| Date | 26 July 1996 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Participants | 55 from 47 countries |
Le Jingyi of China had already won the 100 metres freestyle whilst America’s Amy Van Dyken had scored an upset victory in the 100 metres butterfly. The two women would meet again in the final of the 50 metres but could not count on having things all their own way as the final was a star-studded affair that included all the medalists from the 100 metre freestyle held earlier in the week.
Part of the ultra-competitive Van Dyken’s pre-race routine involved staring at her opponents in an attempt to intimidate them but this did not appear to work on the Chinese woman who went into the lead straight from the gun. For 45 metres Le held on to first place but in the closing metres Van Dyken accelerated past to win her third gold medal of the Games by just three hundredths of a second. Sandra Völker of Germany also won her third medal of the games by winning bronze in this race.
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | R1 | B Final | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amy Van Dyken |  USA | 25.12 (1 h6) | – | 24.87 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | Le Jingyi |  CHN | 25.10 (1 h7) | – | 24.90 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | Sandra Völker |  GER | 25.45 (2 h6) | – | 25.14 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | Angel Martino | USA | 25.47 (1 h5) | – | 25.31 (4) | |||
| 5 | Leah Martindale |  BAR | 25.76 (3 h5) | – | 25.49 (5) | |||
| 6 | Linda Olofsson |  SWE | 25.84 (3 h6) | – | 25.63 (6) | |||
| 7 | Shan Ying | CHN | 25.71 (2 h5) | – | 25.70 (7) | |||
| 8 | Nataliya Meshcheryakova |  RUS | 25.73 (2 h7) | – | 25.88 (8) | |||
| 9 | Marianne Muis |  NED | 25.93 (4 h6) | 25.74 (1) | – | |||
| 10 | Angela Postma | NED | 26.00 (4 h7) | 25.82 (2) | – | |||
| 11 | Claudia Franco |  ESP | 26.17 (5 h7) | 26.04 (3) | – | |||
| 12 | Sumika Minamoto |  JPN | 25.89 (3 h7) | 26.05 (4) | – | |||
| 13 | Yevgeniya Yermakova |  KAZ | 25.97 (5 h5) | 26.06 (5) | – | |||
| 14 | Simone Osygus | GER | 26.00 (5 h6) | 26.16 (6) | – | |||
| 15 | Karen Van Wirdum |  AUS | 25.88 (4 h5) | 26.17 (7) | – | |||
| 16 | Laura Petrutytė |  LTU | 26.13 (1 h4) | 26.36 (8) | – | |||
| 17 | Vibeke Lambersøy Johansen |  NOR | 26.22 (2 h4) | – | – | |||
| 18 | Rania El-Wani |  EGY | 26.26 (6 h7) | – | – | |||
| 19 | Siobhan Cropper |  TTO | 26.29 (7 h7) | – | – | |||
| =20 | Sarah Ryan | AUS | 26.34 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| =20 | Judith Draxler |  AUT | 26.34 (3 h4) | – | – | |||
| =22 | Blanca Cerón | ESP | 26.39 (4 h4) | – | – | |||
| =22 | Sue Rolph |  GBR | 26.39 (6 h6) | – | – | |||
| 24 | Marianne Kriel |  RSA | 26.42 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 25 | Metka Sparavec |  SLO | 26.43 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 26 | Martine Dessureault |  CAN | 26.44 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 27 | Luminița Dobrescu |  ROU | 26.47 (7 h6) | – | – | |||
| 28 | Mette Nørskov Nielsen |  DEN | 26.50 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| =29 | Casey Legler |  FRA | 26.52 (8 h4) | – | – | |||
| =29 | Laura Nicholls | CAN | 26.52 (8 h7) | – | – | |||
| 31 | Dita Želvienė | LTU | 26.55 (8 h5) | – | – | |||
| 32 | Dominique Diezi |  SUI | 26.57 (1 h3) | – | – | |||
| 33 | Eileen Marie Coparropa |  PAN | 26.67 (2 h3) | – | – | |||
| 34 | Minna Salmela |  FIN | 26.72 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 35 | Alison Fitch |  NZL | 26.74 (1 h2) | – | – | |||
| 36 | Monica Dahl |  NAM | 26.76 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 37 | Elín Sigurðardóttir |  ISL | 26.90 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 38 | Lin Chien-Ju |  TPE | 27.00 (8 h6) | – | – | |||
| 39 | Valeria Álvarez |  ARG | 27.12 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 40 | Alena Popchanka |  BLR | 27.18 (1 h1) | – | – | |||
| 41 | Seo So-Yeong |  KOR | 27.30 (2 h2) | – | – | |||
| 42 | Gyöngyvér Lakos |  HUN | 27.34 (3 h2) | – | – | |||
| 43 | Teresa Moodie |  ZIM | 27.38 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 44 | Joscelin Yeo |  SGP | 27.51 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 45 | Duška Radan |  SCG | 27.62 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 46 | Gabrijela Ujčić |  CRO | 27.63 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 47 | Agnese Ozoliņa |  LAT | 27.65 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 48 | Sangeeta Puri |  IND | 28.02 (2 h1) | – | – | |||
| 49 | Verónica Prono |  PAR | 28.40 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| 50 | Gail Rizzo |  MLT | 28.43 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 51 | Akiko Thomson |  PHI | 28.51 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 52 | Võ Trần Trương An |  VIE | 29.02 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 53 | Ingrid Louis |  MRI | 29.56 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 54 | Monika Bakale |  CGO | 34.43 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 55 | Nishma Gurung |  NEP | 41.45 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| Tonia Machaira |  GRE | – (DNS h3) | – | – |
| Date | 26 July 1996 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final. |
| Time | 11:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Alena Popchanka | BLR | 27.18 | 0.85 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Sangeeta Puri | IND | 28.02 | 0.80 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Verónica Prono | PAR | 28.40 | 0.77 | ||
| 4 | 4 | Gail Rizzo | MLT | 28.43 | 0.80 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Võ Trần Trương An | VIE | 29.02 | 0.78 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Ingrid Louis | MRI | 29.56 | 0.76 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Monika Bakale | CGO | 34.43 | 0.87 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Nishma Gurung | NEP | 41.45 | 1.34 |
| Time | 11:06 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Alison Fitch | NZL | 26.74 | 0.80 | ||
| 2 | 1 | Seo So-Yeong | KOR | 27.30 | 0.73 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Gyöngyvér Lakos | HUN | 27.34 | 0.81 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Teresa Moodie | ZIM | 27.38 | 0.75 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Duška Radan | SCG | 27.62 | 0.82 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Gabrijela Ujčić | CRO | 27.63 | 0.75 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Agnese Ozoliņa | LAT | 27.65 | 0.79 | ||
| 8 | 6 | Akiko Thomson | PHI | 28.51 | 0.80 |
| Time | 11:12 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Dominique Diezi | SUI | 26.57 | 0.86 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Eileen Marie Coparropa | PAN | 26.67 | 0.85 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Minna Salmela | FIN | 26.72 | 0.79 | ||
| 4 | 1 | Monica Dahl | NAM | 26.76 | 0.85 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Elín Sigurðardóttir | ISL | 26.90 | 0.80 | ||
| 6 | 5 | Valeria Álvarez | ARG | 27.12 | 0.74 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Joscelin Yeo | SGP | 27.51 | 0.82 | ||
| 7 | Tonia Machaira | GRE | – | – |
| Time | 11:18 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Laura Petrutytė | LTU | 26.13 | 0.79 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Vibeke Lambersøy Johansen | NOR | 26.22 | 0.70 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Judith Draxler | AUT | 26.34 | 0.79 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Blanca Cerón | ESP | 26.39 | 0.69 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Metka Sparavec | SLO | 26.43 | 0.83 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Martine Dessureault | CAN | 26.44 | 0.75 | ||
| 7 | 8 | Mette Nørskov Nielsen | DEN | 26.50 | 0.76 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Casey Legler | FRA | 26.52 | 0.88 |
| Time | 11:24 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Angel Martino | USA | 25.47 | 0.66 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Shan Ying | CHN | 25.71 | 0.86 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Leah Martindale | BAR | 25.76 | 0.81 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Karen Van Wirdum | AUS | 25.88 | 0.75 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Yevgeniya Yermakova | KAZ | 25.97 | 0.75 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Sarah Ryan | AUS | 26.34 | 0.75 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Marianne Kriel | RSA | 26.42 | 0.74 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Dita Želvienė | LTU | 26.55 | 0.78 |
| Time | 11:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Amy Van Dyken | USA | 25.12 | 0.72 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Sandra Völker | GER | 25.45 | 0.87 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Linda Olofsson | SWE | 25.84 | 0.80 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Marianne Muis | NED | 25.93 | 0.74 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Simone Osygus | GER | 26.00 | 0.78 | ||
| 6 | 1 | Sue Rolph | GBR | 26.39 | 0.80 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Luminița Dobrescu | ROU | 26.47 | 0.80 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Lin Chien-Ju | TPE | 27.00 | 0.82 |
| Time | 11:36 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Le Jingyi | CHN | 25.10 | 0.81 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Nataliya Meshcheryakova | RUS | 25.73 | 0.83 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Sumika Minamoto | JPN | 25.89 | 0.72 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Angela Postma | NED | 26.00 | 0.76 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Claudia Franco | ESP | 26.17 | 0.78 | ||
| 6 | 1 | Rania El-Wani | EGY | 26.26 | 0.78 | ||
| 7 | 8 | Siobhan Cropper | TTO | 26.29 | 0.85 | ||
| 8 | 2 | Laura Nicholls | CAN | 26.52 | 0.72 |
| Date | 26 July 1996 — 20:10 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Marianne Muis | NED | 25.74 | 0.76 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Angela Postma | NED | 25.82 | 0.80 | ||
| 3 | 8 | Claudia Franco | ESP | 26.04 | 0.77 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Sumika Minamoto | JPN | 26.05 | 0.76 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Yevgeniya Yermakova | KAZ | 26.06 | 0.80 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Simone Osygus | GER | 26.16 | 0.74 | ||
| 7 | 4 | Karen Van Wirdum | AUS | 26.17 | 0.76 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Laura Petrutytė | LTU | 26.36 | 0.81 |
| Date | 26 July 1996 — 20:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Amy Van Dyken | USA | 24.87 | 0.73 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Le Jingyi | CHN | 24.90 | 0.80 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Sandra Völker | GER | 25.14 | 0.86 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Angel Martino | USA | 25.31 | 0.75 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Leah Martindale | BAR | 25.49 | 0.85 | ||
| 6 | 8 | Linda Olofsson | SWE | 25.63 | 0.89 | ||
| 7 | 2 | Shan Ying | CHN | 25.70 | 1.01 | ||
| 8 | 7 | Nataliya Meshcheryakova | RUS | 25.88 | 0.83 |
