Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 50 metre freestyle

Last updated

Contents

Women's 50 metre freestyle
at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Venue Beijing National Aquatics Center
DateAugust 15, 2008 (heats)
August 16, 2008(semifinals)
August 17, 2008 (final)
Competitors92 from 83 nations
Winning time24.06 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Britta Steffen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Silver medal icon.svg Dara Torres Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Cate Campbell Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
  2004
2012  

The women's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 15–17 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China. [1]

Germany's Britta Steffen blasted a new Olympic record to strike a sprint freestyle double. She posted a time of 24.06, the second-fastest ever in the event, to erase Inge de Bruijn's 2000 record, and to hold off U.S. swimmer Dara Torres in a close race by a hundredth of a second (0.01). [2] [3] Returning from an eight-year absence, Torres became the first woman in Olympic history to swim past the age of 40. [4] She established both a personal best and an American record of 24.07 to earn a silver medal and eleventh overall in her fifth Olympics since 1984. [5] Meanwhile, Australian teenager Cate Campbell picked up a bronze in 24.17, edging out her teammate Lisbeth Trickett (24.25) by 0.08 of a second. [6]

Netherlands' Marleen Veldhuis finished fifth with a time of 24.26, and was followed in the sixth spot by American Kara Lynn Joyce in 24.63. Veldhuis' teammate Hinkelien Schreuder (24.65) and Belarus' Aliaksandra Herasimenia (24.77) rounded out the finale. [2]

Notable swimmers missed out the top 8 final, featuring Sweden's Therese Alshammar, four-time Olympian and silver medalist in Sydney eight years earlier, and Finland's Hanna-Maria Seppälä, fourth-place finalist in the 100 m freestyle. [7]

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World recordFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Lisbeth Trickett  (AUS)23.97 Sydney, Australia 29 March 2008 [8]
Olympic recordFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Inge de Bruijn  (NED)24.13 Sydney, Australia 22 September 2000-

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.

DateEventNameNationalityTimeRecord
August 17Final Britta Steffen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 24.06 OR

Results

Heats

RankHeatLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
1104 Cate Campbell Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.20Q
2114 Marleen Veldhuis Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 24.38Q
3105 Dara Torres Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24.58Q
4124 Lisbeth Trickett Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.67Q
5116 Jeanette Ottesen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 24.83Q
6125 Britta Steffen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 24.90Q
7122 Zhu Yingwen Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 24.91Q
8103 Francesca Halsall Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 24.93Q
9115 Therese Alshammar Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 24.94Q
10126 Malia Metella Flag of France.svg  France 24.95Q
11112 Arlene Semeco Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 24.98Q, NR
12113 Hinkelien Schreuder Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 25.00Q
118 Li Zhesi Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Q
14123 Kara Lynn Joyce Flag of the United States.svg  United States 25.01Q
15121 Hanna-Maria Seppälä Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 25.06Q, NR
16106 Aliaksandra Herasimenia Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus 25.07Q
17127 Agata Ewa Korc Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 25.14 NR
18111 Céline Couderc Flag of France.svg  France 25.22
1987 Anna Gostomelsky Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 25.23 NR
20128 Sviatlana Khakhlova Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus 25.27
2195 Triin Aljand Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 25.29
22102 Anna-Karin Kammerling Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 25.34
107 Flavia Cazziolato Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
2482 Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas 25.40
25101 Petra Dallmann Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 25.43
26117 Lize-Mari Retief Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 25.44
2794 Martina Moravcová Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 25.47
2897 Anastasia Aksenova Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 25.51
2985 Sandra Kazíková Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 25.54
3096 Victoria Poon Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 25.58
3198 Chang Hee-jin Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svg  South Korea 25.59
3292 Oksana Serikova Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 25.65
3391 Martha Matsa Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 25.68
34108 Cristina Chiuso Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 25.74
3593 Vanessa García Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 25.81
3683 Ragnheidur Ragnarsdottir Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 25.82
3781 Natasha Moodie Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 25.95
3871 Carolina Colorado Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 26.11
3966 Rugilė Mileišytė Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 26.19
72 Sharntelle McLean Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago
4175 Eva Dobar Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 26.33
4262 Anna-Liza Mopio-Jane Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 26.47
4373 Nina Sovinek Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia 26.49
4463 Yamile Bahamonde Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg  Ecuador 26.54
76 Yu Ning Elaine Chan Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong
4678 Marina Mulyayeva Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 26.57
4765 Christel Simms Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 26.64
4888 Leung Chii Lin Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 26.75
4974 Monika Babok Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 26.84
5064 Veronica Vdovicenco Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova 26.92
5154 Sharon Paola Fajardo Sierra Flag of Honduras (before 2022).svg  Honduras 27.19
5267 Ngozi Monu Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 27.39
5361 Ellen Lendra Hight Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 27.42
5455 Chinyere Pigot Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname 27.66
5557 Dalia Tórrez Zamora Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 27.81
5653 Razan Taha Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 27.82
5768 Marianela Quesada Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 28.11
5844 Ximene Gomes Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 28.15
52 Rovena Marku Flag of Albania.svg  Albania NR
6056 Tojohanitra Andriamanjatoarimanana Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 28.54
6148 Senele Dlamini Flag of Swaziland.svg  Swaziland 28.70
6241 Virginia Farmer Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa 28.82
6351 Diane Etiennette Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius 28.83
6443 Katerine Moreno Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia 29.05
6558 Ana Crysna da Silva Romero Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 29.06
6635 Olivia Aya Nakitanda Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 29.38
6742 Dashtserengiin Saintsetseg Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia 29.63
6877 Mariya Bugakova Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 29.73
6945 Kiran Khan Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 29.84
7034 Samantha Paxinos Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana 29.91
7138 Amber Yobech Flag of Palau.svg  Palau 30.00
7246 Aminath Rouya Hussain Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives 30.21
7347 Doli Akhter Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 30.23
7415 Sameera Al Bitar Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 30.32
7536 Julianne Kirchner Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg  Marshall Islands 30.42
7637 Debra Daniel Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg  Federated States of Micronesia 30.61
7732 Magdalena Moshi Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 31.37
7831 Hemthon Vitiny Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia 31.41
7927 Zakiya Nassar Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine 31.97
8033 Katerina Izmaylova Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan 32.09
8125 Karishma Karki Flag of Nepal.svg  Nepal 32.35
8224 Zahra Pinto Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 32.53
8326 Antoinette Guedia Mouafo Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 33.59
8423 Vilayphone Vongphachanh Flag of Laos.svg  Laos 34.79
8522 Elisabeth Nikiema Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 34.98 NR
8628 Elsie Uwamahoro Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi 36.86
8716 Gloria Koussihouede Flag of Benin.svg  Benin 37.09
8813 Pamela Girimbabazi Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda 39.78
8914 Djene Barry Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea 39.80
9021 Mariama Souley Bana Flag of Niger.svg  Niger 40.83
84 Miroslava Najdanovski Flag of Serbia (2004-2010).svg  Serbia DNS
86 Bayan Jumah Flag of Syria.svg  Syria DNS

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

RankLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
13 Britta Steffen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 24.43Q
24 Marleen Veldhuis Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 24.46Q
35 Lisbeth Trickett Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.47Q
47 Hinkelien Schreuder Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 24.52Q
51 Kara Lynn Joyce Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24.63Q
68 Aliaksandra Herasimenia Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus 24.72Q
76 Francesca Halsall Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 24.80
82 Malia Metella Flag of France.svg  France 24.89

Semifinal 2

RankLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
15 Dara Torres Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24.27Q
24 Cate Campbell Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.42Q
36 Zhu Yingwen Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 24.76
43 Jeanette Ottesen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 24.86
51 Li Zhesi Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 24.90
62 Therese Alshammar Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 24.96
77 Arlene Semeco Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 25.05
88 Hanna-Maria Seppälä Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 25.19

Final

RankLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg3 Britta Steffen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 24.06 OR
Silver medal icon.svg4 Dara Torres Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24.07 AM
Bronze medal icon.svg5 Cate Campbell Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.17
42 Lisbeth Trickett Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 24.25
56 Marleen Veldhuis Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 24.26
61 Kara Lynn Joyce Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24.63
77 Hinkelien Schreuder Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 24.65
88 Aliaksandra Herasimenia Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus 24.77

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libby Trickett</span> Australian swimmer

Lisbeth Constance Trickett, OAM is a retired Australian swimmer. She was a gold medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the world record holder in the short-course (25m) 100-metre freestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dara Torres</span> American Olympic swimmer

Dara Grace Torres is an American former competitive swimmer, who is a 12-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in three events. Torres is the first swimmer to represent the United States in five Olympic Games, and at age 41, the oldest swimmer to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she competed in the 50-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and won silver medals in all three events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marleen Veldhuis</span> Dutch swimmer

Magdalena Johanna Maria "Marleen" Veldhuis is a retired swimmer from the Netherlands. She was world record holder in four events. Veldhuis won eight world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals. In the Olympics, she won a bronze medal in London 2012 in the 50 m freestyle, as well as three relay medals: bronze in Athens 2004, gold in Beijing 2008, and silver in London 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britta Steffen</span> German swimmer

Britta Steffen is a German competitive swimmer who specializes in freestyle sprint events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World record progression 50 metres freestyle</span> Development of speed swimming records

The first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1976. In the short course swimming events the world's governing body recognizes world records since March 3, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranomi Kromowidjojo</span> Dutch swimmer

Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a retired Dutch swimmer of mixed Dutch-Javanese Surinamese origin who mainly specialises in sprint freestyle events. She is a triple Olympic champion, winning the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics, and in the 50 m freestyle and 100 m freestyle at the 2012 Olympics. Kromowidjojo holds the world record in the 50 meter freestyle short course, and as part of the Dutch team she holds the world record in the 4×50 m freestyle relay. She formerly held world records in the 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m freestyle relays. She has won a total of 39 medals in FINA World Championship events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Seebohm</span> Australian swimmer

Emily Jane Seebohm, OAM is an Australian swimmer and television personality. She has appeared at four Olympic Games between 2008 and 2021; and won three Olympic gold medals, five world championship gold medals and seven Commonwealth Games gold medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaziland at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Swaziland sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8–24, 2008. This was the Kingdom's eighth appearance at a Summer Olympic Games. The Swazi delegation to Beijing consisted of four competitors, two track and field athletes; Isaiah Msibi and Temalangeni Dlamini; and two swimmers; Luke Hall and Senele Dlamini. None of the four advanced beyond the first round of their respective events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fran Halsall</span> British swimmer

Francesca Jean Halsall is a retired English competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain at the Olympics, FINA world championships, and European championships, and England at the Commonwealth Games. She competed primarily in freestyle and butterfly events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cate Campbell</span> Malawian-born Australian competitive swimmer

Cate Natalie Campbell, is a Malawian-born Australian competitive swimmer, and a current multiple world record holder, who won two bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics, a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, a gold and a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She is the current world record holder in the Long Course 4 x 100 m Freestyle Relay with Team Australia and the short course 100 m freestyle. Campbell was one of the flagbearers for Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics alongside basketball player Patty Mills.

The women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 9–10 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

The women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 15 and 17 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

The women's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 13–15 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

The women's 400 metre freestyle event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 10–11 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

The women's 100 metre butterfly event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 9–11 August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yolane Kukla</span> Australian swimmer

Yolane Nicole Kukla is an Australian butterfly and freestyle swimmer.

The women's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 3–4 August at the London Aquatics Centre in London, United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre freestyle</span>

The women's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 1–2 August 2012 at the London Aquatics Centre in London, United Kingdom.

The women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 28 July at the London Aquatics Centre in London, United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronte Campbell</span> Australian swimmer

Bronte Campbell is a Malawian-born Australian competitive swimmer, a dual Olympic gold-medal winner and world champion. Her older sister, Cate, is also a competitive swimmer, and once held world records in both the short and long course 100 metre individual freestyle events. Bronte and Cate are the first Australian siblings on the same Olympic swimming team since the 1972 Olympics and the first Australian sisters ever to compete within the same swimming event at the Olympics. Bronte Campbell won three gold medals at the 2015 World Championships, including the 50 and 100 metre freestyle events.

References

  1. "Olympic Swimming Schedule". USA Today. 9 August 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 Lohn, John (16 August 2008). "Olympics, Swimming: Britta Steffen Edges Dara Torres by .01 to Win 50 Free in Olympic Standard". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  3. "Steffen snatches gold in 50m free, Torres takes silver". ESPN. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  4. "Forty-one-year-old Olympian Torres gains pool of 40-ish fans". USA Today. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  5. "Dara Torres settles for silver medal in 50-meter freestyle". New York Daily News . 17 August 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  6. English, Ben (17 August 2008). "Cate Campbell claims 50m bronze, Libby Trickett misses at Beijing Olympics". The Australian . Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. Lohn, John (15 August 2008). "Olympics, Swimming: Cate Campbell Bounces Back, Tops 50 Free Prelims". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  8. Cowley, Michael (30 March 2008). "Just the Trickett: Libby breaks the speed barrier". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 6 August 2008.