| | Event type

50 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	21 – 22 September 2000
Status	Olympic
Location	Sydney International Aquatic Centre, Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales
Participants	77 from 71 countries

A few months after he had successfully defended his Olympic 50 metres freestyle title in Atlanta Aleksandr Popov was stabbed in the stomach by a watermelon seller in Moscow. The knife barely missed his kidney and grazed his lung but he recovered and was runner-up behind American Bill Pillczuk at the 1998 World Championships. Pilczuk failed to make the US Olympic team but the Americans, in the shape of Gary Hall, Jr. and Anthony Ervin, were still seen as Popov’s closest rivals. Popov broke Tom Jager’s longstanding world record in March 2000 then saw Hall also go under the old mark at the US trials.

Drawn in adjacent lanes in the Olympic final Popov and Hall both started well as did Hall’s American team mate Anthony Ervin. As Popov’s challenge faded the two Americans matched each other stroke by stroke as the wall approached. Incredibly the two men finished simultaneously in 21.98 seconds and shared the Olympic title.

In 2005 Ervin sold his gold medal for $17,000 to aid victims of the Asian tsunami. In 2012 he returned from retirement to claim a place on his second Olympic team – 12 years after his first.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	SF	Final
=1	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	22.14 (2 h9)	22.07 (1 h1)	21.98 (=1)	Gold
=1	Anthony Ervin	USA	22.24 (1 h8)	22.13 (2 h1)	21.98 (=1)	Gold
3	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	22.32 (2 h10)	22.11 (1 h2)	22.03 (3)	Bronze
4	Lorenzo Vismara	ITA	22.62 (4 h8)	22.30 (3 h2)	22.11 (4)
5	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	22.05 (1 h9)	22.35 (4 h2)	22.22 (5)
6	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	22.15 (1 h10)	22.17 (2 h2)	22.24 (6)
7	Mark Foster	GBR	22.65 (5 h8)	22.32 (3 h1)	22.41 (7)
8	Oleksandr Volynets	UKR	22.52 (1 h6)	22.36 (5 h2)	22.51 (8)
9	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	22.46 (3 h9)	22.39 (4 h1)	–
10	Chris Fydler	AUS	22.80 (5 h10)	22.41 (5 h1)	–
11	Roland Schoeman	RSA	22.53 (4 h10)	22.41 (6 h2)	–
12	Johan Kenkhuis	NED	22.61 (4 h9)	22.47 (6 h1)	–
13	Brett Hawke	AUS	22.45 (3 h10)	22.49 (7 h2)	–
14	Stefan Nystrand	SWE	22.53 (3 h8)	22.49 (7 h1)	–
15	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	22.42 (2 h8)	22.51 (8 h1)	–
16	Denis Pimankov	RUS	22.74 (5 h9)	22.89 (8 h2)	–
=17	Jiang Chengji	CHN	22.82 (1 h7)	–	–
=17	Kim Min-Seok	KOR	22.82 (2 h6)	–	–
19	Julio Santos	ECU	22.83 (6 h10)	–	–
20	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	22.88 (6 h9)	–	–
21	José Meolans	ARG	22.89 (6 h8)	–	–
22	Salim Iles	ALG	22.95 (7 h8)	–	–
=23	Edvaldo Valério	BRA	22.96 (7 h10)	–	–
=23	Eduardo Lorente	ESP	22.96 (8 h8)	–	–
25	Peter Mankoč	SLO	23.02 (3 h6)	–	–
26	Attila Zubor	HUN	23.03 (2 h7)	–	–
27	Stavros Michailidis	CYP	23.05 (4 h6)	–	–
28	Stephan Kunzelmann	GER	23.08 (3 h7)	–	–
29	Indrek Sei	EST	23.11 (8 h10)	–	–
30	Ravil Nachayev	UZB	23.12 (1 h5)	–	–
31	Christoph Bühler	SUI	23.15 (4 h7)	–	–
32	Marijan Kanjer	CRO	23.16 (5 h7)	–	–
33	Marcos Hernández	CUB	23.20 (6 h7)	–	–
=34	Dzmitry Kalinovski	BLR	23.21 (7 h7)	–	–
=34	Yoav Bruck	ISR	23.21 (5 h6)	–	–
36	Pedro Silva	POR	23.27 (8 h7)	–	–
37	Allan Murray	BAH	23.34 (2 h5)	–	–
38	Rolandas Gimbutis	LTU	23.36 (6 h6)	–	–
39	Thierry Wouters	BEL	23.44 (7 h6)	–	–
40	Sergey Borisenko	KAZ	23.46 (1 h4)	–	–
41	Sergey Ashikhmin	KGZ	23.53 (2 h4)	–	–
42	Richard Bera	INA	23.56 (3 h5)	–	–
43	Nebojša Bikić	SCG	23.57 (4 h5)	–	–
44	Camilo Becerra	COL	23.63 (5 h5)	–	–
45	Esteban Blanco	CRC	23.72 (1 h3)	–	–
46	Tamer Zinhom	EGY	23.77 (6 h5)	–	–
47	Serghei Stolearenco	MDA	23.84 (3 h4)	–	–
48	Paul Kutscher	URU	23.90 (4 h4)	–	–
=49	Luis López	PER	24.00 (=5 h4)	–	–
=49	Leslie Kwok	SGP	24.00 (=5 h4)	–	–
51	Huang Chih-Yung	TPE	24.01 (7 h4)	–	–
52	Howard Hinds	AHO	24.07 (2 h3)	–	–
53	Harbeth Fu	HKG	24.20 (8 h4)	–	–
54	Zurab Beridze	GEO	24.28 (3 h3)	–	–
55	Rodrigo Olivares	CHI	24.50 (7 h5)	–	–
56	Ayoub Al-Mas	UAE	24.91 (4 h3)	–	–
57	Omar Hughes	GRN	25.05 (5 h3)	–	–
58	Dimitri Margaryan	ARM	25.29 (6 h3)	–	–
59	Jamie Peterkin	LCA	25.33 (1 h2)	–	–
60	Emin Quliyev	AZE	25.36 (7 h3)	–	–
61	Wael Saeed	QAT	25.43 (1 h1)	–	–
62	Davy Bisslik	ARU	25.57 (2 h2)	–	–
63	João Aguiar	ANG	25.70 (8 h3)	–	–
64	Mohammed Ahmed	IRQ	25.84 (3 h2)	–	–
65	Ilidio Matusse	MOZ	26.28 (4 h2)	–	–
66	Hem Kiry	CAM	26.41 (5 h2)	–	–
67	Kenneth Maronie	DMA	26.65 (6 h2)	–	–
68	Khalid Al-Kulaibi	OMA	26.96 (7 h2)	–	–
69	Chitra Bahadur Gurung	NEP	27.02 (2 h1)	–	–
70	Sikhounxay Ounkhamphanyavong	LAO	27.03 (8 h2)	–	–
71	Anlloyd Samuel	PLW	27.24 (3 h1)	–	–
72	Stephenson Wallace	VIN	27.84 (4 h1)	–	–
73	Hassan Mubah	MDV	28.86 (5 h1)	–	–
74	Bakary Sereme	MLI	29.69 (6 h1)	–	–
75	Samson Ndayishimiye	RWA	38.76 (7 h1)	–	–
DQ	Craig Hutchison	CAN	– (DQ h6)	–	–
DQ	Mohamed Abdul Hamid	SUD	– (DQ h1)	–	–
DNS	Romain Barnier	FRA	– (DNS h9)	–	–
DNS	Lars Frölander	SWE	– (DNS h9)	–	–
DNS	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	– (DNS h5)	–	–

Round One (21 September 2000)

Fastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat One (10:02)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	1	Wael Saeed	QAT	– (–) –	25.43	0.78
2	5	Chitra Bahadur Gurung	NEP	– (–) –	27.02	0.87
3	4	Anlloyd Samuel	PLW	– (–) –	27.24	0.71
4	3	Stephenson Wallace	VIN	– (–) –	27.84	0.87
5	6	Hassan Mubah	MDV	– (–) –	28.86	0.85
6	2	Bakary Sereme	MLI	– (–) –	29.69	0.86
7	8	Samson Ndayishimiye	RWA	– (–) –	38.76	0.81
DQ	7	Mohamed Abdul Hamid	SUD	– (–) –	–	–	1

Heat Two (10:04)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	6	Jamie Peterkin	LCA	– (–) –	25.33	0.89
2	4	Davy Bisslik	ARU	– (–) –	25.57	0.74
3	5	Mohammed Ahmed	IRQ	– (–) –	25.84	0.66
4	3	Ilidio Matusse	MOZ	– (–) –	26.28	0.77
5	8	Hem Kiry	CAM	– (–) –	26.41	0.74
6	1	Kenneth Maronie	DMA	– (–) –	26.65	0.82
7	7	Khalid Al-Kulaibi	OMA	– (–) –	26.96	0.76
8	2	Sikhounxay Ounkhamphanyavong	LAO	– (–) –	27.03	0.82

Heat Three (10:06)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	4	Esteban Blanco	CRC	– (–) –	23.72	0.83
2	5	Howard Hinds	AHO	– (–) –	24.07	0.74
3	8	Zurab Beridze	GEO	– (–) –	24.28	0.81
4	1	Ayoub Al-Mas	UAE	– (–) –	24.91	0.82
5	3	Omar Hughes	GRN	– (–) –	25.05	0.77
6	2	Dimitri Margaryan	ARM	– (–) –	25.29	0.76
7	7	Emin Quliyev	AZE	– (–) –	25.36	0.76
8	6	João Aguiar	ANG	– (–) –	25.70	0.78

Heat Four (10:08)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	1	Sergey Borisenko	KAZ	– (–) –	23.46	0.86
2	4	Sergey Ashikhmin	KGZ	– (–) –	23.53	0.85
3	8	Serghei Stolearenco	MDA	– (–) –	23.84	0.75
4	3	Paul Kutscher	URU	– (–) –	23.90	0.73
=5	6	Leslie Kwok	SGP	– (–) –	24.00	0.73
=5	7	Luis López	PER	– (–) –	24.00	0.73
7	2	Huang Chih-Yung	TPE	– (–) –	24.01	0.68
8	5	Harbeth Fu	HKG	– (–) –	24.20	0.80

Heat Five (10:10)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	1	Ravil Nachayev	UZB	– (–) –	23.12	0.78
2	4	Allan Murray	BAH	– (–) –	23.34	0.70
3	7	Richard Bera	INA	– (–) –	23.56	0.68
4	8	Nebojša Bikić	SCG	– (–) –	23.57	0.84
5	2	Camilo Becerra	COL	– (–) –	23.63	0.72
6	6	Tamer Zinhom	EGY	– (–) –	23.77	0.82
7	3	Rodrigo Olivares	CHI	– (–) –	24.50	0.81
DNS	5	Francisco Sánchez	VEN	– (–) –	–	–

Heat Six (10:12)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	2	Oleksandr Volynets	UKR	– (–) –	22.52	0.86	Q
2	6	Kim Min-Seok	KOR	– (–) –	22.82	0.85
3	8	Peter Mankoč	SLO	– (–) –	23.02	0.80
4	7	Stavros Michailidis	CYP	– (–) –	23.05	0.71
5	5	Yoav Bruck	ISR	– (–) –	23.21	0.79
6	1	Rolandas Gimbutis	LTU	– (–) –	23.36	0.88
7	4	Thierry Wouters	BEL	– (–) –	23.44	0.79
DQ	3	Craig Hutchison	CAN	– (–) –	–	–		2

Heat Seven (10:14)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	4	Jiang Chengji	CHN	– (–) –	22.82	0.73
2	6	Attila Zubor	HUN	– (–) –	23.03	0.79
3	1	Stephan Kunzelmann	GER	– (–) –	23.08	0.80
4	2	Christoph Bühler	SUI	– (–) –	23.15	0.80
5	7	Marijan Kanjer	CRO	– (–) –	23.16	0.74
6	5	Marcos Hernández	CUB	– (–) –	23.20	0.69
7	3	Dzmitry Kalinovski	BLR	– (–) –	23.21	0.75
8	8	Pedro Silva	POR	– (–) –	23.27	0.73

Heat Eight (10:16)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	4	Anthony Ervin	USA	– (–) –	22.24	0.71	Q
2	6	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	– (–) –	22.42	0.62	Q
3	7	Stefan Nystrand	SWE	– (–) –	22.53	0.73	Q
4	5	Lorenzo Vismara	ITA	– (–) –	22.62	0.82	Q
5	3	Mark Foster	GBR	– (–) –	22.65	0.82	Q
6	2	José Meolans	ARG	– (–) –	22.89	0.80
7	1	Salim Iles	ALG	– (–) –	22.95	0.74
8	8	Eduardo Lorente	ESP	– (–) –	22.96	0.76

Heat Nine (10:19)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	6	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	– (–) –	22.05	0.72	Q
2	4	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	– (–) –	22.14	0.71	Q
3	5	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	– (–) –	22.46	0.67	Q
4	2	Johan Kenkhuis	NED	– (–) –	22.61	0.78	Q
5	8	Denis Pimankov	RUS	– (–) –	22.74	0.79	Q
6	3	Xuxa Scherer	BRA	– (–) –	22.88	0.78
DNS	7	Romain Barnier	FRA	– (–) –	–	–
DNS	1	Lars Frölander	SWE	– (–) –	–	–

Heat Ten (10:22)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	4	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	– (–) –	22.15	0.86	Q
2	5	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	– (–) –	22.32	0.86	Q
3	6	Brett Hawke	AUS	– (–) –	22.45	0.72	Q
4	3	Roland Schoeman	RSA	– (–) –	22.53	0.69	Q
5	2	Chris Fydler	AUS	– (–) –	22.80	0.74	Q
6	8	Julio Santos	ECU	– (–) –	22.83	0.69
7	7	Edvaldo Valério	BRA	– (–) –	22.96	0.72
8	1	Indrek Sei	EST	– (–) –	23.11	0.73

Semi-Finals (21 September 2000)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One (19:02)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	4	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	– (–) –	22.07	0.76	Q
2	5	Anthony Ervin	USA	– (–) –	22.13	0.70	Q
3	1	Mark Foster	GBR	– (–) –	22.32	0.81	Q
4	6	Brendon Dedekind	RSA	– (–) –	22.39	0.69
5	8	Chris Fydler	AUS	– (–) –	22.41	0.75
6	7	Johan Kenkhuis	NED	– (–) –	22.47	0.77
7	2	Stefan Nystrand	SWE	– (–) –	22.49	0.73
8	3	Ricardo Busquets	PUR	– (–) –	22.51	0.64

Heat Two (19:06)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
1	3	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	– (–) –	22.11	0.85	Q
2	5	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	– (–) –	22.17	0.86	Q
3	1	Lorenzo Vismara	ITA	– (–) –	22.30	0.84	Q
4	4	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	– (–) –	22.35	0.74	Q
5	2	Oleksandr Volynets	UKR	– (–) –	22.36	0.85	Q
6	7	Roland Schoeman	RSA	– (–) –	22.41	0.73
7	6	Brett Hawke	AUS	– (–) –	22.49	0.72
8	8	Denis Pimankov	RUS	– (–) –	22.89	0.78

Final (22 September 2000 — 19:52)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	Time	Reaction
=1	3	Anthony Ervin	USA	– (–) –	21.98	0.68
=1	4	Gary Hall, Jr.	USA	– (–) –	21.98	0.73
3	5	Pieter van den Hoogenband	NED	– (–) –	22.03	0.82
4	2	Lorenzo Vismara	ITA	– (–) –	22.11	0.82
5	1	Bartosz Kizierowski	POL	– (–) –	22.22	0.75
6	6	Aleksandr Popov	RUS	– (–) –	22.24	0.82
7	7	Mark Foster	GBR	– (–) –	22.41	0.83
8	8	Oleksandr Volynets	UKR	– (–) –	22.51	0.90