Men 50m Freestyle Swimming XXIV Olympic Games 1988 Seoul, South Korea - Saturday, 24th September - Matthew Biondi, United States
Final time gap L Y 1. Matthew Biondi United States22.14s WR 4 22 2. Tom Jager United States22.36s +0.22s - 23 3. Gennady Prigoda Soviet Union22.71s +0.57s 5 23 4. Dano Halsall Switzerland22.83s +0.69s - 25 5. Stefan Volery Switzerland22.84s +0.70s 8 27 6. Vladimir Tkachenko Soviet Union22.88s +0.74s 2 23 7. Frank Henter West Germany23.03s +0.89s 7 24 8. Andrew Baildon Australia23.15s +1.01s 1 17
World Record: Peter Williams, South Africa 22.12s Indianapolis, United States 10 Aprol 1988 Olympic Record: New Event
Final B time gap L Y 9. Goran Titus Sweden23.28s 7 21 10.Per Johansson Sweden23.37s +0.09s 5 25 11.Peng Siong Ang Singapore23.39s +0.11s 4 25 12.Jianqiang Shen China23.40s +0.12s 6 23 13.Christophe Kalfayan France23.45s +0.17s 8 19 14.Stephan Gusgen West Germany23.55s +0.27s 3 26 15.Mark Andrews Canada23.64s +0.36s 2 23 16.Hilton Woods Neth. Antilles23.65s +0.37s 7 20
24.90s LCM-time done since Jan 1, 198724.20s SCM-time done since Sep 1, 1987
This was the first time that 50 metre freestyle was contested at the Olympics, although there had been a 50 yard freestyle back in 1904. The winner of that event, Hungarian Zoltan von Halmay was not in Seoul to defend his title.
The two favorites were the American Tom Jager and Matt Biondi, who had traded the world record between them since Jager first swam 22.40 in 1985. Biondi broke the mark in 1986 with 22.33, equaling that in 1987, but then Jager swam 22.32 to win the 1987 Pan Pacs, and improved to 22.23 at the 1988 US Nationals. Jager was a slight favorite, having won not only those two races, but also the 1986 Worlds. One swimmer not challenging was South African Peter Williams, who could not be in Seoul because the IOC did not recognize South Africa, and also could not technically hold the world record, although he had the world's best ever time of 22.18.
The final saw Biondi lead off the blocks, which was an upset in itself, as Jager had always been the faster starter. Biondi always finished faster, and with that start, he could not be caught, winning in a world record 22.14, with Jager finishing second in 22.36. Bronze went to Soviet Gennady Prigoda, runner-up at the 1987 Europeans, edging out Switzerland's Dano Halsall, runner-up at the 1986 Worlds. This was Biondi's sixth medal, and fourth gold, of the Seoul Olympics.
Heats - Saturday, 24nd September
Heat 9 time gap L Y Rk. 2. Gennady Prigoda Soviet Union22.57s Q +0.18s - 23 1. 3. Tom Jager United States22.61s Q +0.22s - 23 2. 9. Peng Siong Ang Singapore23.08s q +0.69s - 25 3. 11.Stephan Gusgen West Germany23.22s q +0.83s - 26 4. 13.Tzvetan Golomeev Bulgaria23.41s WD +1.02s - 27 5. 13.Jianqiang Shen China23.41s q +1.02s - 23 5. 18.Qiangbiao Feng China23.47s WD +1.08s - 23 7. 20.Hans Kroes Netherlands23.50s +1.11s - 23 8.
Heat 8 time gap L Y Rk. 1. Matthew Biondi United States22.39s OR - 22 1. 7. Andrew Baildon Australia22.99s Q +0.60s - 17 2. 8. Stefan Volery Switzerland23.04s Q +0.65s - 27 3. 10.Per Johansson Sweden23.12s q +0.73s - 25 4. 15.Goran Titus Sweden23.44s q +1.05s - 21 5. 17.Hilton Woods Neth. Antilles23.46s q +1.07s - 20 6. 26.Peter Rohde Denmark23.70s +1.31s - 23 7. 29.Rodrigo Gonzalez Mexico24.01s +1.62s - 20 8.
Heat 7 time gap L Y Rk. 3. Dano Halsall Switzerland22.61s OR +0.22s - 25 1. 5. Vladimir Tkachenko Soviet Union22.81s Q +0.42s - 23 2. 6. Frank Henter West Germany22.98s Q +0.59s - 24 3. 11.Stephan Caron France23.22s WD +0.83s - 22 4. 20.Vagn Hogholm Pedersen Denmark23.50s +1.11s - 23 5. 22.Mark Foster Great Britain23.51s +1.12s - 18 6. 23.Petr Kladiva Czechoslovakia23.53s +1.14s - 21 7. 33.Jose Moreira Filho Brazil24.26s +1.87s - 27 8.
Heat 6 time gap L Y Rk. 18.Christophe Kalfayan France23.47s q +1.08s - 19 1. 25.Mike Fibbens Great Britain23.67s +1.28s - 20 2. 27.Thomas Stachewicz Australia23.72s +1.33s - 22 3. 28.Yves Clausse Luxembourg23.99s +1.60s - 19 4. 30.Paulo Manuel Trindade Portugal24.02s +1.63s - 21 5. 36.Markus Opatril Austria24.32s +1.93s - 23 6. 38.Alexander Pilhatsch Austria24.42s +2.03s - 25 7. 45.Urbano Zea Mexico24.86s +2.47s - 19 8.
Heat 5 time gap L Y Rk. 24.Manuel Guzman Puerto Rico23.61s +1.22s - 18 1. 31.Sergio Esteves Portugal24.24s +1.85s - 20 2. 35.Khai-Kam Li Hong Kong24.30s +1.91s - 22 3. 37.Jorge Fernandes Brazil24.40s +2.01s - 26 4. 39.Michael Wright Hong Kong24.47s +2.08s - 22 5. 40.Magnus Olafsson Iceland24.50s +2.11s - 21 6. 42.Mohamed El Azoul Egypt24.64s +2.25s - 22 7. 48.Mohamed Hassan Egypt25.11s +2.72s - 16 8.
Heat 4 time gap L Y Rk. 15.Mark Andrews Canada23.44s OR +1.05s - 23 1. 33.Joseph Eric Buhain Philippines24.26s +1.87s - 18 2. 41.Richard Bera Indonesia24.63s +2.24s - 16 3. 42.Murat Tahir Turkey24.64s +2.25s - 24 4. 44.Hans Foerster US Virgin Islands24.72s +2.33s - 23 5. 50.Hakan Eskioglu Turkey25.24s +2.85s - 17 6. -. Pedro Lima Barata AngolaDSQ - 17 -. Mouhamedou Diop SenegalDSQ - 24
Heat 3 time gap L Y Rk. 45.Jin-Gee Oon Singapore24.86s +2.47s - 21 1. 47.Ronald Pickard US Virgin Islands25.01s +2.62s - 19 2. 51.Chi-Li Chiang Taiwan25.26s +2.87s - 17 3. 52.Vaughan Smith Zimbabwe25.29s +2.90s - 19 4. 53.Graham Lewis Thompson Zimbabwe25.38s +2.99s - 24 5. 54.Kwang-Sun Song South Korea25.40s +3.01s - 18 6. 55.Wirmandi Sugriat Indonesia25.55s +3.16s - 17 7. 56.Bruno N'diaye Senegal25.63s +3.24s - 19 8.
Heat 2 time gap L Y Rk. 57.Warren Sorby Fiji25.64s +3.25s - 23 1. 58.Rodolfo Barahona Honduras25.79s +3.40s - 18 2. 60.Plutarco Castellanos Dusavage Honduras26.00s +3.61s - 17 3. 61.Hasan Al-Shammari Kuwait26.27s +3.88s - 21 4. 62.Jason Chute Fiji26.46s +4.07s - 16 5. 63.Michele Piva San Marino26.60s +4.21s - 23 6. 63.Ahmad Faraj UA Emirates26.60s +4.21s - 22 6. 65.Trevor Ncala Eswatini26.88s +4.49s - 23 8.
Heat 1 time gap L Y Rk. 32.Garvin Ferguson Bahamas24.25s OR +1.86s - 20 1. 49.Paul Yelle Barbados25.15s +2.76s - 24 2. 59.Sergio Fafitine Mozambique25.97s +3.58s - 19 3. 66.Filippo Piva San Marino26.96s +4.57s - 21 4. 67.Amin El Domyati Lebanon27.34s +4.95s - 26 5. 68.Mubarak Faraj Bilal UA Emirates27.60s +5.21s - 6. 69.Yul Mark Du Pont Eswatini27.93s +5.54s - 17 7.
Final time gap L Y 1. Matthew Biondi United States22.14s WR 4 22 2. Tom Jager United States22.36s +0.22s - 23 3. Gennady Prigoda Soviet Union22.71s +0.57s 5 23 4. Dano Halsall Switzerland22.83s +0.69s - 25 5. Stefan Volery Switzerland22.84s +0.70s 8 27 6. Vladimir Tkachenko Soviet Union22.88s +0.74s 2 23 7. Frank Henter West Germany23.03s +0.89s 7 24 8. Andrew Baildon Australia23.15s +1.01s 1 17 Final B time gap L Y 9. Goran Titus Sweden23.28s 7 21 10.Per Johansson Sweden23.37s +0.09s 5 25 11.Peng Siong Ang Singapore23.39s +0.11s 4 25 12.Jianqiang Shen China23.40s +0.12s 6 23 13.Christophe Kalfayan France23.45s +0.17s 8 19 14.Stephan Gusgen West Germany23.55s +0.27s 3 26 15.Mark Andrews Canada23.64s +0.36s 2 23 16.Hilton Woods Neth. Antilles23.65s +0.37s 7 20 Heats time gap L Y 1. Matthew Biondi United States22.39s OR - 22 2. Gennady Prigoda Soviet Union22.57s Q +0.18s - 23 3. Dano Halsall Switzerland22.61s OR +0.22s - 25 3. Tom Jager United States22.61s Q +0.22s - 23 5. Vladimir Tkachenko Soviet Union22.81s Q +0.42s - 23 6. Frank Henter West Germany22.98s Q +0.59s - 24 7. Andrew Baildon Australia22.99s Q +0.60s - 17 8. Stefan Volery Switzerland23.04s Q +0.65s - 27 9. Peng Siong Ang Singapore23.08s q +0.69s - 25 10.Per Johansson Sweden23.12s q +0.73s - 25 11.Stephan Caron France23.22s WD +0.83s - 22 11.Stephan Gusgen West Germany23.22s q +0.83s - 26 13.Tzvetan Golomeev Bulgaria23.41s WD +1.02s - 27 13.Jianqiang Shen China23.41s q +1.02s - 23 15.Mark Andrews Canada23.44s OR +1.05s - 23 15.Goran Titus Sweden23.44s q +1.05s - 21 17.Hilton Woods Neth. Antilles23.46s q +1.07s - 20 18.Qiangbiao Feng China23.47s WD +1.08s - 23 18.Christophe Kalfayan France23.47s q +1.08s - 19 20.Vagn Hogholm Pedersen Denmark23.50s +1.11s - 23 20.Hans Kroes Netherlands23.50s +1.11s - 23 22.Mark Foster Great Britain23.51s +1.12s - 18 23.Petr Kladiva Czechoslovakia23.53s +1.14s - 21 24.Manuel Guzman Puerto Rico23.61s +1.22s - 18 25.Mike Fibbens Great Britain23.67s +1.28s - 20 26.Peter Rohde Denmark23.70s +1.31s - 23 27.Thomas Stachewicz Australia23.72s +1.33s - 22 28.Yves Clausse Luxembourg23.99s +1.60s - 19 29.Rodrigo Gonzalez Mexico24.01s +1.62s - 20 30.Paulo Manuel Trindade Portugal24.02s +1.63s - 21 31.Sergio Esteves Portugal24.24s +1.85s - 20 32.Garvin Ferguson Bahamas24.25s OR +1.86s - 20 33.Jose Moreira Filho Brazil24.26s +1.87s - 27 33.Joseph Eric Buhain Philippines24.26s +1.87s - 18 35.Khai-Kam Li Hong Kong24.30s +1.91s - 22 36.Markus Opatril Austria24.32s +1.93s - 23 37.Jorge Fernandes Brazil24.40s +2.01s - 26 38.Alexander Pilhatsch Austria24.42s +2.03s - 25 39.Michael Wright Hong Kong24.47s +2.08s - 22 40.Magnus Olafsson Iceland24.50s +2.11s - 21 41.Richard Bera Indonesia24.63s +2.24s - 16 42.Mohamed El Azoul Egypt24.64s +2.25s - 22 42.Murat Tahir Turkey24.64s +2.25s - 24 44.Hans Foerster US Virgin Islands24.72s +2.33s - 23 45.Urbano Zea Mexico24.86s +2.47s - 19 45.Jin-Gee Oon Singapore24.86s +2.47s - 21 47.Ronald Pickard US Virgin Islands25.01s +2.62s - 19 48.Mohamed Hassan Egypt25.11s +2.72s - 16 49.Paul Yelle Barbados25.15s +2.76s - 24 50.Hakan Eskioglu Turkey25.24s +2.85s - 17 51.Chi-Li Chiang Taiwan25.26s +2.87s - 17 52.Vaughan Smith Zimbabwe25.29s +2.90s - 19 53.Graham Lewis Thompson Zimbabwe25.38s +2.99s - 24 54.Kwang-Sun Song South Korea25.40s +3.01s - 18 55.Wirmandi Sugriat Indonesia25.55s +3.16s - 17 56.Bruno N'diaye Senegal25.63s +3.24s - 19 57.Warren Sorby Fiji25.64s +3.25s - 23 58.Rodolfo Barahona Honduras25.79s +3.40s - 18 59.Sergio Fafitine Mozambique25.97s +3.58s - 19 60.Plutarco Castellanos Dusavage Honduras26.00s +3.61s - 17 61.Hasan Al-Shammari Kuwait26.27s +3.88s - 21 62.Jason Chute Fiji26.46s +4.07s - 16 63.Michele Piva San Marino26.60s +4.21s - 23 63.Ahmad Faraj UA Emirates26.60s +4.21s - 22 65.Trevor Ncala Eswatini26.88s +4.49s - 23 66.Filippo Piva San Marino26.96s +4.57s - 21 67.Amin El Domyati Lebanon27.34s +4.95s - 26 68.Mubarak Faraj Bilal UA Emirates27.60s +5.21s - 69.Yul Mark Du Pont Eswatini27.93s +5.54s - 17 -. Pedro Lima Barata AngolaDSQ - 17 -. Mouhamedou Diop SenegalDSQ - 24
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