.68		Q
		Lorenza Vigarani		–	1:03.64	1:03.64 (1)
		Manuela Dalla Valle		–	1:11.17	2:14.81 (1)
		Ilaria Tocchini		–	1:02.24	3:17.05 (1)
		Silvia Persi		–	57.63	4:14.68 (2)
3	6	Japan	JPN		4:18.88
		Satoko Morishita		–	1:05.23	1:05.23 (3)
		Yoshie Nishioka		–	1:13.63	2:18.86 (3)
		Kiyomi Takahashi		–	1:01.95	3:20.81 (3)
		Ayako Nakano		–	58.07	4:18.88 (3)
4	2	Spain	ESP		4:21.84
		Natalia Autric		–	1:06.74	1:06.74 (4)
		Silvia Parera		–	1:14.87	2:21.61 (4)
		María Luisa Fernández		–	1:02.45	3:24.06 (4)
		Amaya Garbayo		–	57.78	4:21.84 (4)
5	7	Chinese Taipei	TPE		4:39.49
		Wang Chi		–	1:10.75	1:10.75 (5)
		Seto Car-Wai		–	1:15.45	2:26.20 (5)
		Chang Hui-Chien		–	1:07.95	3:34.15 (5)
		Kim Chen		–	1:05.34	4:39.49 (5)
DQ	5	People's Republic of China	CHN		–
		Yang Wenyi		–	–	– (AC)
		Huang Xiaomin		–	–	– (AC)
		Qian Hong		–	–	– (AC)
		Zhuang Yong		–	–	– (AC)

Heat Two

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	East Germany	GDR		4:08.53		Q
		Cornelia Sirch		–	1:02.34	1:02.34 (1)
		Silke Hörner		–	1:09.37	2:11.71 (1)
		Birte Weigang		–	1:00.75	3:12.46 (1)
		Manuela Stellmach		–	56.07	4:08.53 (1)
2	3	Canada	CAN		4:14.23		Q
		Lori Melien		–	1:03.80	1:03.80 (2)
		Keltie Duggan		–	1:11.58	2:15.38 (3)
		Jane Kerr		–	1:02.42	3:17.80 (3)
		Patricia Noall		–	56.43	4:14.23 (2)
3	5	Bulgaria	BUL		4:15.22		Q
		Bistra Gospodinova		–	1:05.23	1:05.23 (5)
		Tanya Dangalakova		–	1:09.31	2:14.54 (2)
		Nevyana Miteva		–	1:02.82	3:17.36 (2)
		Natasha Hristova		–	57.86	4:15.22 (3)
4	6	Sweden	SWE		4:17.72
		Johanna Larsson		–	1:05.10	1:05.10 (4)
		Anna-Karin Persson		–	1:12.40	2:17.50 (4)
		Agneta Eriksson		–	1:02.95	3:20.45 (4)
		Eva Nyberg		–	57.27	4:17.72 (4)
5	7	Costa Rica	CRC		4:31.75
		Sylvia Poll		–	1:04.02	1:04.02 (3)
		Sigrid Niehaus		–	1:17.56	2:21.58 (5)
		Marcela Cuesta		–	1:09.89	3:31.47 (5)
		Carolina Mauri		–	1:00.28	4:31.75 (5)
DQ	2	Denmark	DEN		–
		Mette Jacobsen		–	–	– (AC)
		Pia Sørensen		–	–	– (AC)
		Annette Moldrup Jørgensen		–	–	– (AC)
		Gitta Jensen		–	–	– (AC)

Heat Three

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA		4:10.38		Q
		Betsy Mitchell		–	1:02.66	1:02.66 (1)
		Tracey McFarlane		–	1:10.33	2:12.99 (1)
		Mary T. Meagher		–	1:01.64	3:14.63 (1)
		Dara Torres		–	55.75	4:10.38 (1)
2	6	Netherlands	NED		4:11.82		Q
		Jolanda de Rover		–	1:04.03	1:04.03 (3)
		Linda Moes		–	1:10.74	2:14.77 (2)
		Conny van Bentum		–	1:00.62	3:15.39 (2)
		Karin Brienesse		–	56.43	4:11.82 (2)
3	5	West Germany	FRG		4:13.19		Q
		Svenja Schlicht		–	1:03.56	1:03.56 (2)
		Britta Dahm		–	1:12.56	2:16.12 (3)
		Gabi Reha		–	1:01.54	3:17.66 (3)
		Marion Aizpors		–	55.53	4:13.19 (3)
4	2	Great Britain	GBR		4:16.18
		Kathy Read		–	1:04.86	1:04.86 (4)
		Suki Brownsdon		–	1:11.74	2:16.60 (4)
		Caroline Foot		–	1:01.97	3:18.57 (4)
		Joanna Coull		–	57.61	4:16.18 (4)
5	3	France	FRA		4:16.21
		Laurence Guillou		–	1:05.28	1:05.28 (5)
		Pascaline Louvrier		–	1:13.72	2:19.00 (5)
		Catherine Plewinski		–	59.86	3:18.86 (5)
		Jacqueline Delord		–	57.35	4:16.21 (5)
6	1	Republic of Korea	KOR		4:28.90
		Hong Ji-Hui		–	1:08.52	1:08.52 (6)
		Park Seong-Won		–	1:14.57	2:23.09 (6)
		Lee Hong-Mi		–	1:05.73	3:28.82 (6)
		Han Yeong-Hui		–	1:00.08	4:28.90 (6)

Final (24 September 1988 — 20:00)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	East Germany	GDR		4:03.74		OR
		Kristin Otto		–	1:01.03	1:01.03 (1)
		Silke Hörner		–	1:08.20	2:09.23 (1)
		Birte Weigang		–	59.51	3:08.74 (1)
		Katrin Meißner		–	55.00	4:03.74 (1)
2	5	United States	USA		4:07.90
		Beth Barr		–	1:02.56	1:02.56 (2)
		Tracey McFarlane		–	1:10.22	2:12.78 (3)
		Janel Jorgensen		–	59.84	3:12.62 (2)
		Mary Wayte		–	55.28	4:07.90 (2)
3	2	Canada	CAN		4:10.49
		Lori Melien		–	1:04.25	1:04.25 (7)
		Allison Higson		–	1:08.15	2:12.40 (2)
		Jane Kerr		–	1:01.78	3:14.18 (3)
		Andrea Nugent		–	56.31	4:10.49 (3)
4	7	Australia	AUS		4:11.57
		Nicole Livingstone		–	1:03.43	1:03.43 (3)
		Lara Hooiveld		–	1:10.49	2:13.92 (5)
		Fiona Alessandri		–	1:00.87	3:14.79 (4)
		Karen Van Wirdum		–	56.78	4:11.57 (4)
5	3	Netherlands	NED		4:12.19
		Jolanda de Rover		–	1:03.76	1:03.76 (5)
		Linda Moes		–	1:11.40	2:15.16 (7)
		Conny van Bentum		–	1:00.30	3:15.46 (5)
		Karin Brienesse		–	56.73	4:12.19 (5)
6	8	Bulgaria	BUL		4:12.36
		Bistra Gospodinova		–	1:04.87	1:04.87 (8)
		Tanya Dangalakova		–	1:07.95	2:12.82 (4)
		Nevyana Miteva		–	1:02.76	3:15.58 (6)
		Natasha Hristova		–	56.78	4:12.36 (6)
7	6	West Germany	FRG		4:12.89
		Svenja Schlicht		–	1:03.46	1:03.46 (4)
		Britta Dahm		–	1:12.36	2:15.82 (8)
		Gabi Reha		–	1:01.79	3:17.61 (8)
		Marion Aizpors		–	55.28	4:12.89 (7)
8	1	Italy	ITA		4:13.85
		Lorenza Vigarani		–	1:03.96	1:03.96 (6)
		Manuela Dalla Valle		–	1:10.63	2:14.59 (6)
		Ilaria Tocchini		–	1:01.93	3:16.52 (7)
		Silvia Persi		–	57.33	4:13.85 (8)