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1988 Summer Olympics
Swimming
100 metres Backstroke, Women

100 metres Backstroke, Women

Date	22 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul
Participants	41 from 30 countries

East German Kristin Otto was trying to win six gold medals in Seoul, and she had already won the 100 freestyle. She was expected to be challenged in the 100 back by Costa Rican Silvia Poll, who led the world lists in 1987, but Otto qualified first with Poll only sixth. In the final Otto was in command for the entire race and was unchallenged in winning her second gold. About an hour later she returned to the pool with the GDR 4 x 100 free relay team and won her third gold, and she would succeed with her goal to win six gold medals in Seoul.

The silver went to surprising Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi, who would later win gold in the 200 backstroke and then become the world’s best backstroker. Bronze was won by Otto’s teammate Cornelia Sirch, as Poll placed only sixth.

In qualifying Australian Karen Lord and Italian Manuela Carosi both swam 1:04.69 to tie for 16th place and the last spot in the B final. They swam off the tie, again finishing in the same time, 1:05.05. They continued on, enduring another swim-off, this one won by Carosi in 1:04.62, but narrowly over Lord, who finished in 1:04.75. In the B final, Carosi, swimming her fourth 100 backstroke in the same day, was able to place third, for 11th overall in the event.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	B Final	Final
1	177	Kristin Otto	👁 Image GDR	1:01.45 (1 h6)	–	1:00.89 (1)	Gold
2	204	Krisztina Egerszegi	👁 Image HUN	1:02.09 (2 h5)	–	1:01.56 (2)	Silver
3	180	Cornelia Sirch	👁 Image GDR	1:01.63 (1 h5)	–	1:01.57 (3)	Bronze
4	332	Betsy Mitchell	👁 Image USA	1:02.85 (1 h4)	–	1:02.71 (4)
5	316	Beth Barr	👁 Image USA	1:02.63 (2 h6)	–	1:02.78 (5)
6	93	Sylvia Poll	👁 Image CRC	1:03.21 (3 h5)	–	1:03.34 (6)
7	22	Nicole Livingstone	👁 Image AUS	1:03.26 (3 h6)	–	1:04.15 (7)
8	125	Marion Aizpors	👁 Image FRG	1:03.27 (4 h6)	–	1:04.19 (8)
9	274	Anca Pătrășcoiu	👁 Image ROU	1:03.29 (2 h4)	1:03.33 (1)	–
10	141	Svenja Schlicht	👁 Image FRG	1:03.72 (4 h5)	1:03.68 (2)	–
11	213	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:04.69 (4 h4)	1:05.05 (=1 h7)	–
12	64	Lori Melien	👁 Image CAN	1:04.29 (5 h5)	1:03.87 (4)	–
13	220	Lorenza Vigarani	👁 Image ITA	1:03.96 (3 h4)	1:03.88 (5)	–
14	193	Jolanda de Rover	👁 Image NED	1:04.39 (6 h5)	1:04.11 (6)	–
15	264	Sharon Musson	👁 Image NZL	1:04.58 (7 h5)	1:04.17 (7)	–
16	161	Kathy Read	👁 Image GBR	1:04.62 (5 h6)	1:04.27 (8)	–
17	23	Karen Lord	👁 Image AUS	1:04.69 (6 h6)	1:05.05 (=1 h7)	–
18	160	Sharon Page	👁 Image GBR	1:04.75 (8 h5)	–	–
19	47	Bistra Gospodinova	👁 Image BUL	1:04.91 (5 h4)	–	–
=20	117	Laurence Guillou	👁 Image FRA	1:05.07 (=6 h4)	–	–
=20	281	Eva Gysling	👁 Image SUI	1:05.07 (=6 h4)	–	–
22	288	Johanna Larsson	👁 Image SWE	1:05.10 (7 h6)	–	–
23	81	Wang Bolin	👁 Image CHN	1:05.15 (1 h3)	–	–
24	228	Satoko Morishita	👁 Image JPN	1:05.38 (8 h6)	–	–
25	263	Sylvia Hume	👁 Image NZL	1:05.81 (8 h4)	–	–
26	234	Tomoko Onogi	👁 Image JPN	1:06.14 (2 h3)	–	–
27	209	Michelle Smith	👁 Image IRL	1:06.22 (3 h3)	–	–
28	266	Akiko Thomson	👁 Image PHI	1:06.51 (4 h3)	–	–
29	208	Aileen Convery	👁 Image IRL	1:06.73 (5 h3)	–	–
30	241	Hong Ji-Hui	👁 Image KOR	1:08.33 (6 h3)	–	–
31	270	Rita Garay	👁 Image PUR	1:08.58 (7 h3)	–	–
32	298	Wang Chi	👁 Image TPE	1:09.56 (8 h3)	–	–
33	201	Ana Fortín	👁 Image HON	1:10.10 (1 h2)	–	–
34	212	Tricia Duncan	👁 Image ISV	1:10.37 (2 h2)	–	–
35	191	Tsang Wing Sze	👁 Image HKG	1:10.50 (3 h2)	–	–
36	112	Sharon Pickering	👁 Image FIJ	1:12.14 (4 h2)	–	–
37	110	Angela Birch	👁 Image FIJ	1:13.48 (1 h1)	–	–
38	36	Katerine Moreno	👁 Image BOL	1:14.42 (2 h1)	–	–
39	3	Elsa Freire	👁 Image ANG	1:15.56 (5 h2)	–	–
40	259	Carolina Araujo	👁 Image MOZ	1:15.86 (3 h1)	–	–
41	2	Carla Fernandes	👁 Image ANG	1:21.58 (6 h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	22 September 1988 — 10:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final. Places 9-16 advanced to the B Final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	4	Kristin Otto	👁 Image GDR	1:01.45
2	4	Cornelia Sirch	👁 Image GDR	1:01.63
3	3	Krisztina Egerszegi	👁 Image HUN	1:02.09
4	5	Beth Barr	👁 Image USA	1:02.63
5	4	Betsy Mitchell	👁 Image USA	1:02.85
6	7	Sylvia Poll	👁 Image CRC	1:03.21
7	3	Nicole Livingstone	👁 Image AUS	1:03.26
8	2	Marion Aizpors	👁 Image FRG	1:03.27
9	5	Anca Pătrășcoiu	👁 Image ROU	1:03.29
10	5	Svenja Schlicht	👁 Image FRG	1:03.72
11	3	Lorenza Vigarani	👁 Image ITA	1:03.96
12	2	Lori Melien	👁 Image CAN	1:04.29
13	1	Jolanda de Rover	👁 Image NED	1:04.39
14	6	Sharon Musson	👁 Image NZL	1:04.58
15	8	Kathy Read	👁 Image GBR	1:04.62
=16	6	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:04.69
=16	7	Karen Lord	👁 Image AUS	1:04.69
18	8	Sharon Page	👁 Image GBR	1:04.75
19	1	Bistra Gospodinova	👁 Image BUL	1:04.91
=20	7	Eva Gysling	👁 Image SUI	1:05.07
=20	8	Laurence Guillou	👁 Image FRA	1:05.07
22	6	Johanna Larsson	👁 Image SWE	1:05.10
23	2	Wang Bolin	👁 Image CHN	1:05.15
24	1	Satoko Morishita	👁 Image JPN	1:05.38
25	2	Sylvia Hume	👁 Image NZL	1:05.81
26	4	Tomoko Onogi	👁 Image JPN	1:06.14
27	3	Michelle Smith	👁 Image IRL	1:06.22
28	8	Akiko Thomson	👁 Image PHI	1:06.51
29	5	Aileen Convery	👁 Image IRL	1:06.73
30	1	Hong Ji-Hui	👁 Image KOR	1:08.33
31	7	Rita Garay	👁 Image PUR	1:08.58
32	6	Wang Chi	👁 Image TPE	1:09.56
33	5	Ana Fortín	👁 Image HON	1:10.10
34	4	Tricia Duncan	👁 Image ISV	1:10.37
35	3	Tsang Wing Sze	👁 Image HKG	1:10.50
36	6	Sharon Pickering	👁 Image FIJ	1:12.14
37	5	Angela Birch	👁 Image FIJ	1:13.48
38	4	Katerine Moreno	👁 Image BOL	1:14.42
39	2	Elsa Freire	👁 Image ANG	1:15.56
40	3	Carolina Araujo	👁 Image MOZ	1:15.86
41	7	Carla Fernandes	👁 Image ANG	1:21.58

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	5	Angela Birch	👁 Image FIJ	1:13.48	34.51 (1)	38.97 (2)
2	4	Katerine Moreno	👁 Image BOL	1:14.42	35.86 (3)	38.56 (1)
3	3	Carolina Araujo	👁 Image MOZ	1:15.86	35.81 (2)	40.05 (3)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	5	Ana Fortín	👁 Image HON	1:10.10	33.22 (1)	36.88 (3)
2	4	Tricia Duncan	👁 Image ISV	1:10.37	33.66 (2)	36.71 (1)
3	3	Tsang Wing Sze	👁 Image HKG	1:10.50	33.78 (3)	36.72 (2)
4	6	Sharon Pickering	👁 Image FIJ	1:12.14	34.30 (4)	37.84 (4)
5	2	Elsa Freire	👁 Image ANG	1:15.56	36.01 (5)	39.55 (5)
6	7	Carla Fernandes	👁 Image ANG	1:21.58	38.30 (6)	43.28 (6)

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	2	Wang Bolin	👁 Image CHN	1:05.15	31.70 (1)	33.45 (1)
2	4	Tomoko Onogi	👁 Image JPN	1:06.14	32.02 (4)	34.12 (3)
3	3	Michelle Smith	👁 Image IRL	1:06.22	32.16 (5)	34.06 (2)
4	8	Akiko Thomson	👁 Image PHI	1:06.51	31.97 (3)	34.54 (4)
5	5	Aileen Convery	👁 Image IRL	1:06.73	31.85 (2)	34.88 (5)
6	1	Hong Ji-Hui	👁 Image KOR	1:08.33	32.48 (6)	35.85 (7)
7	7	Rita Garay	👁 Image PUR	1:08.58	33.24 (7)	35.34 (6)
8	6	Wang Chi	👁 Image TPE	1:09.56	33.43 (8)	36.13 (8)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	4	Betsy Mitchell	👁 Image USA	1:02.85	30.00 (1)	32.85 (2)
2	5	Anca Pătrășcoiu	👁 Image ROU	1:03.29	30.67 (3)	32.62 (1)
3	3	Lorenza Vigarani	👁 Image ITA	1:03.96	30.63 (2)	33.33 (3)
4	6	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:04.69	30.86 (4)	33.83 (6)
5	1	Bistra Gospodinova	👁 Image BUL	1:04.91	31.32 (7)	33.59 (4)
=6	7	Eva Gysling	👁 Image SUI	1:05.07	31.06 (6)	34.01 (7)
=6	8	Laurence Guillou	👁 Image FRA	1:05.07	31.46 (8)	33.61 (5)
8	2	Sylvia Hume	👁 Image NZL	1:05.81	31.04 (5)	34.77 (8)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	4	Cornelia Sirch	👁 Image GDR	1:01.63	29.74 (1)	31.89 (1)
2	3	Krisztina Egerszegi	👁 Image HUN	1:02.09	29.86 (2)	32.23 (2)
3	7	Sylvia Poll	👁 Image CRC	1:03.21	30.05 (3)	33.16 (4)
4	5	Svenja Schlicht	👁 Image FRG	1:03.72	30.74 (4)	32.98 (3)
5	2	Lori Melien	👁 Image CAN	1:04.29	30.78 (5)	33.51 (7)
6	1	Jolanda de Rover	👁 Image NED	1:04.39	31.02 (=6)	33.37 (5)
7	6	Sharon Musson	👁 Image NZL	1:04.58	31.02 (=6)	33.56 (8)
8	8	Sharon Page	👁 Image GBR	1:04.75	31.27 (8)	33.48 (6)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	4	Kristin Otto	👁 Image GDR	1:01.45	29.60 (1)	31.85 (1)
2	5	Beth Barr	👁 Image USA	1:02.63	30.19 (3)	32.44 (2)
3	3	Nicole Livingstone	👁 Image AUS	1:03.26	30.81 (4)	32.45 (3)
4	2	Marion Aizpors	👁 Image FRG	1:03.27	29.92 (2)	33.35 (4)
5	8	Kathy Read	👁 Image GBR	1:04.62	31.17 (7)	33.45 (5)
6	7	Karen Lord	👁 Image AUS	1:04.69	31.15 (6)	33.54 (6)
7	6	Johanna Larsson	👁 Image SWE	1:05.10	31.13 (5)	33.97 (8)
8	1	Satoko Morishita	👁 Image JPN	1:05.38	31.69 (8)	33.69 (7)

Swim-Off 16-17 - #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
=1	5	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:05.05	31.50 (2)	33.55 (1)
=1	4	Karen Lord	👁 Image AUS	1:05.05	31.11 (1)	33.94 (2)

Swim-Off 16-17 - #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	5	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:04.62	31.25 (=1)	33.37 (1)
2	4	Karen Lord	👁 Image AUS	1:04.75	31.25 (=1)	33.50 (2)

B Final

Date	22 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	4	Anca Pătrășcoiu	👁 Image ROU	1:03.33	30.68 (4)	32.65 (1)
2	5	Svenja Schlicht	👁 Image FRG	1:03.68	30.94 (7)	32.74 (2)
3	8	Manuela Carosi	👁 Image ITA	1:03.80	30.59 (1)	33.21 (=4)
4	6	Lori Melien	👁 Image CAN	1:03.87	30.66 (3)	33.21 (=4)
5	3	Lorenza Vigarani	👁 Image ITA	1:03.88	30.64 (2)	33.24 (6)
6	2	Jolanda de Rover	👁 Image NED	1:04.11	30.81 (5)	33.30 (7)
7	7	Sharon Musson	👁 Image NZL	1:04.17	31.24 (8)	32.93 (3)
8	1	Kathy Read	👁 Image GBR	1:04.27	30.83 (6)	33.44 (8)

Final Round

Date	22 September 1988 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	50 m	50-100 m
1	4	Kristin Otto	👁 Image GDR	1:00.89	29.12 (1)	31.77 (1)
2	3	Krisztina Egerszegi	👁 Image HUN	1:01.56	29.36 (2)	32.20 (4)
3	5	Cornelia Sirch	👁 Image GDR	1:01.57	29.43 (3)	32.14 (2)
4	2	Betsy Mitchell	👁 Image USA	1:02.71	30.20 (5)	32.51 (5)
5	6	Beth Barr	👁 Image USA	1:02.78	30.60 (6)	32.18 (3)
6	7	Sylvia Poll	👁 Image CRC	1:03.34	29.68 (4)	33.66 (8)
7	1	Nicole Livingstone	👁 Image AUS	1:04.15	31.05 (8)	33.10 (6)
8	8	Marion Aizpors	👁 Image FRG	1:04.19	30.61 (7)	33.58 (7)

URL: https://www.olympedia.org/results/7505

⇱ Olympedia – 100 metres Backstroke, Women