| | Event type

200 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	31 July 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscinas Bernat Picornell, Barcelona
Participants	43 from 30 countries

Swimming rules for backstroke were slightly different in 1992, as no hand touch was required at the turn, a rule put into effect in March 1991. But that did not bother the defending gold medalist, Krisztina Egerszegi (HUN), who had dominated the backstroke since Seoul. She held the world record in both events, and had won them both at the 1991 World and European Championships, and already had a gold medal in Barcelona, in the 400 IM.

If there was any doubt Egerszegi erased it in qualifying, leading American Lea Loveless by almost four full seconds. The final was a bit closer, but not much, as she won by 2.4 seconds over Germany’s Dagmar Hase, who three days earlier had won a surprising gold medal in the 400 freestyle over Janet Evans. The bronze went to Australian Nicole Stevenson, silver medalist in both backstrokes at the 1991 Pan Pacific meet.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	2:07.34 (1 h6)	–	2:07.06 (1)	Gold
2	Dagmar Hase	GER	2:11.52 (2 h6)	–	2:09.46 (2)	Silver
3	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	2:12.32 (1 h5)	–	2:10.20 (3)	Bronze
4	Lea Loveless	USA	2:11.32 (1 h4)	–	2:11.54 (4)
5	Anna Simcic	NZL	2:12.99 (3 h6)	–	2:11.99 (5)
6	Tünde Szabó	HUN	2:13.81 (3 h4)	–	2:12.94 (6)
7	Sylvia Poll	CRC	2:11.66 (2 h4)	–	2:12.97 (7)
8	Leigh Habler	AUS	2:13.44 (4 h6)	–	2:13.68 (8)
9	Marion Zoller	GER	2:14.53 (4 h4)	2:13.77 (1)	–
10	Joanne Deakins	GBR	2:14.34 (3 h5)	2:13.91 (2)	–
11	Junko Torikai	JPN	2:16.13 (6 h5)	2:15.20 (3)	–
12	Lin Li	CHN	2:15.87 (6 h6)	2:15.38 (4)	–
13	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	2:15.49 (4 h5)	2:16.21 (5)	–
14	Nina Zhivanevskaya	EUN	2:14.34 (5 h6)	2:17.61 (6)	–
15	Noriko Inada	JPN	2:15.74 (5 h5)	2:17.68 (7)	–
16	Nathalie Wunderlich	SUI	2:16.07 (1 h3)	2:19.70 (8)	–
17	Janie Wagstaff	USA	2:13.91 (2 h5)	–	–		1
18	Núria Castelló	ESP	2:16.24 (5 h4)	–	–
19	Akiko Thomson	PHI	2:16.44 (1 h2)	–	–
20	Francesca Salvalajo	ITA	2:16.89 (7 h6)	–	–
21	Kathy Read	GBR	2:17.15 (6 h4)	–	–
22	Ellen Elzerman	NED	2:17.34 (7 h4)	–	–
23	Nikki Dryden	CAN	2:17.54 (7 h5)	–	–
24	Ana Barros	POR	2:17.59 (2 h3)	–	–
25	Beth Hazel	CAN	2:17.70 (8 h5)	–	–
26	Małgorzata Galwas	POL	2:17.73 (3 h3)	–	–
27	Rita Garay	PUR	2:18.10 (4 h3)	–	–
28	Lee Chang-Ha	KOR	2:18.33 (2 h2)	–	–
29	Claudia Stănescu	ROU	2:18.39 (5 h3)	–	–
30	Helena Straková	TCH	2:18.44 (6 h3)	–	–
31	Lu Bin	CHN	2:18.51 (8 h6)	–	–
32	Jill Brukman	RSA	2:18.56 (3 h2)	–	–
33	Nataliya Shibayeva	EUN	2:20.54 (8 h4)	–	–
34	Cristina Rey	ESP	2:20.75 (7 h3)	–	–
35	Michelle Smith	IRL	2:21.37 (4 h2)	–	–
36	Mariya Kocheva	BUL	2:21.79 (1 h1)	–	–
37	Darija Alauf	IOA	2:22.07 (2 h1)	–	–
38	Marta Włodkowska	POL	2:22.86 (5 h2)	–	–
39	Storme Moodie	ZIM	2:23.26 (3 h1)	–	–
40	Sarah Murphy	ZIM	2:24.58 (4 h1)	–	–
41	Tanja Godina	SLO	2:25.31 (6 h2)	–	–
42	Praphalsai Minpraphal	THA	2:26.32 (5 h1)	–	–
43	Ana Fortín	HON	2:27.33 (6 h1)	–	–

Round One (31 July 1992 — 11:00)

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	4	Mariya Kocheva	BUL	32.68 (1) 35.59 (2)	1:08.27 (1) 36.32 (2)	1:44.59 (1) 37.20 (2)	2:21.79
2	7	Darija Alauf	IOA	33.70 (3) 35.32 (1)	1:09.02 (2) 35.80 (1)	1:44.82 (2) 37.25 (=3)	2:22.07
3	6	Storme Moodie	ZIM	34.26 (4) 36.13 (4)	1:10.39 (4) 36.68 (4)	1:47.07 (4) 36.19 (1)	2:23.26
4	3	Sarah Murphy	ZIM	33.32 (2) 35.91 (3)	1:09.23 (3) 36.60 (3)	1:45.83 (3) 38.75 (6)	2:24.58
5	5	Praphalsai Minpraphal	THA	34.54 (6) 36.95 (5)	1:11.49 (5) 37.58 (6)	1:49.07 (6) 37.25 (=3)	2:26.32
6	2	Ana Fortín	HON	34.49 (5) 37.04 (6)	1:11.53 (6) 37.32 (5)	1:48.85 (5) 38.48 (5)	2:27.33

Heat Two

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	7	Akiko Thomson	PHI	32.18 (1) 34.15 (1)	1:06.33 (1) 34.79 (1)	1:41.12 (1) 35.32 (2)	2:16.44
2	4	Lee Chang-Ha	KOR	32.79 (2) 34.81 (3)	1:07.60 (3) 35.42 (2)	1:43.02 (2) 35.31 (1)	2:18.33
3	6	Jill Brukman	RSA	33.11 (3) 34.48 (2)	1:07.59 (2) 35.45 (3)	1:43.04 (3) 35.52 (3)	2:18.56
4	5	Michelle Smith	IRL	33.30 (4) 35.15 (4)	1:08.45 (4) 36.35 (4)	1:44.80 (4) 36.57 (4)	2:21.37
5	3	Marta Włodkowska	POL	33.82 (5) 35.50 (5)	1:09.32 (5) 36.42 (5)	1:45.74 (5) 37.12 (5)	2:22.86
6	2	Tanja Godina	SLO	34.58 (6) 36.15 (6)	1:10.73 (6) 36.99 (6)	1:47.72 (6) 37.59 (6)	2:25.31

Heat Three

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	5	Nathalie Wunderlich	SUI	32.66 (4) 34.62 (3)	1:07.28 (4) 34.33 (1)	1:41.61 (2) 34.46 (1)	2:16.07	q
2	1	Ana Barros	POR	32.61 (3) 34.03 (1)	1:06.64 (1) 34.76 (2)	1:41.40 (1) 36.19 (6)	2:17.59
3	7	Małgorzata Galwas	POL	32.76 (5) 34.48 (2)	1:07.24 (3) 35.05 (3)	1:42.29 (3) 35.44 (3)	2:17.73
4	6	Rita Garay	PUR	33.06 (7) 34.66 (4)	1:07.72 (6) 35.27 (4)	1:42.99 (6) 35.11 (2)	2:18.10
5	4	Claudia Stănescu	ROU	32.54 (2) 34.79 (5)	1:07.33 (5) 35.49 (6)	1:42.82 (5) 35.57 (4)	2:18.39
6	3	Helena Straková	TCH	32.12 (1) 35.11 (6)	1:07.23 (2) 35.35 (5)	1:42.58 (4) 35.86 (5)	2:18.44
7	2	Cristina Rey	ESP	32.98 (6) 35.40 (7)	1:08.38 (7) 36.13 (7)	1:44.51 (7) 36.24 (7)	2:20.75

Heat Four

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	4	Lea Loveless	USA	31.16 (1) 33.10 (2)	1:04.26 (2) 33.25 (1)	1:37.51 (1) 33.81 (2)	2:11.32	Q
2	8	Sylvia Poll	CRC	31.20 (2) 32.99 (1)	1:04.19 (1) 33.54 (2)	1:37.73 (2) 33.93 (3)	2:11.66	Q
3	5	Tünde Szabó	HUN	31.67 (3) 33.96 (4)	1:05.63 (3) 34.45 (5)	1:40.08 (3) 33.73 (1)	2:13.81	Q
4	6	Marion Zoller	GER	32.50 (4) 33.82 (3)	1:06.32 (4) 34.04 (3)	1:40.36 (4) 34.17 (4)	2:14.53	q
5	1	Núria Castelló	ESP	32.91 (7) 34.50 (6)	1:07.41 (7) 34.30 (4)	1:41.71 (5) 34.53 (5)	2:16.24
6	3	Kathy Read	GBR	32.90 (6) 34.43 (5)	1:07.33 (6) 34.72 (6)	1:42.05 (6) 35.10 (7)	2:17.15
7	7	Ellen Elzerman	NED	32.52 (5) 34.65 (7)	1:07.17 (5) 35.42 (7)	1:42.59 (7) 34.75 (6)	2:17.34
8	2	Nataliya Shibayeva	EUN	33.44 (8) 35.20 (8)	1:08.64 (8) 36.01 (8)	1:44.65 (8) 35.89 (8)	2:20.54

Heat Five

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	5	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	31.59 (2) 33.40 (1)	1:04.99 (2) 33.81 (1)	1:38.80 (1) 33.52 (1)	2:12.32	Q
2	4	Janie Wagstaff	USA	31.34 (1) 33.42 (2)	1:04.76 (1) 34.55 (4)	1:39.31 (2) 34.60 (7)	2:13.91	q
3	6	Joanne Deakins	GBR	32.16 (5) 33.65 (3)	1:05.81 (3) 34.20 (2)	1:40.01 (3) 34.33 (3)	2:14.34	q
4	3	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	32.04 (4) 33.93 (4)	1:05.97 (4) 34.93 (5)	1:40.90 (4) 34.59 (6)	2:15.49	q
5	8	Noriko Inada	JPN	32.02 (3) 34.21 (7)	1:06.23 (5) 34.98 (6)	1:41.21 (5) 34.53 (4)	2:15.74	q
6	1	Junko Torikai	JPN	33.10 (7) 33.94 (5)	1:07.04 (6) 34.53 (3)	1:41.57 (6) 34.56 (5)	2:16.13
7	2	Nikki Dryden	CAN	32.83 (6) 34.55 (8)	1:07.38 (8) 36.08 (8)	1:43.46 (8) 34.08 (2)	2:17.54
8	7	Beth Hazel	CAN	33.23 (8) 34.02 (6)	1:07.25 (7) 34.99 (7)	1:42.24 (7) 35.46 (8)	2:17.70

Heat Six

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	4	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	30.60 (1) 32.25 (1)	1:02.85 (1) 32.25 (1)	1:35.10 (1) 32.24 (1)	2:07.34	QOR
2	3	Dagmar Hase	GER	31.72 (3) 33.08 (2)	1:04.80 (3) 33.46 (2)	1:38.26 (2) 33.26 (3)	2:11.52	Q
3	5	Anna Simcic	NZL	32.27 (5) 33.86 (6)	1:06.13 (5) 33.73 (4)	1:39.86 (5) 33.13 (2)	2:12.99	Q
4	2	Leigh Habler	AUS	32.03 (4) 33.85 (5)	1:05.88 (4) 33.68 (3)	1:39.56 (4) 33.88 (5)	2:13.44	Q
5	6	Nina Zhivanevskaya	EUN	31.49 (2) 33.17 (3)	1:04.66 (2) 34.70 (5)	1:39.36 (3) 34.98 (7)	2:14.34	q
6	7	Lin Li	CHN	32.55 (6) 34.85 (7)	1:07.40 (7) 34.83 (6)	1:42.23 (7) 33.64 (4)	2:15.87	q
7	1	Francesca Salvalajo	ITA	32.89 (8) 33.65 (4)	1:06.54 (6) 35.03 (7)	1:41.57 (6) 35.32 (8)	2:16.89
8	8	Lu Bin	CHN	32.60 (7) 35.61 (8)	1:08.21 (8) 36.17 (8)	1:44.38 (8) 34.13 (6)	2:18.51

B Final (31 July 1992 — 19:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	3	Marion Zoller	GER	32.15 (3) 33.73 (2)	1:05.88 (1) 34.07 (1)	1:39.95 (1) 33.82 (4)	2:13.77
2	4	Joanne Deakins	GBR	32.28 (4) 33.69 (1)	1:05.97 (3) 34.27 (2)	1:40.24 (2) 33.67 (2)	2:13.91
3	8	Junko Torikai	JPN	33.04 (7) 34.02 (3)	1:07.06 (6) 34.34 (3)	1:41.40 (3) 33.80 (3)	2:15.20
4	7	Lin Li	CHN	32.60 (6) 34.49 (6)	1:07.09 (7) 34.92 (4)	1:42.01 (6) 33.37 (1)	2:15.38
5	6	Lorenza Vigarani	ITA	32.42 (5) 34.41 (5)	1:06.83 (5) 35.19 (5)	1:42.02 (7) 34.19 (5)	2:16.21
6	5	Nina Zhivanevskaya	EUN	31.79 (1) 34.17 (4)	1:05.96 (2) 35.97 (8)	1:41.93 (4) 35.68 (6)	2:17.61
7	2	Noriko Inada	JPN	31.96 (2) 34.50 (7)	1:06.46 (4) 35.48 (6)	1:41.94 (5) 35.74 (7)	2:17.68
8	1	Nathalie Wunderlich	SUI	33.12 (8) 34.59 (8)	1:07.71 (8) 35.63 (7)	1:43.34 (8) 36.36 (8)	2:19.70

Final (31 July 1992 — 19:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time
1	4	Krisztina Egerszegi	HUN	30.43 (1) 31.96 (1)	1:02.39 (1) 32.71 (1)	1:35.10 (1) 31.96 (1)	2:07.06	OR
2	3	Dagmar Hase	GER	31.54 (=4) 32.77 (3)	1:04.31 (3) 32.97 (2)	1:37.28 (3) 32.18 (2)	2:09.46
3	2	Nicole Stevenson	AUS	31.54 (=4) 32.96 (4)	1:04.50 (4) 33.32 (=3)	1:37.82 (4) 32.38 (3)	2:10.20
4	5	Lea Loveless	USA	30.89 (2) 32.63 (2)	1:03.52 (2) 33.32 (=3)	1:36.84 (2) 34.70 (8)	2:11.54
5	7	Anna Simcic	NZL	31.92 (6) 33.06 (6)	1:04.98 (6) 33.61 (5)	1:38.59 (5) 33.40 (5)	2:11.99
6	8	Tünde Szabó	HUN	31.93 (7) 33.46 (7)	1:05.39 (7) 34.28 (7)	1:39.67 (7) 33.27 (4)	2:12.94
7	6	Sylvia Poll	CRC	31.51 (3) 33.04 (5)	1:04.55 (5) 34.11 (6)	1:38.66 (6) 34.31 (7)	2:12.97
8	1	Leigh Habler	AUS	32.16 (8) 33.57 (8)	1:05.73 (8) 34.29 (8)	1:40.02 (8) 33.66 (6)	2:13.68