| | Event type

100 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	26 July 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscinas Bernat Picornell, Barcelona
Participants	48 from 34 countries

Australians had held the world record in this event from 1956-73, and East German swimmers then took over, setting multiple records from 1973-92, with the current mark as the Olympic year started being 54.73, set by Kristin Otto at the 1986 World Championships. At the US Olympic Trials Jenny Thompson swam 54.48 in the preliminaries to better Otto’s mark. She was favored in Barcelona, although her teammate, Nicole Haislett, 1991 World Champion and runner-up at 1991 Pan Pacs, was expected to be her biggest competition.

In the final, China’s Zhuang Yong surprisingly led Thompson at the turn, 26.46 to 26.54. But Thompson’s strong finish never came and Zhuang held on to win the gold medal, Thompson later saying, “I just choked hard coming home and I don’t know why.”

This was the first individual Olympic medal for Thompson, who would compete at the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics, finishing her career with 12 Olympic medals, eight of them gold. But an individual gold medal would always elude her. Third-place in this event would go to German Franziska van Almsick, also beginning an Olympic career that would last through 2004. Van Almsick would win 10 Olympic medals, but like Thompson she would be frustrated, in her case never managing any Olympic gold.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	123	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.78 (1 h4)	–	54.64 (1)	Gold
2	635	Jenny Thompson	USA	54.69 (1 h6)	–	54.84 (2)	Silver
3	292	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.40 (2 h6)	–	54.94 (3)	Bronze
4	610	Nicole Haislett	USA	55.67 (1 h5)	–	55.19 (4)
5	231	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.44 (3 h6)	–	55.72 (5)
6	110	Le Jingyi	CHN	55.87 (4 h6)	–	55.89 (6)
7	281	Simone Osygus	GER	55.98 (2 h5)	–	55.93 (7)
8	442	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.98 (2 h4)	–	56.59 (8)
9	379	Suzu Chiba	JPN	56.26 (3 h5)	55.97 (1)	–
10	510	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.45 (4 h5)	56.17 (2)	–
11	170	Yelena Shubina	EUN	56.31 (5 h6)	56.19 (3)	–
12	131	Gitta Jensen	DEN	56.47 (6 h6)	56.59 (4)	–
13	448	Mildred Muis	NED	56.67 (3 h4)	56.64 (5)	–
14	172	Yevgeniya Yermakova	EUN	56.67 (6 h5)	56.66 (6)	–
15	30	Susie O'Neill	AUS	56.58 (5 h5)	56.68 (7)	–
16	98	Andrea Nugent	CAN	56.82 (7 h5)	56.91 (8)	–
17	257	Karen Pickering	GBR	57.17 (4 h4)	–	–
18	583	Martina Moravcová	TCH	57.19 (7 h6)	–	–
19	570	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.36 (5 h4)	–	–
20	525	Marianne Kriel	RSA	57.50 (1 h3)	–	–
21	151	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.57 (2 h3)	–	–
22	397	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.71 (6 h4)	–	–
23	573	Ellenor Svensson	SWE	58.03 (8 h6)	–	–
24	206	Minna Salmela	FIN	58.04 (3 h3)	–	–
25	91	Allison Higson	CAN	58.47 (7 h4)	–	–
26	158	Natalia Pulido	ESP	58.54 (4 h3)	–	–
27	133	Mette Nørskov Nielsen	DEN	58.67 (5 h3)	–	–
28	40	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	58.75 (8 h4)	–	–
29	461	Toni Jeffs	NZL	58.80 (8 h5)	–	–
30	140	Rania El-Wani	EGY	58.82 (1 h2)	–	–
=31	262	Alison Sheppard	GBR	58.83 (=6 h3)	–	–
=31	518	Diana Ureche	ROU	58.83 (=6 h3)	–	–
33	538	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.93 (1 h1)	–	–
34	479	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.02 (2 h2)	–	–
35	440	Monica Dahl	NAM	59.05 (3 h2)	–	–
36	374	Ilaria Sciorelli	ITA	59.11 (8 h3)	–	–
37	315	Robyn Lamsam	HKG	59.26 (2 h1)	–	–
38	205	Marja Päivinen	FIN	59.46 (4 h2)	–	–
39	353	Shelley Cramer	ISV	59.99 (5 h2)	–	–
40	347	Helga Sigurðardóttir	ISL	1:00.29 (6 h2)	–	–
41	494	Ana Alegria	POR	1:00.35 (7 h2)	–	–
42	452	Joshua Ikhaghomi	NGR	1:00.72 (3 h1)	–	–
43	590	Ratiporn Wong	THA	1:00.85 (8 h2)	–	–
44	436	Corinne Leclair	MRI	1:00.95 (4 h1)	–	–
45	197	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:01.42 (5 h1)	–	–
46	323	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.50 (6 h1)	–	–
47	61	Paola Peñarrieta	BOL	1:04.08 (7 h1)	–	–
48	5	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.45 (8 h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	26 July 1992 — 10:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Jenny Thompson	USA	54.69	QOR
2	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.40	Q
3	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.44	Q
4	–	Nicole Haislett	USA	55.67	Q
5	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.78	Q
6	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	55.87	Q
=7	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.98	Q
=7	–	Simone Osygus	GER	55.98	Q
9	–	Suzu Chiba	JPN	56.26	q
10	–	Yelena Shubina	EUN	56.31	q
11	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.45	q
12	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	56.47	q
13	–	Susie O'Neill	AUS	56.58	q
=14	–	Mildred Muis	NED	56.67	q
=14	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova	EUN	56.67	q
16	–	Andrea Nugent	CAN	56.82	q
17	–	Karen Pickering	GBR	57.17
18	–	Martina Moravcová	TCH	57.19
19	–	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.36
20	–	Marianne Kriel	RSA	57.50
21	–	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.57
22	–	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.71
23	–	Ellenor Svensson	SWE	58.03
24	–	Minna Salmela	FIN	58.04
25	–	Allison Higson	CAN	58.47
26	–	Natalia Pulido	ESP	58.54
27	–	Mette Nørskov Nielsen	DEN	58.67
28	–	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	58.75
29	–	Toni Jeffs	NZL	58.80
30	–	Rania El-Wani	EGY	58.82
=31	–	Alison Sheppard	GBR	58.83
=31	–	Diana Ureche	ROU	58.83
33	–	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.93
34	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.02
35	–	Monica Dahl	NAM	59.05
36	–	Ilaria Sciorelli	ITA	59.11
37	–	Robyn Lamsam	HKG	59.26
38	–	Marja Päivinen	FIN	59.46
39	–	Shelley Cramer	ISV	59.99
40	–	Helga Sigurðardóttir	ISL	1:00.29
41	–	Ana Alegria	POR	1:00.35
42	–	Joshua Ikhaghomi	NGR	1:00.72
43	–	Ratiporn Wong	THA	1:00.85
44	–	Corinne Leclair	MRI	1:00.95
45	–	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:01.42
46	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.50
47	–	Paola Peñarrieta	BOL	1:04.08
48	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.45

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.93	28.91 (2)	30.02 (1)
2	–	Robyn Lamsam	HKG	59.26	28.07 (1)	31.19 (3)
3	–	Joshua Ikhaghomi	NGR	1:00.72	29.14 (3)	31.58 (5)
4	–	Corinne Leclair	MRI	1:00.95	29.59 (5)	31.36 (4)
5	–	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	1:01.42	30.27 (6)	31.15 (2)
6	–	Ana Fortín	HON	1:01.50	29.31 (4)	32.19 (6)
7	–	Paola Peñarrieta	BOL	1:04.08	30.56 (7)	33.52 (7)
8	–	Elsa Freire	ANG	1:05.45	31.04 (8)	34.41 (8)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Rania El-Wani	EGY	58.82	28.25 (1)	30.57 (3)
2	–	Akiko Thomson	PHI	59.02	28.68 (5)	30.34 (1)
3	–	Monica Dahl	NAM	59.05	28.64 (4)	30.41 (2)
4	–	Marja Päivinen	FIN	59.46	28.42 (3)	31.04 (5)
5	–	Shelley Cramer	ISV	59.99	28.41 (2)	31.58 (8)
6	–	Helga Sigurðardóttir	ISL	1:00.29	29.34 (7)	30.95 (4)
7	–	Ana Alegria	POR	1:00.35	29.15 (6)	31.20 (6)
8	–	Ratiporn Wong	THA	1:00.85	29.40 (8)	31.45 (7)

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Marianne Kriel	RSA	57.50	27.52 (1)	29.98 (3)
2	–	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.57	28.06 (4)	29.51 (1)
3	–	Minna Salmela	FIN	58.04	28.24 (5)	29.80 (2)
4	–	Natalia Pulido	ESP	58.54	28.46 (7)	30.08 (4)
5	–	Mette Nørskov Nielsen	DEN	58.67	27.95 (3)	30.72 (6)
=6	–	Alison Sheppard	GBR	58.83	27.79 (2)	31.04 (8)
=6	–	Diana Ureche	ROU	58.83	28.54 (8)	30.29 (5)
8	–	Ilaria Sciorelli	ITA	59.11	28.31 (6)	30.80 (7)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	55.78	26.95 (1)	28.83 (2)	Q
2	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.98	27.25 (2)	28.73 (1)	Q
3	–	Mildred Muis	NED	56.67	27.32 (3)	29.35 (3)	q
4	–	Karen Pickering	GBR	57.17	27.39 (4)	29.78 (5)
5	–	Eva Nyberg	SWE	57.36	27.83 (5)	29.53 (4)
6	–	Ayako Nakano	JPN	57.71	27.84 (6)	29.87 (6)
7	–	Allison Higson	CAN	58.47	28.10 (8)	30.37 (7)
8	–	Karen Van Wirdum	AUS	58.75	27.92 (7)	30.83 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Nicole Haislett	USA	55.67	27.18 (2)	28.49 (1)	Q
2	–	Simone Osygus	GER	55.98	26.98 (1)	29.00 (4)	Q
3	–	Suzu Chiba	JPN	56.26	27.52 (7)	28.74 (2)	q
4	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.45	27.50 (6)	28.95 (3)	q
5	–	Susie O'Neill	AUS	56.58	27.26 (3)	29.32 (5)	q
6	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova	EUN	56.67	27.27 (4)	29.40 (6)	q
7	–	Andrea Nugent	CAN	56.82	27.28 (5)	29.54 (7)	q
8	–	Toni Jeffs	NZL	58.80	27.98 (8)	30.82 (8)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Jenny Thompson	USA	54.69	26.46 (1)	28.23 (1)	QOR
2	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.40	26.50 (2)	28.90 (4)	Q
3	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.44	26.88 (3)	28.56 (2)	Q
4	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	55.87	27.23 (6)	28.64 (3)	Q
5	–	Yelena Shubina	EUN	56.31	27.00 (4)	29.31 (5)	q
6	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	56.47	27.14 (5)	29.33 (6)	q
7	–	Martina Moravcová	TCH	57.19	27.46 (7)	29.73 (7)
8	–	Ellenor Svensson	SWE	58.03	28.24 (8)	29.79 (8)

B Final

Date	26 July 1992 — 18:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Suzu Chiba	JPN	55.97	27.35 (=3)	28.62 (1)
2	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.17	27.44 (5)	28.73 (2)
3	–	Yelena Shubina	EUN	56.19	27.13 (1)	29.06 (4)
4	–	Gitta Jensen	DEN	56.59	27.77 (8)	28.82 (3)
5	–	Mildred Muis	NED	56.64	27.20 (2)	29.44 (7)
6	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova	EUN	56.66	27.47 (7)	29.19 (5)
7	–	Susie O'Neill	AUS	56.68	27.35 (=3)	29.33 (6)
8	–	Andrea Nugent	CAN	56.91	27.46 (6)	29.45 (8)

Final Round

Date	26 July 1992 — 18:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Zhuang Yong	CHN	54.64	26.46 (1)	28.18 (2)	OR
2	–	Jenny Thompson	USA	54.84	26.54 (2)	28.30 (4)
3	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	54.94	26.68 (3)	28.26 (3)
4	–	Nicole Haislett	USA	55.19	27.04 (6)	28.15 (1)
5	–	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	55.72	27.01 (5)	28.71 (6)
6	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	55.89	27.42 (7)	28.47 (5)
7	–	Simone Osygus	GER	55.93	26.95 (4)	28.98 (8)
8	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.59	27.63 (8)	28.96 (7)