Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre backstroke

U.S. swimmer Maya DiRado saved her best race for last before retiring from the sport, as she upset Hungary's Katinka Hosszú on the home stretch to claim the distance backstroke title. Coming from behind at the 150-metre turn, DiRado produced a late surge to touch out the Hungarian favorite by six hundredths of a second for the gold medal in 2:05.99.{{cite news|last=Trevelyan|first=Mark|title=DiRado bows out with backstroke gold|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-swimming-w-200mback-idUSKCN10O02V|publisher=Reuters|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}}{{cite news|last=Crouse|first=Karen|title=Maya DiRado, Exiting the Sport, Catches Katinka Hosszu and Grabs Gold|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/sports/olympics/maya-dirado-katinka-hosszu.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=1 September 2016}} Hosszú commanded a solid lead through the first half of the race, but she was unable to hold off DiRado about the midway of the final lap, leaving with a silver in 2:06.05. Meanwhile, Canada's Hilary Caldwell swam her way into the bronze-medal position with a 2:07.54.{{cite news|first=Callum|last=Ng|title=Hilary Caldwell wins bronze, Canada's 6th swim medal|url=http://olympics.cbc.ca/news/article/hilary-caldwell-wins-bronze-bringing-canada-swim-medal-total.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/maya-dirado-upsets-katinka-hosszu-for-victory-in-the-200-back/|title=Maya DiRado Upsets Katinka Hosszu For Victory In The 200 Back|date=12 August 2016|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|accessdate=29 August 2016}}

Russia's Daria Ustinova, who was allowed to compete in Rio after successfully appealing from her doping ban, obtained the fourth spot in 2:07.89, edging out Australia's Belinda Hocking (2:08.02) to fifth by 0.13 of a second.{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Colman|title=Ghost of the London Olympics still haunt Australian swim team, according to Belinda Hocking|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/olympics-2016/ghost-of-the-london-olympics-still-haunt-australian-swim-team-according-to-belinda-hocking/news-story/c382252de0c4a1334593c0a1524cbf75|publisher=The Courier-Mail|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}} Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, a five-time Olympian and double gold medalist in this event, capped off her illustrious Olympic career with a sixth-place finish in 2:08.80.{{cite news|title=Coventry caps Olympic career with 6th-place finish|url=https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2016/08/14/coventry-caps-olympic-career-6th-place-finish/|publisher=The Standard|location=Zimbabwe|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}} Chinese teenager Liu Yaxin (2:09.03) and Iceland's Eygló Ósk Gústafsdóttir (2:09.44) rounded out the top eight.

World-record holder Missy Franklin missed the opportunity to defend her Olympic title in the final, after placing fourteenth in the semifinals (2:09.74).{{cite news|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/katinka-hosszu-soars-ahead-of-200-back-semi-finals-field/|title=Katinka Hosszu Soars Ahead Of 200 Back Semi-Finals Field|date=11 August 2016|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|accessdate=29 August 2016}}{{cite news|title=Swimming: Rio turns into an Olympic-sized disappointment for Missy Franklin|url=http://www.sltrib.com/home/4228507-155/swimming-rio-turns-into-an-olympic-sized|publisher=Salt Lake Tribune|date=11 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}} Other notable swimmers failed to reach the top eight roster, including Hocking's teammate and reigning world champion Emily Seebohm, London 2012 silver medalist Anastasia Fesikova of Russia, and Ukraine's Daryna Zevina, runner-up at the European Championships two months earlier.{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Chammas|title=Mitch Larkin wins Rio Olympics silver as Emily Seebohm fails to qualify for final|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/olympics/rio-2016/olympics-swimming/mitch-larkin-wins-rio-olympics-silver-as-emily-seebohm-fails-to-qualify-for-final-20160812-gqqvsh.html|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=12 August 2016|accessdate=5 September 2016}}

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

{{World Olympic Record

| world_athlete = {{flagathlete|Missy Franklin|USA}}

| world_mark = 2:04.06

| world_place = London, United Kingdom

| world_date = 3 August 2012

| world_ref = {{cite news|last=Auerbach|first=Nicole|title=USA's Missy Franklin wins another gold, sets world record|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/swimming/story/2012-08-03/missy-franklin-olympics-200-back-usa/56749012/1|publisher=USA Today|date=4 August 2012|accessdate=11 July 2013}}{{cite news|title=US swimmer Missy Franklin sets world record, Phelps ends individual races with medal|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/us-swimmer-missy-franklin-sets-world-record-phelps-ends-individual-races-with-medal/|publisher=Fox News|date=3 August 2012|access-date=11 July 2013}}

| olympic_athlete = {{flagIOCathlete|Missy Franklin|USA|2012 Summer}}

| olympic_mark = 2:04.06

| olympic_place = London, United Kingdom

| olympic_date = 3 August 2012

| olympic_ref =

}}

The competition consisted of three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advanced to the semifinals. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the semifinals advanced to the final. Swim-offs were used as necessary to break ties for advancement to the next round.

{{Reflist}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 200 m Backstroke Women}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metre backstroke}}

Women's 00200 metre backstroke

Olympics

Category:2016 in women's swimming

Category:Women's events at the 2016 Summer Olympics