| | Event type

200 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	27 July 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscinas Bernat Picornell, Barcelona
Participants	37 from 26 countries

The 1991 World Champion was Hayley Lewis but she did not make the Australian team for this event. The 1991 Pan Pacs had been won by American Nicole Haislett, who was favored in Lewis’s absence, but the best qualifying time was posted by 14-year-old German Franziska van Almsick, who recorded 1:57.90, the fifth fastest performance of all-time. Van Almsick had first been noticed at the German Nationals in April when she won this race in 2:00.05 before she had turned 14.

In the final, van Almsick went out quickly, leading at 50 metres. Haislett was next to her and was surprised to see the youthful van Almsick swimming next to her lane rope. Haislett moved over and drafted off her, as they swam-for-stroke for most of the race. Haislett did not take the lead until 10 metres from the wall, and outtouched van Almsick, 1:57.90 to 1:58.00.

Van Almsick would win 10 Olympic medals in her career, but never a gold, and this race was as close as she ever came to the top step of the podium. Haislett competed only at one Olympics, 1992, winning three gold medals, with two in relays. At the 1990 Goodwill Games she had become the first American to defeat an East German sprint freestyler, Manuela Stellmach, since 1972.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	Nicole Haislett	USA	1:59.33 (1 h5)	–	1:57.90 (1)	Gold
2	Franziska van Almsick	GER	1:57.90 (1 h3)	–	1:58.00 (2)	Silver
3	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	2:00.55 (2 h3)	–	1:59.67 (3)	Bronze
4	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	2:00.67 (3 h4)	–	1:59.88 (4)
5	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	2:00.51 (1 h4)	–	2:00.48 (5)
6	Suzu Chiba	JPN	2:00.96 (3 h5)	–	2:00.64 (6)
7	Olga Kirichenko	EUN	2:00.67 (2 h5)	–	2:00.90 (7)
8	Lu Bin	CHN	2:00.56 (2 h4)	–	2:02.10 (8)
9	Yelena Dendeberova	EUN	2:01.28 (4 h4)	2:00.09 (1)	–
10	Karen Pickering	GBR	2:01.09 (4 h3)	2:00.33 (2)	–
11	Susie O'Neill	AUS	2:01.05 (3 h3)	2:00.89 (3)	–
12	Malin Nilsson	SWE	2:03.44 (7 h5)	2:02.02 (4)	–
13	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	2:01.84 (4 h5)	2:02.14 (5)	–
14	Gitta Jensen	DEN	2:02.27 (5 h3)	2:02.32 (6)	–
15	Carla-Creola Negrea	ROU	2:03.16 (5 h5)	2:02.96 (7)	–
16	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	2:02.50 (6 h4)	2:04.21 (8)	–
17	Jenny Thompson	USA	2:01.71 (5 h4)	–	–		1
18	Yoko Koikawa	JPN	2:03.32 (6 h5)	–	–
19	Nikki Dryden	CAN	2:03.59 (6 h3)	–	–
20	Isabelle Arnould	BEL	2:04.06 (7 h3)	–	–
21	Zhuang Yong	CHN	2:04.12 (8 h5)	–	–
22	Allison Higson	CAN	2:04.25 (1 h2)	–	–
23	Irene Dalby	NOR	2:04.28 (7 h4)	–	–
24	Natalia Pulido	ESP	2:04.39 (2 h2)	–	–
25	Sandra Cam	BEL	2:04.72 (8 h3)	–	–
26	Diane van der Plaats	NED	2:05.42 (8 h4)	–	–
27	Rita Garay	PUR	2:07.08 (3 h2)	–	–
28	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	2:07.09 (4 h2)	–	–
29	Akiko Thomson	PHI	2:07.95 (1 h1)	–	–
30	Robyn Lamsam	HKG	2:08.60 (2 h1)	–	–
31	Rania El-Wani	EGY	2:08.93 (5 h2)	–	–
32	María José Marenco	ESA	2:09.36 (3 h1)	–	–
33	Claudia Fortín	HON	2:12.24 (4 h1)	–	–
34	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	2:12.43 (5 h1)	–	–
35	Corinne Leclair	MRI	2:12.55 (6 h2)	–	–
36	May Ooi	SGP	2:13.20 (7 h2)	–	–
37	Paola Peñarrieta	BOL	2:15.74 (6 h1)	–	–

Round One (27 July 1992 — 10:30)

Fastest eight advanced to the final. Swimmers placing 9th-16th advanced to the B Final.

Heat One

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	3	Akiko Thomson	PHI	30.38 (2) 32.46 (2)	1:02.84 (2) 32.52 (1)	1:35.36 (1) 32.59 (2)	2:07.95
2	5	Robyn Lamsam	HKG	30.04 (1) 32.37 (1)	1:02.41 (1) 33.32 (3)	1:35.73 (2) 32.87 (4)	2:08.60
3	4	María José Marenco	ESA	30.64 (3) 32.98 (3)	1:03.62 (3) 33.20 (2)	1:36.82 (3) 32.54 (1)	2:09.36
4	6	Claudia Fortín	HON	31.57 (6) 33.82 (5)	1:05.39 (6) 33.56 (4)	1:38.95 (4) 33.29 (5)	2:12.24
5	7	Sharon Pickering	FIJ	31.37 (5) 33.87 (6)	1:05.24 (5) 34.33 (5)	1:39.57 (5) 32.86 (3)	2:12.43
6	2	Paola Peñarrieta	BOL	31.06 (4) 33.60 (4)	1:04.66 (4) 35.61 (6)	1:40.27 (6) 35.47 (6)	2:15.74

Heat Two

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	5	Allison Higson	CAN	29.12 (2) 31.30 (2)	1:00.42 (2) 32.17 (1)	1:32.59 (2) 31.66 (2)	2:04.25
2	4	Natalia Pulido	ESP	28.85 (1) 31.05 (1)	59.90 (1) 32.19 (2)	1:32.09 (1) 32.30 (3)	2:04.39
3	3	Rita Garay	PUR	29.99 (4) 32.33 (4)	1:02.32 (4) 32.24 (3)	1:34.56 (3) 32.52 (4)	2:07.08
4	2	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	30.24 (5) 32.65 (5)	1:02.89 (5) 33.11 (4)	1:36.00 (5) 31.09 (1)	2:07.09
5	6	Rania El-Wani	EGY	29.54 (3) 31.97 (3)	1:01.51 (3) 33.62 (5)	1:35.13 (4) 33.80 (6)	2:08.93
6	1	Corinne Leclair	MRI	31.30 (6) 33.37 (6)	1:04.67 (6) 34.07 (7)	1:38.74 (6) 33.81 (7)	2:12.55
7	7	May Ooi	SGP	31.86 (7) 34.02 (7)	1:05.88 (7) 33.91 (6)	1:39.79 (7) 33.41 (5)	2:13.20

Heat Three

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	4	Franziska van Almsick	GER	27.33 (1) 29.79 (1)	57.12 (1) 30.40 (1)	1:27.52 (1) 30.38 (1)	1:57.90	Q
2	5	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	28.62 (5) 30.15 (3)	58.77 (3) 30.86 (3)	1:29.63 (3) 30.92 (3)	2:00.55	Q
3	6	Susie O'Neill	AUS	28.59 (4) 30.60 (5)	59.19 (5) 31.25 (4)	1:30.44 (5) 30.61 (2)	2:01.05	q
4	2	Karen Pickering	GBR	28.41 (3) 30.40 (4)	58.81 (4) 30.76 (2)	1:29.57 (2) 31.52 (5)	2:01.09	q
5	3	Gitta Jensen	DEN	28.12 (2) 29.99 (2)	58.11 (2) 31.66 (=6)	1:29.77 (4) 32.50 (8)	2:02.27	q
6	8	Nikki Dryden	CAN	29.46 (8) 31.32 (7)	1:00.78 (8) 31.66 (=6)	1:32.44 (7) 31.15 (4)	2:03.59
7	7	Isabelle Arnould	BEL	29.43 (7) 30.97 (6)	1:00.40 (6) 31.59 (5)	1:31.99 (6) 32.07 (7)	2:04.06
8	1	Sandra Cam	BEL	29.40 (6) 31.33 (8)	1:00.73 (7) 32.19 (8)	1:32.92 (8) 31.80 (6)	2:04.72

Heat Four

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	2	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	28.40 (4) 30.71 (5)	59.11 (5) 31.02 (1)	1:30.13 (5) 30.38 (1)	2:00.51	Q
2	3	Lu Bin	CHN	28.37 (3) 30.25 (2)	58.62 (4) 31.23 (=2)	1:29.85 (4) 30.71 (2)	2:00.56	Q
3	5	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	28.20 (2) 30.33 (3)	58.53 (3) 31.28 (4)	1:29.81 (3) 30.86 (4)	2:00.67	Q
4	7	Yelena Dendeberova	EUN	28.63 (6) 29.74 (1)	58.37 (1) 31.23 (=2)	1:29.60 (1) 31.68 (6)	2:01.28	q
5	4	Jenny Thompson	USA	28.00 (1) 30.38 (4)	58.38 (2) 31.30 (5)	1:29.68 (2) 32.03 (7)	2:01.71	q
6	6	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	29.12 (7) 30.84 (6)	59.96 (7) 31.75 (6)	1:31.71 (6) 30.79 (3)	2:02.50	q
7	8	Irene Dalby	NOR	29.24 (8) 31.46 (8)	1:00.70 (8) 32.13 (7)	1:32.83 (8) 31.45 (5)	2:04.28
8	1	Diane van der Plaats	NED	28.47 (5) 31.08 (7)	59.55 (6) 32.54 (8)	1:32.09 (7) 33.33 (8)	2:05.42

Heat Five

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	4	Nicole Haislett	USA	28.28 (1) 29.96 (1)	58.24 (1) 30.83 (1)	1:29.07 (1) 30.26 (1)	1:59.33	Q
2	7	Olga Kirichenko	EUN	28.59 (4) 30.58 (3)	59.17 (3) 30.91 (2)	1:30.08 (2) 30.59 (3)	2:00.67	Q
3	3	Suzu Chiba	JPN	28.58 (3) 30.47 (2)	59.05 (2) 31.05 (3)	1:30.10 (3) 30.86 (4)	2:00.96	Q
4	5	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	29.22 (8) 30.68 (4)	59.90 (6) 31.41 (4)	1:31.31 (4) 30.53 (2)	2:01.84	q
5	8	Carla-Creola Negrea	ROU	29.15 (6) 31.07 (7)	1:00.22 (7) 31.45 (5)	1:31.67 (7) 31.49 (6)	2:03.16	q
6	2	Yoko Koikawa	JPN	29.17 (7) 31.28 (8)	1:00.45 (8) 31.81 (7)	1:32.26 (8) 31.06 (5)	2:03.32
7	1	Malin Nilsson	SWE	28.96 (5) 30.84 (5)	59.80 (5) 31.70 (6)	1:31.50 (5) 31.94 (7)	2:03.44
8	6	Zhuang Yong	CHN	28.42 (2) 31.05 (6)	59.47 (4) 32.15 (8)	1:31.62 (6) 32.50 (8)	2:04.12

B Final (27 July 1992 — 18:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	3	Yelena Dendeberova	EUN	28.83 (4) 30.13 (1)	58.96 (1) 30.80 (2)	1:29.76 (1) 30.33 (=1)	2:00.09
2	5	Karen Pickering	GBR	28.76 (2) 30.72 (4)	59.48 (4) 30.37 (1)	1:29.85 (2) 30.48 (4)	2:00.33
3	4	Susie O'Neill	AUS	28.63 (1) 30.44 (2)	59.07 (2) 30.92 (3)	1:29.99 (3) 30.90 (5)	2:00.89
4	8	Malin Nilsson	SWE	29.44 (6) 30.96 (6)	1:00.40 (5) 31.21 (5)	1:31.61 (5) 30.41 (3)	2:02.02
5	6	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	30.05 (8) 30.76 (5)	1:00.81 (7) 31.00 (4)	1:31.81 (6) 30.33 (=1)	2:02.14
6	2	Gitta Jensen	DEN	28.79 (3) 30.48 (3)	59.27 (3) 31.37 (7)	1:30.64 (4) 31.68 (8)	2:02.32
7	1	Carla-Creola Negrea	ROU	29.27 (5) 31.44 (8)	1:00.71 (6) 31.28 (6)	1:31.99 (7) 30.97 (6)	2:02.96
8	7	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	29.54 (7) 31.38 (7)	1:00.92 (8) 32.08 (8)	1:33.00 (8) 31.21 (7)	2:04.21

Final (27 July 1992 — 18:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	5	Nicole Haislett	USA	27.55 (2) 29.56 (1)	57.11 (2) 30.73 (2)	1:27.84 (2) 30.06 (1)	1:57.90
2	4	Franziska van Almsick	GER	27.05 (1) 29.96 (3)	57.01 (1) 30.65 (1)	1:27.66 (1) 30.34 (3)	1:58.00
3	6	Kerstin Kielgaß	GER	28.69 (8) 29.95 (2)	58.64 (7) 30.83 (3)	1:29.47 (4) 30.20 (2)	1:59.67
4	1	Catherine Plewinski	FRA	27.92 (3) 30.22 (7)	58.14 (3) 31.07 (4)	1:29.21 (3) 30.67 (6)	1:59.88
5	3	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	28.29 (5) 30.12 (4)	58.41 (5) 31.30 (5)	1:29.71 (5) 30.77 (7)	2:00.48
6	8	Suzu Chiba	JPN	28.38 (6) 30.20 (6)	58.58 (6) 31.56 (7)	1:30.14 (6) 30.50 (5)	2:00.64
7	7	Olga Kirichenko	EUN	28.65 (7) 30.42 (8)	59.07 (8) 31.45 (6)	1:30.52 (8) 30.38 (4)	2:00.90
8	2	Lu Bin	CHN	28.23 (4) 30.17 (5)	58.40 (4) 31.94 (8)	1:30.34 (7) 31.76 (8)	2:02.10