Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

 was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21. All swimming events (except the two marathon 10 km events) took place at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.

Venue

All the swimming, synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Synchronized swimming competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 18 to August 23, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.-Medalists:- Schedule :All times are China Standard Time - Team :- Duet :...

, and diving
Diving at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Diving competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 10 to August 23, at the Beijing National Aquatics Centre.- Competition format :The following events were contested by both men and women in Beijing:...

 events of the 2008 Olympics were held at the Beijing National Aquatics Center (better known as the "Water Cube"), which was claimed to be built to increase the speed of the swimmers. The main pool is about 10 feet (3 m) deep, 3 foot (0.9144 m) deeper than any other Olympic pool. The lane lines, nicknamed "wave eaters", buffer the waves produced by swimmers while they stroke. The technological advances of the pool were enhanced by several advantages inherent to an indoor swimming venue, namely: temperature, humidity and lighting control. Even the wide decks were built to help give the swimmers a sense of space.

Events

The swimming program for 2008 was expanded from 2004, with the addition of the 10 km marathon open water swimming
Open water swimming
Open water swimming takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, canals, and reservoirs.The beginning of the modern age of open water swimming is sometimes taken to be May 3, 1810, when Lord Byron swam several miles to cross the Hellespont from Europe to Asia.In...

 events, bringing the total number of events to 34 (17 each for men and women). The following events were contested:
  • Freestyle
    Freestyle swimming
    Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...

    : 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m (women), 1500 m (men),
  • Backstroke
    Backstroke
    The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...

    : 100 m, 200 m
  • Breaststroke
    Breaststroke
    The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...

    : 100 m, 200 m
  • Butterfly
    Butterfly stroke
    The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...

    : 100 m, 200 m
  • Individual Medley
    Medley swimming
    Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...

    : 200 m, 400 m
  • Relay: 4×100 m Free, 4×200 m Free; 4×100 m Medley
  • Marathon: 10 km


For the order of events, please see

Qualifying criteria

A National Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...

 (NOC) may enter up to 2 qualified athletes in each individual event if both meet the A standard, or 1 athlete per event if they meet the B standard. An NOC may also enter a maximum of 1 qualified relay team per event.

An NOC may enter up to 1 swimmer per sex (2 total), if they have no swimmers meeting any qualifying B standard.

For further specifics on the qualifying process, please see:

Medal table

Retrieved from Beijing Olympics 2008 Official Website.
1 12 9 10 31
2 6 6 8 20
3 2 2 2 6
4 2 0 3 5
5 2 0 1 3
6 2 0 0 2
7 1 3 2 6
8 1 3 0 4
9 1 2 3 6
10 1 1 2 4
11 1 1 0 2
1 1 0 2
13 1 0 1 2
14 1 0 0 1
15 0 3 0 3
16 0 1 1 2
17 0 1 0 1
0 1 0 1
19 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1
Total 34 34 36 104

Men's events

50 m freestyle
|21.30 (OR) |21.45 21.49
100 m freestyle
|47.21 |47.32
47.67
200 m freestyle
|1:42.96 (WR) |1:44.85 (AS) |1:45.14
400 m freestyle
|3:41.86 (AS) |3:42.44 |3:42.78 (AM)
1500 m freestyle
|14:40.84 |14:41.53 |14.42.69
100 m backstroke
|52.54 (WR) |53.11
53.18
200 m backstroke
|1:53.94 (WR) |1:54.33 |1:54.93
100 m breaststroke
|58.91 (WR) |59.20 |59.37
200 m breaststroke
|2:07.64 (OR) |2:08.88 (OC) 2:08.94
100 m butterfly
|50.58 (OR) |50.59 |51.12
200 m butterfly
|1:52.03 (WR) |1:52.70 (ER) |1:52.97 (AS)
200 m individual medley
|1:54.23 (WR) |1:56.52 (ER) |1:56.53
400 m individual medley
|4:03.84 (WR) |4:06.16 (ER) |4:08.09
4×100 m freestyle relay

Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...


Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Early life:Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07...


Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...


Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...


Nathan Adrian
Nathan Adrian
Nathan Adrian is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who currently holds the American record in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle ....

*
Benjamin Wildman-Tobriner
Benjamin Wildman-Tobriner
Benjamin Marshall Wildman-Tobriner is a competitive swimmer and was until recently a member of the Stanford Men's Swim team....

*
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers is a professional American swimmer. He is best known for winning the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.-Personal life:...

*
3:08.24 (WR)
Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux is a French swimmer from Belfort. Leveaux is the current world record holder in the 100 m freestyle ) He also holds the 200 m freestyle national record and the European record in the 50 m freestyle...


Fabien Gilot
Fabien Gilot
Fabien Gilot is an Olympic swimmer from France. He swam for France at the 2008 Olympics, where he was part of France's silver medal winning 4×100m freestyle relay....


Frédérick Bousquet
Frédérick Bousquet
Frédérick Bousquet is a freestyle and butterfly swimmer from France. He was the holder of the world record in the 50 m freestyle in a time of 20.94 in long course, set on April 26, 2009 at the final of the French Championships...


Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard is a French swimmer from Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhône.Bernard won three medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics. After competing on the silver medal-winning French 4×100 m relay team, Bernard won the gold medal in the men's 100 m freestyle event.He held the same 100 m...


Grégory Mallet
Grégory Mallet
Grégory Mallet is an Olympic swimmer from France.-Career:Mallet swam for France at the 2008 Olympics, where he was part of France's silver-medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay--after he swam in the preliminary heats.-References:...

*
Boris Steimetz
Boris Steimetz
Boris Steimetz is a French swimmer. He was part of the silver medal winning team of the 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics, after he swam in the heats.-External links:*...

*
3:08.32 (ER)
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...


Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew George Lauterstein is an Australian swimmer and a three-time Olympic medalist.- Personal :...


Ashley Callus
Ashley Callus
Ashley Callus is an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer, who won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics....


Matt Targett
Matt Targett
Matthew Targett is an Australian sprint freestyle and butterfly swimmer.- 2006 Commonwealth Games :In 2006 and in his home town of Melbourne, Targett competed in the 50 metres butterfly, finishing second and placing above more experienced countrymen Michael Klim and Matt Welsh...


Leith Brodie
Leith Brodie
Leith Brodie is an Australian sprint freestyle and medley swimmer.-External links:...

*
Patrick Murphy
Patrick Murphy (swimmer)
Patrick Murphy is an Australian sprint freestyle and backstroke swimmer. He is an Australian relay team veteran since 2005. He has captured 4 World Championship medals and 2 Olympic medals....

*
3:09.91 (OC)
4×200 m freestyle relay

Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...


Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte
Ryan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...


Ricky Berens
Ricky Berens
Richard Berens is an American Olympic swimmer.-Career:At the 2007 Pan American Games, Berens won a gold medal in the 4x100 m medley, and silver medals in both the 4x100 m freestyle and 4x200 m freestyle relays.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men's 4x200 m freestyle...


Peter Vanderkaay
Peter Vanderkaay
Peter Vanderkaay is an American middle-distance freestyle swimmer. He is a three-time Olympic medalist.-Personal life:...


Klete Keller
Klete Keller
Klete Keller is an American freestyle swimmer who won medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 400 m freestyle and the 4x200 m freestyle relay. In the 4x200 m freestyle relay, Keller held off a charging Ian Thorpe in the anchor leg to win the race by 0.13 seconds...

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Erik Vendt
Erik Vendt
Erik Vendt is a retired American swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics...

*
David Walters
David Walters (swimmer)
David Walters is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. He graduated from Tabb High School.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Walters earned a gold medal by swimming in the heats of the 4×200 m freestyle relay. As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100 m...

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6:58.56 (WR)
Nikita Lobintsev
Nikita Lobintsev
Nikita Konstantinovich Lobintsev is a freestyle swimmer from Russia, who won the silver medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...


Evgeny Lagunov
Evgeny Lagunov
Yevgeny Alexandrovich Lagunov, first name sometimes spelled "Evgeny" is a freestyle swimmer from Russia, who won the bronze medal in the 100 m freestyle at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2005 in Triest, Italy. He also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics for his native...


Danila Izotov
Danila Izotov
Danila Sergeyevich Izotov is a Russian freestyle swimmer. Izotov won a silver medal in the 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...


Alexander Sukhorukov
Alexander Sukhorukov
Alexander Nikolayevich Sukhorukov is a freestyle swimmer from Russia, who won the silver medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...


Mikhail Polishchuk*
7:03.70 (ER)
Patrick Murphy
Patrick Murphy (swimmer)
Patrick Murphy is an Australian sprint freestyle and backstroke swimmer. He is an Australian relay team veteran since 2005. He has captured 4 World Championship medals and 2 Olympic medals....


Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett OAM is an Australian former swimmer most famous for winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history...


Grant Brits
Grant Brits
Grant Brits is an Australian freestyle swimmer.He is South African born, and his mother swam for South Africa in the 1970s....


Nick Ffrost
Leith Brodie
Leith Brodie
Leith Brodie is an Australian sprint freestyle and medley swimmer.-External links:...

*
Kirk Palmer
Kirk Palmer
Kirk Palmer is an Australian freestyle swimmer.He was selected in the squad for the 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He helped Australia qualify sixth in the heats, but was dropped from the finals quartet. Australia took bronze in the final.- References :...

*
7:04.98
4×100 m medley relay

Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...


Brendan Hansen
Brendan Hansen
Brendan Joseph Hansen is an American breaststroke swimmer and four-time Olympic medalist...


Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...


Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...


Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers is a professional American swimmer. He is best known for winning the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.-Personal life:...

*
Mark Gangloff
Mark Gangloff
Mark Gangloff is an American swimmer who earned a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics by swimming in the 4x100m medley relay preliminaries. He came in fourth place for the 100m breaststroke...

*
Ian Crocker
Ian Crocker
Ian Lowell Crocker is a former American swimmer and five-time Olympic medalist. He is a former world record holder in the 100 meter butterfly ....

*
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Early life:Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07...

*
3:29.34 (WR)
Hayden Stoeckel
Hayden Stoeckel
Hayden Ernest Stoeckel is an Olympic and National Record holding backstroke swimmer from Australia...


Brenton Rickard
Brenton Rickard
Brenton Scott Rickard is a breaststroke swimmer from Australia. He emerged at the international level in 2006, swimming at the Commonwealth games...


Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew George Lauterstein is an Australian swimmer and a three-time Olympic medalist.- Personal :...


Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...


Ashley Delaney
Ashley Delaney
Ashley Jason Delaney is a national-record holding and Olympic and World Championship medal-winning swimmer from Australia...

*
Christian Sprenger
Christian Sprenger
Christian David Sprenger is an Australian breaststroke swimmer. He trains at the Commercial Swimming Club under Stephan Widmar.-Swimming career:...

*
Adam Pine
Adam Pine
Adam Pine is an Australian freestyle and butterfly swimmer. Adam is married to Sasha Pine and is the father of 3 children, Maximillian, Buster and Xander....

*
Matt Targett
Matt Targett
Matthew Targett is an Australian sprint freestyle and butterfly swimmer.- 2006 Commonwealth Games :In 2006 and in his home town of Melbourne, Targett competed in the 50 metres butterfly, finishing second and placing above more experienced countrymen Michael Klim and Matt Welsh...

*
3:30.04 (OC)
Junichi Miyashita
Junichi Miyashita
is a Japanese swimmer. He won a bronze medal in the men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...


Kosuke Kitajima
Kosuke Kitajima
is a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...


Takuro Fujii
Takuro Fujii
is a Japanese swimmer. He won the bronze medal in the Men's 4 x 100 metre Medley Relay event at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Personal bests:In long course* 100m freestyle: 48.73 Asian, Japanese Record...


Hisayoshi Sato
Hisayoshi Sato
is a Japanese swimmer. He won a bronze medal in the men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.- Personal bests :In long course:* 50m freestyle: 22.80 * 100m freestyle: 48.91 -External links:* *...

3:31.18 (AS)
10 km marathon
|1:51:51.6 |1:51:53.1 |1:51:53.6

* Swimmers who participated in the heats only and received medals.

Women's events

50 m freestyle
|24.06 (OR, ER) |24.07 (AM) |24.17
100 m freestyle
|53.12 (OR) |53.16 |53.39 (AM)
200 m freestyle
|1:54.82 (WR) |1:54.97 |1:55.05 (AS)
400 m freestyle
|4:03.22 |4:03.29 |4:03.52
800 m freestyle
|8:14.10 (WR) |8:20.23 |8:23.03
100 m backstroke
|58.96 |59.19 |59.34
200 m backstroke
|2:05.24 (WR) |2:06.23 |2:07.13 (AS)
100 m breaststroke
|1:05.17 (OR) |1:06.73 |1:07.34
200 m breaststroke
|2:20.22 (WR) |2:22.05 |2:23.02 (ER)
100 m butterfly
|56.73 (OC) |57.10 |57.25
200 m butterfly
|2:04.18 (WR) |2:04.72 |2:06.26
200 m individual medley
|2:08.45 (WR) |2:08.59 (AF) |2:10.34
400 m individual medley
|4:29.45 (WR) |4:29.89 (AF) |4:31.71
4×100 m freestyle relay

Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...


Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...


Femke Heemskerk
Femke Heemskerk
Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....


Marleen Veldhuis
Marleen Veldhuis
Magdalena Johanna Maria Veldhuis is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events . Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals...


Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder is a butterfly, freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who also competed in the medley events...

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Manon van Rooijen
Manon van Rooijen
Manon van Rooijen is a freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who was a member of the Dutch Women's 4×100 m freestyle relay Team that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia...

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3:33.76 (OR)
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...


Lacey Nymeyer
Lacey Nymeyer
Lacey Pearl Nymeyer is an Olympic swimmer from the United States.-Personal:Nymeyer is a Tucson native who graduated in 2004 from Mountain View High School . She is also a graduate of the University of Arizona where she majored in physical education. Away from her own training, Nymeyer leads swim...


Kara Lynn Joyce
Kara Lynn Joyce
Kara Lynn Joyce is an American swimmer and four-time Olympic silver medalist.-High school career:...


Dara Torres
Dara Torres
Dara Grace Torres is an American international swimmer and a twelve-time Olympic medalist. Torres was the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympic Games , and, at age 41, the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team...


Emily Silver
Emily Silver
Emily Silver is a retired American swimmer. She was part of the silver medal winning team of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics, after she swam in the heats.-Career:...

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Julia Smit
Julia Smit
Julia Elizabeth Smit is an American swimmer and two-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 200 and 400-meter individual medley ....

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3:34.33 (AM)
Cate Campbell
Cate Campbell
Cate Campbell is an Australian swimmer who won two bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Her family moved from Malawi to Australia in 2001 and it was shortly after this Campbell took up competitive swimming...


Alice Mills
Alice Mills
Alice Mary Mills OAM is an Australian sprint freestyle, butterfly and individual medley swimmer who represented Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning two relay gold medals....


Melanie Schlanger
Melanie Schlanger
Melanie Renee Schlanger OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She trains at the Commercial Swimming Club under Stephan Widmar....


Lisbeth Trickett
Shayne Reese
Shayne Reese
Shayne Leanne Reese OAM is an Australian medley and freestyle swimmer.She competed in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics, in which Australia placed fourth....

*
3:35.05 (OC)
4×200 m freestyle relay

Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...


Bronte Barratt
Bronte Barratt
Bronte Amelia Arnold Barratt OAM is a competitive swimmer from Australia. At the World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai in 2006, Barratt won the gold medal in women's 4x200m freestyle relay and an individual silver medal in the 400m freestyle.In 2007, she broke the oldest record in...


Kylie Palmer
Kylie Palmer
Kylie Jayne Palmer OAM , is an Australian distance freestyle swimmer.She attended Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell...


Linda Mackenzie
Linda Mackenzie
Linda June Mackenzie OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She tends to prefer the longer 200m/400m/800m events and has won the Australian 400m national title five years in a row...


Lara Davenport
Lara Davenport
Lara Shiree Davenport OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer who specialises in the 200 m event.At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Davenport competed in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay...

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Felicity Galvez
Felicity Galvez
Felicity Madeline Galvez OAM is an Australian swimmer and two time Olympic gold medalist from Melbourne, Victoria. She was educated at Runnymede College, in Madrid.- Career :...

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Angie Bainbridge
Angie Bainbridge
Angie Lee Bainbridge OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer who specialises in the 200 m event.At the 2008 Australian Swimming Championships she qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as a member of the 4×100 m and 4×200 m freestyle relay squads by coming sixth and third...

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Melanie Schlanger
Melanie Schlanger
Melanie Renee Schlanger OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She trains at the Commercial Swimming Club under Stephan Widmar....

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7:44.31 (WR)
Yang Yu
Zhu Qianwei
Zhu Qianwei
Zhu Qianwei is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:*http://2008teamchina.olympic.cn/index.php/personview/personsen/5357...


Tan Miao
Tan Miao
Tan Miao is a female Chinese swimmer, who will compete for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:*http://2008teamchina.olympic.cn/index.php/personview/personsen/5363...


Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying is a female Chinese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. Pang is one of the best Chinese women in middle and long-distance freestyle swimming....


Tang Jingzhi
Tang Jingzhi
Tang Jingzhi is a female Chinese swimmer, who will compete for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Major achievements:*2001 Goodwill Games - 1st 400m free;*2002/2006 World Short-Course Championships - 1st/2nd 4x200m free relay;...

*
7:45.93 (AS)
Allison Schmitt
Allison Schmitt
Allison Schmitt is an American swimmer who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.Schmitt has won a total of six medals in major international competition, three gold, two silver, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships.-Personal...


Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...


Caroline Burckle
Caroline Burckle
Caroline Burckle is a former American college and international swimmer who was an Olympic bronze medalist.-Collegiate career:Burckle was born in Louisville, Kentucky...


Katie Hoff
Katie Hoff
Kathryn "Katie" Elise Hoff is an American swimmer. Hoff is strongest in the 200 and 400 meter individual medley, though she is a very capable swimmer in many events, ranging from the four 200 meter events to the 800 meter freestyle...


Christine Marshall
Christine Marshall
Christine Marshall is an Olympic swimmer from the United States. She attends college at Texas A&M University, and swam for the Aggies from 2005-2009....

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Kim Vandenberg
Kim Vandenberg
Kimberly Vandenberg is an American swimmer. She was part of the bronze medal winning team of the 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also won a silver medal at the 2007 World Swimming Championships in the 200 m butterfly....

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Julia Smit
Julia Smit
Julia Elizabeth Smit is an American swimmer and two-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 200 and 400-meter individual medley ....

*
7:46.33 (AM)
4×100 m medley relay

Emily Seebohm
Emily Seebohm
Emily Jane Seebohm OAM is an Australian backstroke, freestyle, butterfly and individual medley swimmer.-Career:...

 (OC)
Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...


Jessicah Schipper
Jessicah Schipper
Jessicah Lee Schipper OAM is an Australian swimmer. She trained at the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton club in Brisbane, under veteran coach Ken Wood up until the conclusion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Schipper now trains under the guidance of Stephan Widmer with the Commercial Swimming Club...


Lisbeth Trickett
Tarnee White
Tarnee White
Tarnee Renee White OAM is an Australian breaststroke swimmer, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics....

*
Felicity Galvez
Felicity Galvez
Felicity Madeline Galvez OAM is an Australian swimmer and two time Olympic gold medalist from Melbourne, Victoria. She was educated at Runnymede College, in Madrid.- Career :...

*
Shayne Reese
Shayne Reese
Shayne Leanne Reese OAM is an Australian medley and freestyle swimmer.She competed in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics, in which Australia placed fourth....

*
3:52.69 (WR)
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...

 (AM) (lead-off)
Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni is an American breaststroke swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke and is a former world-record holder in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke .Soni has won a total of nineteen medals in major...


Christine Magnuson
Christine Magnuson
Christine Marie Magnuson is an American swimmer and two-time Olympic medalist.She has won a total of five medals in major international competition, four silvers, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World Championships, and the Pan Pacific Championships.-Personal:Magnuson went to high school...


Dara Torres
Dara Torres
Dara Grace Torres is an American international swimmer and a twelve-time Olympic medalist. Torres was the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympic Games , and, at age 41, the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team...


Margaret Hoelzer
Margaret Hoelzer
Margaret Hoelzer is an American swimmer who competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.-Biography:...

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Megan Jendrick
Megan Jendrick
Megan Jendrick is an American swimmer, record holder and fitness columnist. She won two gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Jendrick has set 27 American records and four world records in her swimming career up to date...

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Elaine Breeden
Elaine Breeden
Elaine Breeden is an American swimmer. She qualified to swim in the 100m butterfly and 200m butterfly at the 2008 Summer Olympics by placing second and first respectively in those two events at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Breeden was eliminated in the 100m semifinals and finished seventh in the 200m...

*
Kara Lynn Joyce
Kara Lynn Joyce
Kara Lynn Joyce is an American swimmer and four-time Olympic silver medalist.-High school career:...

*
3:53.30 (AM)
Zhao Jing
Zhao Jing (swimmer)
Zhao Jing is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Records:*2006 Asian Championships - 28.50, 50 m back...


Sun Ye
Sun Ye
Sun Ye is an Olympic-medalist swimmer from China. She swam for China at the 2008 Olympics, where she was part of China's 400 Medley Relay which finished 3rd.-Major achievements:*2008 Olympics - 7th 100m breast, 3rd 400m Medley Relay...


Zhou Yafei
Zhou Yafei
Zhou Yafei is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Major achievements:*2002 Asian Games - 1st 100m fly/4x100m medley relay;...


Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying is a female Chinese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. Pang is one of the best Chinese women in middle and long-distance freestyle swimming....


Xu Tianlongzi
Xu Tianlongzi
Xu Tianlongzi is a female Chinese swimmer. A native of Yantai, Shandong, she competed for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Major achievements:*2004 National Championships - 3rd 50 m back;...

*
3:56.11 (AS)
10 km marathon
|1:59:27.7 |1:59:29.2 |1:59:31.0


* Swimmers who participated in the heats only and received medals.

Records broken

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, new world swimming records
World records in swimming
The world records in swimming are ratified by the international governing body of swimming FINA. Records can be set in long course or short course swimming pools...

 were set 25 times (affecting 21 distinct world records) and new Olympic swimming records were set 65 times and one other was equalled (affecting 30 distinct Olympic records). Only Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...

's 3:40.59 in the 400 metres freestyle and Inge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn is a Dutch former swimmer. She was a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record holder.-Biography:De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and tried several sports before settling with swimming....

's 56.61 in the 100 metres butterfly both set in Sydney remain Olympic records. Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 of the United States also broke the record for the most gold medals ever won by an Olympian with a total of 14; 8 of which were won during the 2008 Summer Olympics - this is also a world record.

Men's Olympic and world records

Event Date Round Name Nationality Time OR WR
Men's 50 m freestyle
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 50 metre freestyle
The following Olympic records were set during this competition.-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Heat 3:-Heat 4:-Heat 5:-Heat 6:-Heat 7:-Heat 8:-Heat 9:-Heat 10:-Heat 11:-Heat 12:-Heat 13:-Semifinal 1:-Semifinal 2:-Final:...

August 14 Heat 11 César Cielo
César Cielo
César Augusto Cielo Filho is a Brazilian professional swimmer who specializes in sprint events...

 
21.47 OR
August 14 Heat 12 Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux is a French swimmer from Belfort. Leveaux is the current world record holder in the 100 m freestyle ) He also holds the 200 m freestyle national record and the European record in the 50 m freestyle...

 
21.46 OR
August 15 Semifinal 1 César Cielo
César Cielo
César Augusto Cielo Filho is a Brazilian professional swimmer who specializes in sprint events...

 
21.34 OR
August 16 Final César Cielo
César Cielo
César Augusto Cielo Filho is a Brazilian professional swimmer who specializes in sprint events...

 
21.30 OR
Men's 100 m freestyle August 10 4×100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.In the heats, the teams with the Top 6 times all swam past the previous Olympic Record; three of which swam faster than the pre-Olympic World Record....


Heat 1 leadoff
Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux
Amaury Leveaux is a French swimmer from Belfort. Leveaux is the current world record holder in the 100 m freestyle ) He also holds the 200 m freestyle national record and the European record in the 50 m freestyle...

 
47.76 OR
August 11 4×100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.In the heats, the teams with the Top 6 times all swam past the previous Olympic Record; three of which swam faster than the pre-Olympic World Record....


Final leadoff
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...

 
47.24 OR WR
August 13 Semifinal 1 Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard is a French swimmer from Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhône.Bernard won three medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics. After competing on the silver medal-winning French 4×100 m relay team, Bernard won the gold medal in the men's 100 m freestyle event.He held the same 100 m...

 
47.20 OR WR
August 13 Semifinal 2 Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Sullivan
Eamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...

 
47.05 OR WR
Men's 200 m freestyle August 12 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
1:42.96 OR WR
Men's 1500 m freestyle August 15 Heat 3 Ryan Cochrane
Ryan Cochrane (swimmer)
Ryan Andrew Cochrane is a Canadian long-distance swimmer. Cochrane is an Olympic bronze medalist as well as the reigning double gold medalist in both the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. He holds multiple world championship medals...

 
14:40.84 OR
August 15 Heat 5 Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett OAM is an Australian former swimmer most famous for winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history...

 
14:38.92 OR
Men's 100 m backstroke August 10 Heat 4 Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers is a professional American swimmer. He is best known for winning the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.-Personal life:...

 
53.41 OR
August 11 Semifinal 1 Arkady Vyatchanin
Arkady Vyatchanin
Arkady Arkadyevich Vyatchanin is an Russian backstroke swimmer. Vyatchanin has lived and trained in Taganrog since 1999 and is a student of the South Federal University...

 
53.06 OR
August 11 Semifinal 2 Hayden Stoeckel
Hayden Stoeckel
Hayden Ernest Stoeckel is an Olympic and National Record holding backstroke swimmer from Australia...

 
52.97 OR
August 12 Final Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...

 
52.54 OR WR
Men's 200 m backstroke August 15 Final Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte
Ryan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...

 
1:53.94 OR WR
Men's 100 m breaststroke August 9 Heat 7 Alexander Dale Oen
Alexander Dale Oen
Alexander Dale Oen is a Norwegian swimmer. He represents the club Vestkantsvømmerne. Dale Oen's gold at the 2008 European Championships made him the first Norwegian male to win a medal at a major international long course championship.Oen got his international breakthrough in 2005, placing seventh...

 
59.41 OR
August 10 Semifinal 2 Alexander Dale Oen
Alexander Dale Oen
Alexander Dale Oen is a Norwegian swimmer. He represents the club Vestkantsvømmerne. Dale Oen's gold at the 2008 European Championships made him the first Norwegian male to win a medal at a major international long course championship.Oen got his international breakthrough in 2005, placing seventh...

 
59.16 OR
August 11 Final Kosuke Kitajima
Kosuke Kitajima
is a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...

 
58.91 OR WR
Men's 200 m breaststroke August 12 Heat 5 Paolo Bossini
Paolo Bossini
Paolo Bossini is an Italian breaststroke swimmer. He was European Champion in 2004, both short and long course in 200 m breaststroke...

 
2:08.98 OR
August 12 Heat 7 Dániel Gyurta
Dániel Gyurta
Dániel Gyurta is a Hungarian swimmer and former Olympic record holder in the 200m breaststroke set on August 12, 2008...

 
2:08.68 OR
August 13 Semifinal 1 Kosuke Kitajima
Kosuke Kitajima
is a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...

 
2:08.61 OR
August 14 Final Kosuke Kitajima
Kosuke Kitajima
is a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...

 
2:07.64 OR
Men's 100 m butterfly August 14 Heat 7 Jason Dunford
Jason Dunford
Jason Edward Dunford is a swimmer from Kenya. He is predominantly a butterfly and freestyle sprinter. He has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, Universiade, All-Africa Games and African Championships, and reached finals at Olympics, World Championships and Short Course World Championships....

 
51.14 OR
August 14 Heat 9 Milorad Čavić
Milorad Cavic
Milorad Čavić is an American-born Serbian swimmer.-Swimming career:...

 
50.76 OR
August 16 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
50.58 OR
Men's 200 m butterfly August 11 Heat 6 Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
1:53.70 OR
August 12 Semifinal 2 Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
1:53.70 OR
August 13 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
1:52.03 OR WR
Men's 200 m individual medley August 15 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
1:54.23 OR WR
Men's 400 m individual medley August 9 Heat 4 Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
4:07.82 OR
August 10 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
4:03.84 OR WR
Men's 4×100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.In the heats, the teams with the Top 6 times all swam past the previous Olympic Record; three of which swam faster than the pre-Olympic World Record....

August 10 Heat 1 Nathan Adrian
Nathan Adrian
Nathan Adrian is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who currently holds the American record in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle ....

 
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...

 
Ben Wildman-Tobriner 
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers
Matt Grevers is a professional American swimmer. He is best known for winning the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.-Personal life:...

 
3:12.23 OR WR
August 11 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Early life:Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07...

 
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...

 
Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...

 
3:08.24 OR WR
Men's 4×200 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...

August 12 Heat 2 David Walters
David Walters (swimmer)
David Walters is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. He graduated from Tabb High School.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Walters earned a gold medal by swimming in the heats of the 4×200 m freestyle relay. As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100 m...

 
Ricky Berens
Ricky Berens
Richard Berens is an American Olympic swimmer.-Career:At the 2007 Pan American Games, Berens won a gold medal in the 4x100 m medley, and silver medals in both the 4x100 m freestyle and 4x200 m freestyle relays.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men's 4x200 m freestyle...

 
Erik Vendt
Erik Vendt
Erik Vendt is a retired American swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics...

 
Klete Keller
Klete Keller
Klete Keller is an American freestyle swimmer who won medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 400 m freestyle and the 4x200 m freestyle relay. In the 4x200 m freestyle relay, Keller held off a charging Ian Thorpe in the anchor leg to win the race by 0.13 seconds...

 
7:04.66 OR
August 13 Final Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte
Ryan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...

 
Ricky Berens
Ricky Berens
Richard Berens is an American Olympic swimmer.-Career:At the 2007 Pan American Games, Berens won a gold medal in the 4x100 m medley, and silver medals in both the 4x100 m freestyle and 4x200 m freestyle relays.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men's 4x200 m freestyle...

 
Peter Vanderkaay
Peter Vanderkaay
Peter Vanderkaay is an American middle-distance freestyle swimmer. He is a three-time Olympic medalist.-Personal life:...

 
6:58.56 OR WR
Men's 4×100 m medley relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Final:* Q = Qualified, DSQ = Disqualified* WR = World Record, OR = Olympic Record...

August 17 Final Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...

 
Brendan Hansen
Brendan Hansen
Brendan Joseph Hansen is an American breaststroke swimmer and four-time Olympic medalist...

 
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

 
Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...

 
3:29.34 OR WR


Also, at the 4×100 m freestyle relay final, anchor Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...

swam the fastest 100 m split (46.06); however, this is not considered an official FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...

 record, as he did not swim the first leg.

Women's Olympic and world records

Event Date Round Name Nationality Time OR WR
Women's 50 m freestyle August 17 Final Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen is a German swimmer who specializes in freestyle, who is the current holder of the world record in women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle....

 
24.06 OR
Women's 100 m freestyle August 10 4×100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.Also, in the final race of this event, Britta Steffen of Germany set a new women's 100 metre freestyle Olympic record of 53.38 as the lead-off swimmer for Germany...


Final lead off
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen is a German swimmer who specializes in freestyle, who is the current holder of the world record in women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle....

 
53.38 OR
August 15 Final Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen is a German swimmer who specializes in freestyle, who is the current holder of the world record in women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle....

 
53.12 OR
Women's 200 m freestyle August 11 Heat 4 Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying
Pang Jiaying is a female Chinese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. Pang is one of the best Chinese women in middle and long-distance freestyle swimming....

 
1:57.37 OR
August 11 Heat 5 Sara Isakovič
Sara Isakovic
Sara Isakovič is a freestyle swimmer from Slovenia. She spent much of her childhood in Dubai. Isakovič was a member of the Žito Gorenjka Radovljica Swimming Club from Radovljica, Slovenia and trained under the supervision of coach Miha Potočnik.Isakovič competed for Slovenia at the 2004 Summer...

 
1:55.86 OR
August 11 Heat 6 Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder...

 
1:55.45 OR WR
August 13 Final Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder...

 
1:54.82 OR WR
Women's 400 m freestyle August 10 Heat 5 Katie Hoff
Katie Hoff
Kathryn "Katie" Elise Hoff is an American swimmer. Hoff is strongest in the 200 and 400 meter individual medley, though she is a very capable swimmer in many events, ranging from the four 200 meter events to the 800 meter freestyle...

 
4:03.71 OR
August 10 Heat 6 Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder...

 
4:02.19 OR
Women's 800 m freestyle August 14 Heat 4 Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca "Becky" Adlington, OBE, is an English and British freestyle swimmer. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800 m final...

 
8:18.06 OR
August 16 Final Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca "Becky" Adlington, OBE, is an English and British freestyle swimmer. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800 m final...

 
8:14.10 OR WR
Women's 100 m backstroke August 10 Heat 5 Anastasia Zuyeva  59.61 OR
August 10 Heat 6 Reiko Nakamura
Reiko Nakamura
is a Japanese Olympic and Asian record-holding swimmer. She swam in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, winning the bronze medals in the 200m backstroke at both editions....

 
59.36 OR
August 10 Heat 7 Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...

 
59.00 OR
August 11 Semifinal 2 Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...

 
58.77 OR WR
Women's 200 m backstroke August 14 Heat 4 Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...

 
2:06.76 OR
August 16 Final Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...

 
2:05.24 OR WR
Women's 100 m breaststroke August 10 Heat 7 Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...

 
1:05.64 OR
August 12 Final Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...

 
1:05.17 OR
Women's 200 m breaststroke August 13 Heat 5 Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni is an American breaststroke swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke and is a former world-record holder in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke .Soni has won a total of nineteen medals in major...

 
2:22.17 OR
August 15 Final Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni is an American breaststroke swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke and is a former world-record holder in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke .Soni has won a total of nineteen medals in major...

 
2:20.22 OR WR
Women's 200 m butterfly August 14 Final Liu Zige
Liu Zige
Liu Zige is a world record holding swimmer from China. She swam for China at the 2008 Olympics, where she won the women's 200  butterfly in a new world record ....

 
2:04.18 OR WR
Women's 200 m individual medley August 12 Semifinal 1 Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...

 
2:09.53 OR
August 13 Final Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...

 
2:08.45 OR WR
Women's 400 m individual medley August 10 Final Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...

 
4:29.45 OR WR
Women's 4×100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.Also, in the final race of this event, Britta Steffen of Germany set a new women's 100 metre freestyle Olympic record of 53.38 as the lead-off swimmer for Germany...

August 10 Final Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...

 
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...

 
Femke Heemskerk
Femke Heemskerk
Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....

 
Marleen Veldhuis
Marleen Veldhuis
Magdalena Johanna Maria Veldhuis is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events . Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals...

 
3:33.76 OR
Women's 4×200 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...

August 13 Heat 1 Alena Popchanka
Alena Popchanka
Alena Popchanka is a 4-time Olympic freestyle and butterfly swimmer originally from Belarus. She swam for Belarus at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics...

 
Céline Couderc
Céline Couderc
Céline Couderc is a female freestyle swimmer from France, who twice competed for her native country at the Summer Olympics: in 2004 and 2008.- References :*...

 
Camille Muffat
Camille Muffat
Camille Muffat is an Olympic and National Record holding swimmer from France. She swam for France at the 2008 Olympics....

 
Coralie Balmy
Coralie Balmy
Coralie Balmy is a freestyle swimmer from France, who was born in Martinique . She won her first senior title at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships in Eindhoven in the 4×200 relay freestyle...

 
7:50.37 OR
August 14 Final Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Rice
Stephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...

 
Bronte Barratt
Bronte Barratt
Bronte Amelia Arnold Barratt OAM is a competitive swimmer from Australia. At the World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai in 2006, Barratt won the gold medal in women's 4x200m freestyle relay and an individual silver medal in the 400m freestyle.In 2007, she broke the oldest record in...

 
Kylie Palmer
Kylie Palmer
Kylie Jayne Palmer OAM , is an Australian distance freestyle swimmer.She attended Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell...

 
Linda Mackenzie
Linda Mackenzie
Linda June Mackenzie OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She tends to prefer the longer 200m/400m/800m events and has won the Australian 400m national title five years in a row...

 
7:44.31 OR WR
Women's 4×100 m medley relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre medley relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.- Qualification summary :- Heat 1 :- Heat 2 :- Final :* Q = Qualified, DSQ = Disqualified* WR = World Record, OR = Olympic Record...

August 17 Final Emily Seebohm
Emily Seebohm
Emily Jane Seebohm OAM is an Australian backstroke, freestyle, butterfly and individual medley swimmer.-Career:...

 
Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...

 
Jessicah Schipper
Jessicah Schipper
Jessicah Lee Schipper OAM is an Australian swimmer. She trained at the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton club in Brisbane, under veteran coach Ken Wood up until the conclusion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Schipper now trains under the guidance of Stephan Widmer with the Commercial Swimming Club...

 
Libby Trickett 
3:52.69 OR WR

LZR Racer suits

Another big change to swimming occurred when Speedo
Speedo
Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...

 launched the LZR Racer
LZR Racer
The LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swimsuits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane. The line was launched on 13 February 2008...

 swim suits on February 13, 2008. The suits, developed by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 and the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...

, were designed to repel water, allow oxygen to flow to the muscles, and hold the body in a more hydrodynamic position. The suits had been proven to give the swimmer a lower time by 1.9 to 2.2%. Due to the advantage provided by the suits, some swimmers complained about the fairness in its use, because some people used multiple swimsuits to improve buoyancy and compressing of body; even the official blog for the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 pondered whether they were "technology doping" and what was the difference between gaining advantage from a swimsuit and gaining advantage from performance-enhancing drugs
Performance-enhancing drugs
Performance-enhancing drugs are substances used by athletes to improve their performances in the sports in which they engage.- Types of performance-enhancing drugs :...

. In response to these complaints, the International Swimming Federation
International Swimming Federation
Fédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...

 (FINA) scheduled a meeting with Speedo to discuss the suits. After the meeting, FINA dismissed the claims of cheating, and endorsed the suits for future swimming meets. By August 14, 2008, 62 world records had been broken by swimmers wearing the LZR Racer
LZR Racer
The LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swimsuits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane. The line was launched on 13 February 2008...

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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