The women's 100 metre breaststroke event at the
2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...
took place on 17–18 September at the
Sydney International Aquatic Centre in
Sydney, Australia.
At only 16 years of age, U.S. swimmer
Megan Quann fulfilled her merciless prediction by knocking off South Africa's defending Olympic champion
Penny Heyns
Penelope ("Penny") Heyns OIS (born 8 November 1974) is a South African former swimmer, who is best known for being the only woman in the history of the Olympic Games to have won both the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events – at the 1996 Atlan ...
in the event. Coming from third at the final turn, she surged powerfully past the champion over the last 25 metres to snatch the gold medal in a new American record of 1:07.05, just a small fraction closer to an Olympic standard. Australia's overwhelming favorite
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones, OAM (born 30 August 1985) is an Australian former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medallist. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold-medal ...
, who just turned 15, roared back from fifth place on the final stretch to take home the silver in 1:07.49. Heyns, who was struggling with her form in the prelims and semifinals, seized off a strong lead under a world-record pace (31.10), but ended up only with a bronze in a time of 1:07.55. Meanwhile,
Sarah Poewe, the fastest qualifier for the final, trailed behind her teammate by three-tenths of a second in 1:07.85.
Outside the 1:08-club, Hungary's
Ágnes Kovács
Ágnes Kovács (born 13 July 1981) is a Hungarian swimmer who competed at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. In 2000, she won the 200 m breaststroke and set the Hungary records in the 100 m and 200 m breaststrokes events (1:07.79 and 2:24.03 ...
finished fifth in 1:08.09, and was followed in sixth by Japan's
Masami Tanaka with a time of 1:08.37. Aussie favorite
Tarnee White
Tarnee Renee White, OAM (born 17 October 1981), also known by her married name Tarnee Southwell, is an Australian breaststroke swimmer who won a silver medal in the 4×100-metre medley relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Coming from the Red ...
(1:09.09) and 31-year-old
Sylvia Gerasch
Sylvia Gerasch (born 16 March 1969) is a former swimmer who competed for East Germany and Germany.
Career
Gerasch was fifteen years old when she participated in the 1983 European Aquatics Championships, 1983 European Championships and placed sec ...
(1:09.86), a product of the old East German system, closed out the field.
[
Notable swimmers missed out the top 8 final, featuring Quann's teammate Staciana Stitts, who had a poor start on the morning prelims with an eighteenth-place effort; and Angola's Nádia Cruz, the first for her nation to compete in all four editions of the Games since 1988.]
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
Results
Heats
[
]
Semifinals
Semifinal 1
Semifinal 2
Final
References
External links
Official Olympic Report
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 Metre Breaststroke
B
2000 in women's swimming
Women's events at the 2000 Summer Olympics