Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics

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Swimming
at the Games of the XIX Olympiad
Alberca Olimpica Francisco Marquez.jpg
Venue Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez
Dates17 – 26 October 1968
No. of events29
Competitors468 from 51 nations
  1964
1972  

The swimming competitions at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City took place from 17 to 26 October at the Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez. [1] Swimming featured a record total of 29 events. There was a total of 468 participants from 51 countries competing. [2] The United States dominated the competition, winning 52 of 87 possible medals. 15-year-old American phenom Debbie Meyer from Maryland won three gold medals.

Events

Swimming at the 1968 Olympics featured a total of 29 events (15 for men and 14 for women). This was a significant increase from the 18 events contested in the previous Olympic Games. The following events were contested (all pool events are long course, and distances are in meters): [1]

Participating nations

468 swimmers from 51 nations competed. [2]

Medal table

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States 21151652
2Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 3238
3Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 2316
4Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia 1102
5Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 1012
6Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1001
7Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 0448
8Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 0314
9Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 0101
10Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 0022
11Flag of France.svg  France 0011
Totals (11 entries)29292987

Medal summary

Men's events

GamesGoldSilverBronze
100 m freestyle
details
Michael Wenden
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
52.2 WR Ken Walsh
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
52.8 Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
53.0
200 m freestyle
details
Michael Wenden
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
1:55.2 OR Don Schollander
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:55.8 John Nelson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:58.1
400 m freestyle
details
Mike Burton
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:09.0 OR Ralph Hutton
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
4:11.7 Alain Mosconi
Flag of France.svg  France
4:13.3
1500 m freestyle
details
Mike Burton
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
16:38.9 OR John Kinsella
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
16:57.3 Greg Brough
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
17:04.7
100 m backstroke
details
Roland Matthes
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany
58.7 OR Charlie Hickcox
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:00.2 Ronnie Mills
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:00.5
200 m backstroke
details
Roland Matthes
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany
2:09.6 OR Mitch Ivey
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:10.6 Jack Horsley
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:10.9
100 m breaststroke
details
Don McKenzie
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:07.7 OR Vladimir Kosinsky
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1:08.0 Nikolai Pankin
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1:08.0
200 m breaststroke
details
Felipe Muñoz
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
2:28.7 Vladimir Kosinsky
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2:29.2 Brian Job
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:29.9
100 m butterfly
details
Doug Russell
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
55.9 OR Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
56.4 Ross Wales
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
57.2
200 m butterfly
details
Carl Robie
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:08.7 Martyn Woodroffe
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
2:09.0 John Ferris
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:09.3
200 m individual medley
details
Charlie Hickcox
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:12.0 OR Greg Buckingham
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:13.0 John Ferris
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:13.3
400 m individual medley
details
Charlie Hickcox
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:48.4 Gary Hall, Sr.
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:48.7 Michael Holthaus
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany
4:51.4
4×100 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Zac Zorn
Stephen Rerych
Ken Walsh
Mark Spitz
3:31.7 WR Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)
Georgi Kulikov
Viktor Mazanov
Semyon Belits-Geiman
Leonid Ilyichov
3:34.2Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)
Greg Rogers
Robert Cusack
Bob Windle
Michael Wenden
3:34.7
4×200 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
John Nelson
Stephen Rerych
Mark Spitz
Don Schollander
7:52.3Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)
Greg Rogers
Graham White
Bob Windle
Michael Wenden
7:53.7Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)
Vladimir Bure
Semyon Belits-Geiman
Georgi Kulikov
Leonid Ilyichov
8:01.6
4×100 m medley relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Charlie Hickcox
Don McKenzie
Doug Russell
Ken Walsh
3:54.9 WR Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Roland Matthes
Egon Henninger
Horst-Günter Gregor
Frank Wiegand
3:57.5Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)
Yuri Gromak
Vladimir Nemshilov
Vladimir Kosinsky
Leonid Ilyichov
4:00.7

Women's events

GamesGoldSilverBronze
100 m freestyle
details
Jan Henne
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:00.0 Susan Pedersen
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:00.3 Linda Gustavson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:00.3
200 m freestyle
details
Debbie Meyer
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:10.5 OR Jan Henne
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:11.0 Jane Barkman
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:11.2
400 m freestyle
details
Debbie Meyer
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:31.8 OR Linda Gustavson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:35.5 Karen Moras
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
4:37.0
800 m freestyle
details
Debbie Meyer
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
9:24.0 OR Pam Kruse
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
9:35.7 Maria Teresa Ramírez
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
9:38.5
100 m backstroke
details
Kaye Hall
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:06.2 WR Elaine Tanner
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
1:06.7 Jane Swagerty
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:08.1
200 m backstroke
details
Lillian Watson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:24.8 OR Elaine Tanner
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2:27.4 Kaye Hall
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:28.9
100 m breaststroke
details
Đurđica Bjedov
Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia
1:15.8 OR Galina Prozumenshchikova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1:15.9 Sharon Wichman
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:16.1
200 m breaststroke
details
Sharon Wichman
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:44.4 OR Đurđica Bjedov
Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia
2:46.4 Galina Prozumenshchikova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2:47.0
100 m butterfly
details
Lyn McClements
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
1:05.5 Ellie Daniel
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:05.8 Susan Shields
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:06.2
200 m butterfly
details
Ada Kok
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
2:24.7 OR Helga Lindner
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany
2:24.8 Ellie Daniel
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:25.9
200 m individual medley
details
Claudia Kolb
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:24.7 OR Susan Pedersen
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:28.8 Jan Henne
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:31.4
400 m individual medley
details
Claudia Kolb
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
5:08.5 OR Lynn Vidali
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
5:22.2 Sabine Steinbach
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany
5:25.3
4×100 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Jane Barkman
Linda Gustavson
Susan Pedersen
Jan Henne
4:02.5 OR Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Gabriele Wetzko
Roswitha Krause
Uta Schmuck
Martina Grunert
4:05.7Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)
Angela Coughlan
Marilyn Corson
Elaine Tanner
Marion Lay
4:07.2
4×100 m medley relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Kaye Hall
Catie Ball
Ellie Daniel
Susan Pedersen
4:28.3 OR Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)
Lynne Watson
Judy Playfair
Lyn McClements
Janet Steinbeck
4:30.0Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany  (FRG)
Angelika Kraus
Uta Frommater
Heike Hustede
Heidemarie Reineck
4:36.4

Some of the Olympic medalists in Mexico City:

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References

  1. 1 2 "Olympedia – Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Swimming at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2016.