Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre backstroke

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Men's 200 metre backstroke
at the Games of the XIX Olympiad
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-G0413-0015-001, Roland Matthes.jpg
Gold medalist Roland Matthes (earlier in 1968)
VenueAlberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez
Date25 October (heats, final)
Competitors30 from 21 nations
Winning time2:09.6 OR
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Roland Matthes  East Germany
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Mitch Ivey  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Jack Horsley  United States
← 1964
1972 →

The men's 200 metre backstroke event at the 1968 Summer Olympics took place on 25 October at the Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez.[1] There were 30 competitors from 21 nations, with each nation having up to three swimmers.[2] The event was won by Roland Matthes of East Germany, the second gold medal for a German swimmer after Ernst Hoppenberg won in 1900. Matthes completed the backstroke double (100 and 200 metres) in the first Games both events were held, with Olympic record times in both. The United States, which had swept the podium in 1964, finished in the next three places behind Matthes: Mitch Ivey took silver, Jack Horsley bronze, and Gary Hall Sr. 4th.

Background[]

This was the third appearance of the 200 metre backstroke event. It was first held in 1900. The event did not return until 1964; since then, it has been on the programme at every Summer Games. From 1904 to 1960, a men's 100 metre backstroke was held instead. In 1964, only the 200 metres was held. Beginning in 1968 and ever since, both the 100 and 200 metre versions have been held.[2]

None of the 8 finalists from the 1964 Games returned. Roland Matthes had set the world record in the East German Olympic trials. The American team was also strong, though all three members of the 1964 podium sweeping team had been replaced.[2]

The Republic of China, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, the Philippines, and Switzerland made their debut in the event; East and West Germany competed separately for the first time. Italy and the Netherlands each made their third appearance, the only two nations to have competed at each appearance of the event to that point.

Competition format[]

The competition used a two-round (heats and final) format. The advancement rule followed the format introduced in 1952. A swimmer's place in the heat was not used to determine advancement; instead, the fastest times from across all heats in a round were used. There were 5 heats of up to 8 swimmers each; with numerous withdrawals, one heat had only 3 swimmers. The top 8 swimmers advanced to the final. Swim-offs were used as necessary to break ties.

This swimming event used backstroke. Because an Olympic-size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of four lengths of the pool.

Records[]

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1964 Summer Olympics.

World record  Roland Matthes (GDR) 2:07.5 Leipzig, East Germany 14 August 1968
Olympic record  Jed Graef (USA) 2:10.3 Tokyo, Japan 13 October 1964

Roland Matthes broke the Olympic record with a time of 2:09.6 in the final.

Schedule[]

All times are Central Standard Time (UTC-6)

Date Time Round
Friday, 25 October 1968 10:00
17:00
Heats
Final

Results[]

Heats[]

Rank Heat Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 1 Mitch Ivey  United States 2:11.3 Q
2 3 Roland Matthes  East Germany 2:13.6 Q
3 2 Jack Horsley  United States 2:13.7 Q
4 3 Santiago Esteva  Spain 2:15.8 Q
5 4 Leonid Dobroskokin  Soviet Union 2:16.1 Q
3 Joachim Röther  East Germany 2:16.1 Q
7 5 Gary Hall Sr.  United States 2:16.2 Q
8 1 Franco Del Campo  Italy 2:16.3 Q
9 2 Reinhard Blechert  West Germany 2:16.5
10 3 Ejvind Pedersen  Denmark 2:16.6
11 5 Mátyás Borlói  Hungary 2:17.9
12 4 Bob Schoutsen  Netherlands 2:18.2
13 1 Franco Chino  Italy 2:19.5
14 2 Jaime Monzó  Spain 2:20.1
15 3 Karl Byrom  Australia 2:20.7
4 Jaime Rivera  Mexico 2:20.7
1 José Joaquín Santibáñez  Mexico 2:20.7
18 1 Jim Shaw  Canada 2:21.0
19 5 Rinus van Beek  Netherlands 2:21.2
20 3 Eliseo Vidal  Cuba 2:21.3
21 1 Hans Ljungberg  Sweden 2:22.3
22 4 Lars Kraus Jensen  Denmark 2:22.5
23 5 Luis Angel Acosta  Mexico 2:24.0
24 4 Gerald Evard  Switzerland 2:24.7
25 3 Leonardo Baremboin  Argentina 2:25.2
26 1 Tony Asamali  Philippines 2:30.0
27 3 Francisco Ramis  Puerto Rico 2:30.4
28 1 Antonio Cruz  Guatemala 2:36.3
29 5 Ronnie Wong  Hong Kong 2:38.6
30 4 Chan King-ming  Taiwan 2:46.9

Final[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) Roland Matthes  East Germany 2:09.6 OR
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Mitch Ivey  United States 2:10.6
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Jack Horsley  United States 2:10.9
4 Gary Hall Sr.  United States 2:12.6
5 Santiago Esteva  Spain 2:12.9
6 Leonid Dobroskokin  Soviet Union 2:15.4
7 Joachim Röther  East Germany 2:15.8
8 Franco Del Campo  Italy 2:16.5

References[]

  1. ^ "Swimming at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games: Men's 200 metres Backstroke". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "200 metres Backstroke, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
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