Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics

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. 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).

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

Swimmers from the United States continued to dominate the medal tally with a total of 28, earning twelve golds, nine silver, and seven bronze. 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. 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

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. Originally built for the 1991 Mediterranean Games, 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. 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. 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. However, due to cost overruns and delays in construction, planners decided to scrap the roof in March 2004, which was criticised by FINA, the governing body of water sports. The venue would ultimately be approved by FINA weeks before the opening of the games in August.

Events

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

  • Freestyle : 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 (women) and 1500 (men);
  • Backstroke : 100 and 200;
  • Breaststroke : 100 and 200;
  • Butterfly : 100 and 200;
  • Individual medley : 200 and 400;
  • Relays: 4 × 100 free, 4 × 200 free, and 4 × 100 medley.

Schedule

Legend
H Heats ½ Semi-finals F Final
Men
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
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. 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):

  •  Albania (2)
  •  Algeria (6)
  •  Andorra (2)
  •  Angola (1)
  •  Antigua and Barbuda (2)
  •  Argentina (10)
  •  Armenia (1)
  •  Aruba (2)
  •  Australia (41)
  •  Austria (6)
  •  Azerbaijan (2)
  •  Bahamas (4)
  •  Bahrain (2)
  •  Bangladesh (2)
  •  Barbados (4)
  •  Belarus (9)
  •  Benin (2)
  •  Bermuda (1)
  •  Bolivia (2)
  •  Bosnia and Herzegovina (1)
  •  Brazil (23)
  •  Bulgaria (6)
  •  Burkina Faso (1)
  •  Burundi (2)
  •  Cambodia (2)
  •  Cameroon (1)
  •  Canada (20)
  •  Cayman Islands (3)
  •  Chile (3)
  •  China (28)
  •  Colombia (3)
  •  Republic of the Congo (2)
  •  Costa Rica (1)
  •  Ivory Coast (2)
  •  Croatia (13)
  •  Cuba (2)
  •  Cyprus (5)
  •  Czech Republic (12)
  •  Denmark (6)
  •  Ecuador (1)
  •  Egypt (2)
  •  El Salvador (1)
  •  Estonia (6)
  •  Fiji (1)
  •  Finland (7)
  •  France (21)
  •  Germany (35)
  •  Georgia (1)
  •  Great Britain (33)
  •  Greece (28)
  •  Grenada (2)
  •  Guam (1)
  •  Guatemala (4)
  •  Guinea (1)
  •  Guyana (1)
  •  Honduras (2)
  •  Hong Kong (7)
  •  Hungary (25)
  •  Iceland (7)
  •  India (1)
  •  Indonesia (3)
  •  Iran (1)
  •  Iraq (1)
  •  Ireland (2)
  •  Israel (2)
  •  Italy (29)
  •  Jamaica (4)
  •  Japan (20)
  •  Jordan (2)
  •  Kazakhstan (11)
  •  Kenya (2)
  •  South Korea (19)
  •  Kyrgyzstan (6)
  •  Laos (2)
  •  Latvia (5)
  •  Lebanon (2)
  •  Libya (2)
  •  Lithuania (10)
  •  Luxembourg (2)
  •  Macedonia (4)
  •  Madagascar (2)
  •  Malawi (2)
  •  Malaysia (4)
  •  Maldives (2)
  •  Mali (2)
  •  Malta (2)
  •  Mauritius (2)
  •  Mexico (6)
  •  Federated States of Micronesia (2)
  •  Moldova (10)
  •  Monaco (1)
  •  Mongolia (1)
  •  Morocco (1)
  •  Mozambique (2)
  •  Nepal (2)
  •  Netherlands (16)
  •  New Zealand (13)
  •  Nicaragua (2)
  •  Niger (1)
  •  Nigeria (2)
  •  Norway (1)
  •  Pakistan (2)
  •  Palau (1)
  •  Palestine (1)
  •  Panama (2)
  •  Papua New Guinea (1)
  •  Paraguay (1)
  •  Peru (2)
  •  Philippines (5)
  •  Poland (7)
  •  Portugal (11)
  •  Puerto Rico (6)
  •  Qatar (1)
  •  Romania (7)
  •  Russia (30)
  •  Rwanda (2)
  •  Saint Lucia (1)
  •  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1)
  •  San Marino (2)
  •  Saudi Arabia (1)
  •  Senegal (2)
  •  Serbia and Montenegro (7)
  •  Seychelles (2)
  •  Singapore (5)
  •  Slovakia (2)
  •  Slovenia (11)
  •  South Africa (8)
  •  Spain (16)
  •  Sri Lanka (2)
  •  Suriname (2)
  •  Swaziland (1)
  •  Sweden (15)
  •  Switzerland (13)
  •  Syria (1)
  •  Chinese Taipei (13)
  •  Thailand (6)
  •  Trinidad and Tobago (3)
  •  Tunisia (2)
  •  Turkey (9)
  •  Turkmenistan (2)
  •  Uganda (1)
  •  Ukraine (27)
  •  United Arab Emirates (1)
  •  United States (43)
  •  Uruguay (4)
  •  Uzbekistan (15)
  •  Venezuela (4)
  •  Vietnam (1)
  •  Virgin Islands (2)
  •  Yemen (1)
  •  Zambia (2)
  •  Zimbabwe (2)

Medal summary

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States129728
2 Australia75315
3 Japan3148
4 Netherlands2327
5 Ukraine2013
6 France1236
7 Poland1203
8 South Africa1113
 Zimbabwe1113
10 China1102
11 Romania1012
12 Austria0202
13 Germany0145
14 Hungary0112
 Italy0112
16 Croatia0101
 Russia0101
18 Great Britain0022
19 Argentina0011
 Trinidad and Tobago0011
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 Schoeman
 South Africa
22.02
100 m freestyle
details
Pieter van den Hoogenband
 Netherlands
48.17 Roland 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.

Records

The following world and Olympic records were established during the competition:

World records

Date Round Event Established for Time Name Nation
14 August Final Men's 400 metre individual medley (same) 4:08.26 Michael Phelps  United States
14 August Final Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay (same) 3:35.94 Alice Mills (54.75)
Libby Lenton (53.57)
Petria Thomas (54.67)
Jodie Henry (52.95)
 Australia
15 August Final Men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay (same) 3:13.17 Roland Schoeman (48.17)
Lyndon Ferns (48.13)
Darian Townsend (48.96)
Ryk Neethling (47.91)
 South Africa
18 August Semifinal 2 Women's 100 metre freestyle (same) 53.52 Jodie Henry  Australia
18 August Final Women's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay (same) 7:53.42 Natalie Coughlin (1:57.74)
Carly Piper (1:59.39)
Dana Vollmer (1:58.12)
Kaitlin Sandeno (1:58.17)
 United States
21 August Final Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay (same) 3:57.32 Giaan Rooney (1:01.18)
Leisel Jones (1:06.70)
Petria Thomas (56.67)
Jodie Henry (52.97)
 Australia
21 August Final Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay Men's 100 metre backstroke 53.45 Aaron Peirsol  United States
21 August Final Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay (same) 3:30.68 Aaron Peirsol (53.45)
Brendan Hansen (59.37)
Ian Crocker (50.28)
Jason Lezak (47.58)
 United States

Olympic records

Date Round Event Established for Time Name Nation
14 August Heat 7 Men's 100 metre breaststroke (same) 1:00.03 Kosuke Kitajima  Japan
14 August Semifinal 1 Men's 100 metre breaststroke (same) 1:00.01 Brendan Hansen  United States
15 August Semifinal 2 Women's 100 metre backstroke (same) 1:00.17 Natalie Coughlin  United States
15 August Semifinal 1 Women's 100 metre breaststroke (same) 1:06.78 Leisel Jones  Australia
16 August Final Men's 200 metre freestyle (same) 1:44.71 Ian Thorpe  Australia
16 August Final Women's 100 metre breaststroke (same) 1:06.64 Luo Xuejuan  China
17 August Final Men's 200 metre butterfly (same) 1:54.04 Michael Phelps  United States
18 August Final Men's 200 metre breaststroke (same) 2:09.44 Kosuke Kitajima  Japan
18 August Semifinal 2 Men's 200 metre backstroke (same) 1:55.14 Aaron Peirsol  United States
18 August Semifinal 1 Men's 200 metre individual medley (same) 1:58.52 Michael Phelps  United States
19 August Final Women's 200 metre breaststroke (same) 2:23.57 Amanda Beard  United States
19 August Final Men's 200 metre backstroke (same) 1:54.95 Aaron Peirsol  United States
19 August Final Men's 200 metre individual medley (same) 1:57.14 Michael Phelps  United States
19 August Semifinal 1 Men's 100 metre butterfly (same) 51.74 Andriy Serdinov  Ukraine
19 August Semifinal 2 Men's 100 metre butterfly (same) 51.61 Michael Phelps  United States
20 August Final Men's 100 metre butterfly (same) 51.25 Michael Phelps  United States
21 August Final Men's 1500 metre freestyle (same) 14:43.40 Grant Hackett  Australia
21 August Final Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay Women's 100 metre backstroke 59.68 Natalie Coughlin  United States

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