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Swimming
at the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad
Venue Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre
Dates14 – 21 August 2004
Competitors937 from 152 nations
←  2000
2008 →

The swimming competitions at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens took place from 14 to 21 August 2004 at the Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre in Marousi. [1] It featured 32 events (16 male, 16 female), a total of 937 swimmers from 152 nations, and the program's changes instituted in the previous Games, including notably the three-phase format (heats, semifinals, and final) for all short-distance races (200 metres and under). [2] [3]

Swimmers from the United States continued to dominate the medal tally with a total of 28, earning twelve golds, nine silver, and seven bronze. [4] Australia still maintained the second spot from Sydney in 2000, but produced a total of 15 more medals (seven golds, five silver, and three bronze) to its historical hardware in swimming. [5] [6] Meanwhile, Japan moved from behind to third overall in the medal board with eight medals after a sterling breaststroke double from Kosuke Kitajima. A total of eight world records and twenty-five Olympic records were set during the competition.

Venue

Grandstand view of the swimming pool at the Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre during the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Swimming events at the 2004 Summer Olympics were held at the Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre, officially known as the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OCO) during the games. [7] Originally built for the 1991 Mediterranean Games, [8] it was refurbished to host swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, and water polo events; it was the first time in the history of the Olympics that all aquatics disciplines had been held at a single venue. [7] [9] Swimming events were held at the main outdoor pool of the complex, which held 10,893 spectators, and was interchangeably used for swimming and water polo events throughout the duration of the games. [9] A plastic-coated tarpaulin roof covering the two outdoor pools of the complex, designed to protect spectators and swimmers from being exposed to the summer heat, was originally planned to be built as part of the renovations. [8] [9] However, due to cost overruns and delays in construction, planners decided to scrap the roof in March 2004, [10] [11] which was criticised by FINA, the governing body of water sports. [8] [9] The venue would ultimately be approved by FINA weeks before the opening of the games in August. [8]

Events

The following events were contested (all pool events were long course, and distances are in metres unless stated):

Schedule

Legend
H Heats ½ Semifinals F Final
Men [12]
Date → Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21
Event ↓ M E M E M E M E M E M E M E M E
50 m freestyle H ½ F
100 m freestyle H ½ F
200 m freestyle H ½ F
400 m freestyle H F
1500 m freestyle H F
100 m backstroke H ½ F
200 m backstroke H ½ F
100 m breaststroke H ½ F
200 m breaststroke H ½ F
100 m butterfly H ½ F
200 m butterfly H ½ F
200 m individual medley H ½ F
400 m individual medley H F
4 × 100 m freestyle relay H F
4 × 200 m freestyle relay H F
4 × 100 m medley relay H F
Women [12]
Date → Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21
Event ↓ M E M E M E M E M E M E M E M E
50 m freestyle H ½ F
100 m freestyle H ½ F
200 m freestyle H ½ F
400 m freestyle H F
800 m freestyle H F
100 m backstroke H ½ F
200 m backstroke H ½ F
100 m breaststroke H ½ F
200 m breaststroke H ½ F
100 m butterfly H ½ F
200 m butterfly H ½ F
200 m individual medley H ½ F
400 m individual medley H F
4 × 100 m freestyle relay H F
4 × 200 m freestyle relay H F
4 × 100 m medley relay H F

Participating nations

A total of 937 swimmers (544 men and 393 women) from 152 nations would compete in swimming events at these Olympic Games. [13] Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Guyana, and Turkmenistan made their official debut in swimming. Meanwhile, Albania, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Norway returned to the sport after long years of absence. Nations with swimmers at the Games are (team size in parentheses):

Medal summary

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  United States (USA)129728
2  Australia (AUS)75315
3  Japan (JPN)3148
4  Netherlands (NED)2327
5  Ukraine (UKR)2013
6  France (FRA)1236
7  Poland (POL)1203
8  South Africa (RSA)1113
  Zimbabwe (ZIM)1113
10  China (CHN)1102
11  Romania (ROM)1012
12  Austria (AUT)0202
13  Germany (GER)0145
14  Hungary (HUN)0112
  Italy (ITA)0112
16  Croatia (CRO)0101
  Russia (RUS)0101
18  Great Britain (GBR)0022
19  Argentina (ARG)0011
  Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)0011
Totals (20 entries)32323397

Results

Men's events

Games Gold Silver Bronze
50 m freestyle
details
Gary Hall, Jr.
  United States
21.93 Duje Draganja
  Croatia
21.94
NR
Roland Mark Schoeman
  South Africa
22.02
100 m freestyle
details
Pieter van den Hoogenband
  Netherlands
48.17 Roland Mark Schoeman
  South Africa
48.23 Ian Thorpe
  Australia
48.56
200 m freestyle
details
Ian Thorpe
  Australia
1:44.71
OR
Pieter van den Hoogenband
  Netherlands
1:45.23 Michael Phelps
  United States
1:45.32
AM
400 m freestyle
details
Ian Thorpe
  Australia
3:43.10 Grant Hackett
  Australia
3:43.36 Klete Keller
  United States
3:44.11
AM
1500 m freestyle
details
Grant Hackett
  Australia
14:43.40
OR
Larsen Jensen
  United States
14:45.29
AM
David Davies
  Great Britain
14:45.95
ER
100 m backstroke
details
Aaron Peirsol
  United States
54.06 Markus Rogan
  Austria
54.35 Tomomi Morita
  Japan
54.36
AS
200 m backstroke
details
Aaron Peirsol
  United States
1:54.95
OR
Markus Rogan
  Austria
1:57.35 Răzvan Florea
  Romania
1:57.56
NR
100 m breaststroke
details
Kosuke Kitajima
  Japan
1:00.08 Brendan Hansen
  United States
1:00.25 Hugues Duboscq
  France
1:00.88
200 m breaststroke
details
Kosuke Kitajima
  Japan
2:09.44
OR
Dániel Gyurta
  Hungary
2:10.80 Brendan Hansen
  United States
2:10.87
100 m butterfly
details
Michael Phelps
  United States
51.25
OR
Ian Crocker
  United States
51.29 Andriy Serdinov
  Ukraine
51.36
ER
200 m butterfly
details
Michael Phelps
  United States
1:54.04
OR
Takashi Yamamoto
  Japan
1:54.56
AS
Stephen Parry
  Great Britain
1:55.52
NR
200 m individual medley
details
Michael Phelps
  United States
1:57.14
OR
Ryan Lochte
  United States
1:58.78 George Bovell
  Trinidad and Tobago
1:58.80
NR
400 m individual medley
details
Michael Phelps
  United States
4:08.26
WR
Erik Vendt
  United States
4:11.81 László Cseh
  Hungary
4:12.15
4 × 100 m freestyle relay
details
  South Africa
Roland Schoeman (48.17) AF
Lyndon Ferns (48.13)
Darian Townsend (48.96)
Ryk Neethling (47.91)
3:13.17
WR
  Netherlands
Johan Kenkhuis (49.81)
Mitja Zastrow (49.25)
Klaas-Erik Zwering (48.51)
Pieter van den Hoogenband (46.79)
Mark Veens*
3:14.36
NR
  United States
Ian Crocker (50.05)
Michael Phelps (48.74)
Neil Walker 47.97)
Jason Lezak (47.86)
Nate Dusing*
Gary Hall, Jr.*
Gabe Woodward*
3:14.62
4 × 200 m freestyle relay
details
  United States
Michael Phelps (1:46.49)
Ryan Lochte (1:47.52)
Peter Vanderkaay (1:47.79)
Klete Keller (1:45.53)
Scott Goldblatt*
Dan Ketchum*
7:07.33
AM
  Australia
Grant Hackett (1:47.50)
Michael Klim (1:47.62)
Nicholas Sprenger (1:48.16)
Ian Thorpe (1:44.18)
Antony Matkovich*
Todd Pearson*
Craig Stevens*
7:07.46   Italy
Emiliano Brembilla (1:48.16)
Massimiliano Rosolino (1:46.24)
Simone Cercato (1:49.85)
Filippo Magnini (1:47.58)
Federico Cappellazzo*
Matteo Pelliciari*
7:11.83
4 × 100 m medley relay
details
  United States
Aaron Peirsol (53.45) WR
Brendan Hansen (59.37)
Ian Crocker (50.28)
Jason Lezak (47.58)
Lenny Krayzelburg*
Mark Gangloff*
Michael Phelps*
Neil Walker*
3:30.68
WR
  Germany
Steffen Driesen (54.26)
Jens Kruppa (1:00.50)
Thomas Rupprath (51.40)
Lars Conrad (47.46)
Helge Meeuw*
3:33.62
ER
  Japan
Tomomi Morita (54.25) AS
Kosuke Kitajima (59.35)
Takashi Yamamoto (51.87)
Yoshihiro Okumura (49.75)
3:35.22
AS

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

Women's events

Games Gold Silver Bronze
50 m freestyle
details
Inge de Bruijn
  Netherlands
24.58 Malia Metella
  France
24.89
NR
Lisbeth Lenton
  Australia
24.91
100 m freestyle
details
Jodie Henry
  Australia
53.84 Inge de Bruijn
  Netherlands
54.16 Natalie Coughlin
  United States
54.40
200 m freestyle
details
Camelia Potec
  Romania
1:58.03 Federica Pellegrini
  Italy
1:58.22 Solenne Figuès
  France
1:58.45
400 m freestyle
details
Laure Manaudou
  France
4:05.34
ER
Otylia Jędrzejczak
  Poland
4:05.84 Kaitlin Sandeno
  United States
4:06.19
800 m freestyle
details
Ai Shibata
  Japan
8:24.54 Laure Manaudou
  France
8:24.96 Diana Munz
  United States
8:26.61
100 m backstroke
details
Natalie Coughlin
  United States
1:00.37 Kirsty Coventry
  Zimbabwe
1:00.50 Laure Manaudou
  France
1:00.88
200 m backstroke
details
Kirsty Coventry
  Zimbabwe
2:09.19
AF
Stanislava Komarova
  Russia
2:09.72 Antje Buschschulte
  Germany
Reiko Nakamura
  Japan
2:09.88
100 m breaststroke
details
Luo Xuejuan
  China
1:06.64
OR
Brooke Hanson
  Australia
1:07.15 Leisel Jones
  Australia
1:07.16
200 m breaststroke
details
Amanda Beard
  United States
2:23.37
OR
Leisel Jones
  Australia
2:23.60 Anne Poleska
  Germany
2:25.82
100 m butterfly
details
Petria Thomas
  Australia
57.72 Otylia Jędrzejczak
  Poland
57.84 Inge de Bruijn
  Netherlands
57.99
200 m butterfly
details
Otylia Jędrzejczak
  Poland
2:06.05 Petria Thomas
  Australia
2:06.36 Yuko Nakanishi
  Japan
2:08.04
200 m individual medley
details
Yana Klochkova
  Ukraine
2:11.14 Amanda Beard
  United States
2:11.70
AM
Kirsty Coventry
  Zimbabwe
2:12.72
AF
400 m individual medley
details
Yana Klochkova
  Ukraine
4:34.83 Kaitlin Sandeno
  United States
4:34.95
AM
Georgina Bardach
  Argentina
4:37.51
SA
4 × 100 m freestyle relay
details
  Australia
Alice Mills
Lisbeth Lenton
Petria Thomas
Jodie Henry
Sarah Ryan*
3:35.94
WR
  United States
Kara Lynn Joyce
Natalie Coughlin
Amanda Weir
Jenny Thompson
Lindsay Benko*
Maritza Correia*
Colleen Lanne*
3:36.39
AM
  Netherlands
Chantal Groot
Inge Dekker
Marleen Veldhuis
Inge de Bruijn
Annabel Kosten*
3:37.59
NR
4 × 200 m freestyle relay
details
  United States
Natalie Coughlin
Carly Piper
Dana Vollmer
Kaitlin Sandeno
Lindsay Benko*
Rhi Jeffrey*
Rachel Komisarz*
7:53.42
WR
  China
Zhu Yingwen
Xu Yanwei
Yang Yu
Pang Jiaying
Li Ji*
7:55.97
AS
  Germany
Franziska van Almsick
Petra Dallmann
Antje Buschschulte
Hannah Stockbauer
Janina Götz*
Sara Harstick*
7:57.37
4 × 100 m medley relay
details
  Australia
Giaan Rooney (1:01.18) OC
Leisel Jones (1:06.50)
Petria Thomas (56.67)
Jodie Henry (52.97)
Brooke Hanson*
Alice Mills*
Jessicah Schipper*
3:57.32
WR
  United States
Natalie Coughlin (59.68) OR
Amanda Beard (1:06.32)
Jenny Thompson (58.81)
Kara Lynn Joyce (54.31)
Haley Cope*
Tara Kirk*
Rachel Komisarz*
Amanda Weir*
3:59.12   Germany
Antje Buschschulte (1:00.72)
Sarah Poewe (1:07.08)
Franziska van Almsick (58.54)
Daniela Götz (54.38)
4:00.72
ER

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

References

  1. ^ "Olympedia – Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  2. ^ "USA Today 2004 Olympic Coverage: Swimming Format and Schedule". USA Today. 20 May 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Athens 2004: Volume Two – Aquatics (Swimming)" ( PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. pp. 9–27. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  4. ^ "U.S. adds another relay gold". ESPN. 22 August 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  5. ^ Gordos, Phil (21 August 2004). "Phelps causes biggest splash". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Australian team expects world swimming titles to close door on culture of drug abuse, bullying and bad behaviour". The Australian. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  7. ^ a b Olympic Games staff (11 February 2004). "ATHENS 2004: 12 water polo teams qualified". Olympic Games. International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. For the first time in Olympic Games history, all aquatics events will take place in a single venue, the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OCO).
  8. ^ a b c d Commings, Jeff (27 July 2012). "Olympic Pools: Where Are They Now? (Part Five)". Swimming World. Sports Publications International. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Like the Sydney pool, the Athens competition pool was not built for the Games. It had been around for more than a decade, hosting the 1991 Mediterranean Games. But the heat was a concern, and organizers had planned to put a roof on the building as part of the renovation plans. Money fell through, and the roof was not built, much to the initial chagrin of FINA, which would later approve the facility mere weeks before Michael Phelps and others claimed gold.
  9. ^ a b c d BBC Sport staff (15 July 2004). "Olympics 2004 - Venues Guide - Aquatic Center". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. For the first time in Olympic history, all the aquatics events [...] will take place at one venue. [...] Progress on its construction fell way behind schedule. Organisers finally decided in March to scrap a planned plastic-coated tarpaulin roof over the main pool. That decision will leave swimmers exposed to searing August temperatures, to the dismay of swimming's ruling body Fina. [...] Spectators: Main pool 10,893
  10. ^ Stevens, Richard (31 March 2004). "Athens costs set to soar over budget". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Earlier this month officials cancelled a much delayed plastic roof for the swimming venue.
  11. ^ Muriel, Diana (6 May 2004). "Athens in race against time". CNN. Time Warner Inc. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. The roof of the Olympic swimming pool had to be abandoned.
  12. ^ a b "BBC 2004 Olympic Coverage: Swimming Schedule". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  13. ^ "Athens 2004: Swimming – Entry List by NOC" ( PDF). Athens 2004. LA84 Foundation. pp. 2–23. Retrieved 30 June 2013.

External links