| | Event type

100 metres Freestyle, Women

Date	20 July 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	48 from 44 countries

In the early to mid-90s China broke through to dominate women’s swimming. This culminated at the 1994 World Championships where Chinese female swimmers won 19 medals including 12 golds. Skeptics noted that Chinese men had not won a single medal at these championships and pointed the similarity of these performances to those of swimmers of the German Democratic Republic during their glory years of the 1970s and 80s. The most outspoken critics also noted that a number of coaches from the now discredited East German regime were now plying their trade in China. These fears appeared to be proved true when eleven athletes tested positive for dihydrotestosterone at the 1994 Asian Games.

Le Jingyi was the only one of this generation of Chinese swimmers who arrived at the Atlanta Olympics as the clear favourite. Although she was not swimming as fast as she had done in 1994 she was still comfortably the best over the distance and was a relatively easy winner of the Olympic title. Sandra Völker of Germany took the silver medal ahead of US team captain Angel Martino.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	Le Jingyi	CHN	54.90 (1 h5)	–	54.50 (1)	Gold
2	Sandra Völker	GER	55.55 (1 h4)	–	54.88 (2)	Silver
3	Angel Martino	USA	55.44 (1 h6)	–	54.93 (3)	Bronze
4	Amy Van Dyken	USA	55.94 (2 h4)	–	55.11 (4)
5	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.80 (2 h6)	–	55.59 (5)
6	Sarah Ryan	AUS	56.07 (3 h5)	–	55.85 (6)
7	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	56.06 (3 h6)	–	56.01 (7)
8	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.81 (2 h5)	–	56.12 (8)
9	Shan Ying	CHN	56.10 (4 h6)	55.74 (1)	–
10	Linda Olofsson	SWE	56.56 (7 h6)	55.83 (2)	–
11	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.27 (3 h4)	55.98 (3)	–
12	Leah Martindale	BAR	56.13 (5 h6)	56.03 (4)	–
13	Nataliya Meshcheryakova	RUS	56.33 (4 h5)	56.17 (5)	–
14	Karen Pickering	GBR	56.40 (5 h5)	56.32 (6)	–
15	Martina Moravcová	SVK	56.20 (6 h6)	56.47 (7)	–
16	Sue Rolph	GBR	56.62 (4 h4)	56.58 (8)	–
17	Shannon Shakespeare	CAN	56.63 (5 h4)	–	–
18	Vibeke Lambersøy Johansen	NOR	56.88 (8 h6)	–	–
19	Rania El-Wani	EGY	56.89 (6 h5)	–	–
20	Solenne Figuès	FRA	56.90 (6 h4)	–	–
21	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.00 (7 h5)	–	–
22	Minna Salmela	FIN	57.15 (1 h3)	–	–
23	Gabrielle Rose	BRA	57.16 (2 h3)	–	–
24	Cecilia Vianini	ITA	57.17 (3 h3)	–	–
25	Sumika Minamoto	JPN	57.25 (7 h4)	–	–
26	Siobhan Cropper	TTO	57.30 (1 h2)	–	–
27	Judith Draxler	AUT	57.34 (2 h2)	–	–
28	Metka Sparavec	SLO	57.66 (4 h3)	–	–
29	Alison Fitch	NZL	57.71 (8 h5)	–	–
30	Anna Nyíri	HUN	57.82 (1 h1)	–	–
31	Tonia Machaira	GRE	57.92 (3 h2)	–	–
32	Monica Dahl	NAM	57.95 (5 h3)	–	–
33	Heleen Muller	RSA	57.98 (6 h3)	–	–
34	Kristýna Kyněrová	CZE	58.03 (4 h2)	–	–
35	Lee Bo-Eun	KOR	58.27 (7 h3)	–	–
36	Sandrine Paquier	SUI	58.38 (5 h2)	–	–
37	Dita Želvienė	LTU	58.57 (8 h4)	–	–
38	Teresa Moodie	ZIM	58.59 (2 h1)	–	–
39	Sviatlana Zhidko	BLR	58.64 (6 h2)	–	–
40	Tsai Shu-Min	TPE	58.65 (7 h2)	–	–
41	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.87 (8 h3)	–	–
42	Yevgeniya Yermakova	KAZ	59.12 (8 h2)	–	–
43	Valeria Álvarez	ARG	59.26 (3 h1)	–	–
44	Viktoriya Polyayeva	KGZ	59.40 (4 h1)	–	–
45	Gabrijela Ujčić	CRO	59.92 (5 h1)	–	–
46	Duška Radan	SCG	1:00.34 (6 h1)	–	–
47	Caroline Pickering	FIJ	1:00.51 (7 h1)	–	–
48	Gail Rizzo	MLT	1:02.19 (8 h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	20 July 1996
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	54.90	Q
2	–	Angel Martino	USA	55.44	Q
3	–	Sandra Völker	GER	55.55	Q
4	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.80	Q
5	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.81	Q
6	–	Amy Van Dyken	USA	55.94	Q
7	–	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	56.06	Q
8	–	Sarah Ryan	AUS	56.07	Q
9	–	Shan Ying	CHN	56.10	q
10	–	Leah Martindale	BAR	56.13	q
11	–	Martina Moravcová	SVK	56.20	q
12	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.27	q
13	–	Nataliya Meshcheryakova	RUS	56.33	q
14	–	Karen Pickering	GBR	56.40	q
15	–	Linda Olofsson	SWE	56.56	q
16	–	Sue Rolph	GBR	56.62	q
17	–	Shannon Shakespeare	CAN	56.63
18	–	Vibeke Lambersøy Johansen	NOR	56.88
19	–	Rania El-Wani	EGY	56.89
20	–	Solenne Figuès	FRA	56.90
21	–	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.00
22	–	Minna Salmela	FIN	57.15
23	–	Gabrielle Rose	BRA	57.16
24	–	Cecilia Vianini	ITA	57.17
25	–	Sumika Minamoto	JPN	57.25
26	–	Siobhan Cropper	TTO	57.30
27	–	Judith Draxler	AUT	57.34
28	–	Metka Sparavec	SLO	57.66
29	–	Alison Fitch	NZL	57.71
30	–	Anna Nyíri	HUN	57.82
31	–	Tonia Machaira	GRE	57.92
32	–	Monica Dahl	NAM	57.95
33	–	Heleen Muller	RSA	57.98
34	–	Kristýna Kyněrová	CZE	58.03
35	–	Lee Bo-Eun	KOR	58.27
36	–	Sandrine Paquier	SUI	58.38
37	–	Dita Želvienė	LTU	58.57
38	–	Teresa Moodie	ZIM	58.59
39	–	Sviatlana Zhidko	BLR	58.64
40	–	Tsai Shu-Min	TPE	58.65
41	–	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.87
42	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova	KAZ	59.12
43	–	Valeria Álvarez	ARG	59.26
44	–	Viktoriya Polyayeva	KGZ	59.40
45	–	Gabrijela Ujčić	CRO	59.92
46	–	Duška Radan	SCG	1:00.34
47	–	Caroline Pickering	FIJ	1:00.51
48	–	Gail Rizzo	MLT	1:02.19

Heat #1

Time	10:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Anna Nyíri	HUN	57.82	0.83	27.42 (1)	30.40 (2)
2	–	Teresa Moodie	ZIM	58.59	0.77	28.30 (4)	30.29 (1)
3	–	Valeria Álvarez	ARG	59.26	0.78	28.48 (5)	30.78 (3)
4	–	Viktoriya Polyayeva	KGZ	59.40	0.90	28.19 (3)	31.21 (4)
5	–	Gabrijela Ujčić	CRO	59.92	0.76	28.12 (2)	31.80 (7)
6	–	Duška Radan	SCG	1:00.34	0.83	28.60 (6)	31.74 (6)
7	–	Caroline Pickering	FIJ	1:00.51	0.91	29.03 (7)	31.48 (5)
8	–	Gail Rizzo	MLT	1:02.19	0.82	30.04 (8)	32.15 (8)

Heat #2

Time	10:06

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Siobhan Cropper	TTO	57.30	0.87	27.51 (1)	29.79 (3)
2	–	Judith Draxler	AUT	57.34	0.79	27.75 (2)	29.59 (1)
3	–	Tonia Machaira	GRE	57.92	0.76	27.97 (3)	29.95 (5)
4	–	Kristýna Kyněrová	CZE	58.03	0.83	28.18 (5)	29.85 (4)
5	–	Sandrine Paquier	SUI	58.38	0.94	28.63 (8)	29.75 (2)
6	–	Sviatlana Zhidko	BLR	58.64	0.85	28.62 (7)	30.02 (6)
7	–	Tsai Shu-Min	TPE	58.65	0.78	28.35 (6)	30.30 (7)
8	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova	KAZ	59.12	0.79	28.09 (4)	31.03 (8)

Heat #3

Time	10:12

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Minna Salmela	FIN	57.15	0.83	28.07 (7)	29.08 (1)
2	–	Gabrielle Rose	BRA	57.16	0.76	27.38 (1)	29.78 (3)
3	–	Cecilia Vianini	ITA	57.17	0.84	27.66 (3)	29.51 (2)
4	–	Metka Sparavec	SLO	57.66	0.87	27.69 (4)	29.97 (4)
5	–	Monica Dahl	NAM	57.95	0.79	27.51 (2)	30.44 (8)
6	–	Heleen Muller	RSA	57.98	0.76	27.90 (5)	30.08 (5)
7	–	Lee Bo-Eun	KOR	58.27	0.90	27.99 (6)	30.28 (7)
8	–	Joscelin Yeo	SGP	58.87	0.77	28.71 (8)	30.16 (6)

Heat #4

Time	10:18

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Sandra Völker	GER	55.55	0.90	26.59 (1)	28.96 (2)	Q
2	–	Amy Van Dyken	USA	55.94	0.77	26.86 (2)	29.08 (3)	Q
3	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	56.27	0.79	27.33 (5)	28.94 (1)	q
4	–	Sue Rolph	GBR	56.62	0.83	27.11 (3)	29.51 (6)	q
5	–	Shannon Shakespeare	CAN	56.63	0.82	27.27 (4)	29.36 (5)
6	–	Solenne Figuès	FRA	56.90	0.75	27.64 (6)	29.26 (4)
7	–	Sumika Minamoto	JPN	57.25	0.75	27.65 (7)	29.60 (7)
8	–	Dita Želvienė	LTU	58.57	0.83	27.82 (8)	30.75 (8)

Heat #5

Time	10:24

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	54.90	0.79	26.68 (1)	28.22 (1)	Q
2	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	55.81	0.82	26.98 (3)	28.83 (2)	Q
3	–	Sarah Ryan	AUS	56.07	0.74	27.16 (6)	28.91 (3)	Q
4	–	Nataliya Meshcheryakova	RUS	56.33	0.82	26.99 (4)	29.34 (5)	q
5	–	Karen Pickering	GBR	56.40	0.77	27.40 (=7)	29.00 (4)	q
6	–	Rania El-Wani	EGY	56.89	0.78	26.85 (2)	30.04 (7)
7	–	Claudia Franco	ESP	57.00	0.84	27.07 (5)	29.93 (6)
8	–	Alison Fitch	NZL	57.71	0.78	27.40 (=7)	30.31 (8)

Heat #6

Time	10:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Angel Martino	USA	55.44	0.66	26.63 (1)	28.81 (3)	Q
2	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.80	0.80	27.16 (6)	28.64 (1)	Q
3	–	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	56.06	0.81	27.35 (8)	28.71 (2)	Q
4	–	Shan Ying	CHN	56.10	0.74	26.91 (3)	29.19 (5)	q
5	–	Leah Martindale	BAR	56.13	0.83	26.80 (2)	29.33 (6)	q
6	–	Martina Moravcová	SVK	56.20	0.76	27.02 (5)	29.18 (4)	q
7	–	Linda Olofsson	SWE	56.56	0.77	26.93 (4)	29.63 (=7)	q
8	–	Vibeke Lambersøy Johansen	NOR	56.88	0.78	27.25 (7)	29.63 (=7)

B Final

Date	20 July 1996 — 19:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Shan Ying	CHN	55.74	0.76	26.81 (4)	28.93 (3)
2	–	Linda Olofsson	SWE	55.83	0.79	26.74 (3)	29.09 (5)
3	–	Luminița Dobrescu	ROU	55.98	0.76	27.25 (5)	28.73 (1)
4	–	Leah Martindale	BAR	56.03	0.80	26.70 (2)	29.33 (7)
5	–	Nataliya Meshcheryakova	RUS	56.17	0.81	26.64 (1)	29.53 (8)
6	–	Karen Pickering	GBR	56.32	0.76	27.35 (6)	28.97 (4)
7	–	Martina Moravcová	SVK	56.47	0.80	27.37 (7)	29.10 (6)
8	–	Sue Rolph	GBR	56.58	0.85	27.72 (8)	28.86 (2)

Final Round

Date	20 July 1996 — 19:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m	50-100 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Le Jingyi	CHN	54.50	0.77	26.24 (2)	28.36 (2)	OR
2	–	Sandra Völker	GER	54.88	0.84	26.56 (4)	28.32 (1)
3	–	Angel Martino	USA	54.93	0.68	26.23 (1)	28.70 (4)
4	–	Amy Van Dyken	USA	55.11	0.78	26.30 (3)	28.81 (6)
5	–	Franziska van Almsick	GER	55.59	0.70	27.14 (8)	28.45 (3)
6	–	Sarah Ryan	AUS	55.85	0.73	27.09 (7)	28.76 (5)
7	–	Mette Jacobsen	DEN	56.01	0.83	27.08 (6)	28.93 (7)
8	–	Karin Brienesse	NED	56.12	0.81	27.07 (5)	29.05 (8)