Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre backstroke
Lochte beats Peirsol for gold in world record time.
Ryan Lochte won his first individual Olympic gold medal, defeating teammate Aaron Peirsol and breaking the world record they had shared.
Quick Facts
- Event
- Men's 200 metre backstroke
- Games
- 2008 Summer
- Venue
- Beijing National Aquatics Center
- Dates
- August 13, 2008 (heats)
- August 14, 2008 (semifinals)
- August 15, 2008 (final)
- Competitors
- 40
- Nations
- 31
- Win value
- 1:53.94 swimming
- Gold
- Ryan Lochte
Facts from the source article.
Background
This was the 13th appearance of the 200 metre backstroke, first held in 1900. After a hiatus, it returned in 1964 and has been contested at every Summer Games since. From 1904 to 1960 only the 100 metre backstroke was held; in 1964 only the 200 metres was held, and from 1968 both distances have been on the programme. Five of the eight finalists from 2004 returned, including defending champion Aaron Peirsol. Peirsol had won world titles in 2001, 2003, and 2005 and held the world record from 2002 to 2007. Ryan Lochte emerged as a rival, defeating Peirsol at the 2007 World Championships and taking the world record; Peirsol matched it at the U.S. Olympic trials. The Cayman Islands, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and Uzbekistan made their debut in the event.
Qualification
Each National Olympic Committee could enter up to two swimmers if both met the A standard of 1:59.72, or one swimmer if he met the B standard of 2:03.90. The qualifying window ran from 15 March 2007 to 15 July 2008, using only approved meets. Universality places were available for nations with no qualified male swimmer in any event. The two-swimmer limit per NOC had been in place since 1984.
Competition format
The competition had three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. Advancement was based on the fastest times across all heats, not on place within a heat. The top 16 swimmers from the heats advanced to the semifinals, and the top 8 semifinalists advanced to the final. Swim-offs were used to break ties. The race was four lengths of the 50-metre pool, swum in backstroke.
More in Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced