The women's K-1 500 metres event was an individual kayak

Kayak

A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...

ing event conducted as part of the Canoeing at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Canoeing at the 1996 Summer Olympics

The canoeing competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was composed of 16 events in two disciplines, slalom and sprint...

 program.

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze

Heats

23 competitors entered in three heats. The top three finishers in each heat advanced to the semifinals while the rest competed in the repechages.

Heat 1
1.		1:50.303	QS
2.		1:50.423	QS
3.		1:52.943	QS
4.		1:54.015	QR
5.		1:57.623	QR
6.		1:57.675	QR
7.		1:59.943	QR
8.		2:02.847	QR
Heat 2
1.		1:51.440	QS
2.		1:53.024	QS
3.		1:54.880	QS
4.		1:58.160	QR
5.		1:58.520	QR
6.		1:58.884	QR
7.		1:59.996	QR
8.		3:00.672	QR
Heat 3
1.		1:53.767	QS
2.		1:54.695	QS
3.		1:55.043	QS
4.		1:57.363	QR
5.		1:58.531	QR
6.		2:00.059	QR
7.		2:07.811	QR

Repechages

Two repechages were held. The top four finishers in each repechage and the fastest fifth-place finisher advanced to the semifinals.

Repechage 1
1.		1:57.891	QS
2.		1:58.359	QS
3.		1:59.027	QS
4.		1:59.095	QS
5.		2:00.371	QS
6.		2:02.847
7.		2:12.219
Repechage 2
1.		2:04.829	QS
2.		2:04.885	QS
3.		2:05.477	QS
4.		2:05.737	QS
5.		2:08.017
6.		2:11.941

Lehrer did not participate in the repechage.

Semifinals

Two semifinals were held. The top four finishers in each semifinal and the fastest fifth-place finisher advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1
1.		1:48.842	QF
2.		1:49.886	QF
3.		1:50.066	QF
4.		1:50.830	QF
5.		1:51.142	QF
6.		1:52.322
7.		1:55.842
8.		1:55.930
9.		1:57.948
Semifinal 2
1.		1:49.079	QF
2.		1:49.575	QF
3.		1:51.863	QF
4.		1:53.255	QF
5.		1:53.611
6.		1:54.687
7.		1:54.899
8.		1:54.943
9.		1:55.339

Final

The final was held on August 4.

		1:47.655
		1:47.891
		1:48.731
4.		1:49.383
5.		1:49.591
6.		1:50.271
7.		1:50.811
8.		1:50.875
9.		1:52.451

Three of the finalists (Borchert, Fischer, and Idem) were German-born, but Idem competed for Italy following the 1988 Summer Olympics

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

 while Borchert competed for Australia after the 1992 Summer Olympics

1992 Summer Olympics

The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...

. Pastuszka was the only finalist under 27 years of age. Kőbán overtook Brunet in the final 50 meters of the event to take the gold medal.