The men's 50 metre freestyle event at the 1988 Olympic Games took place September 24. This 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...

 event is freestyle swimming

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...

, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated (unlike backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events). Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl

Front crawl

The front crawl, forward crawl, or freestyle is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is nearly universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, hence the synonymously used term "freestyle". It is one of two...

 or a variant of that stroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consists entirely of a single length of the pool.

This was the first time the event was swum at the Olympics.

Medalists

Records

The existing World and Olympic records at the time of the competition were:
The following records were established during the competition:

Date	Round	Name	Nationality	Time	WR	OR
September 24	Final	Matt Biondi Matt Biondi Matthew Nicholas Biondi is a three-time U.S. Olympic swimmer in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a total of 11 medals...		22.14	WR	OR

Preliminary heats

Rank	Heat (Heat Place)	Lane	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	8 (1)		Matt Biondi Matt Biondi Matthew Nicholas Biondi is a three-time U.S. Olympic swimmer in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a total of 11 medals...		22.39	q-A OR
2	9 (1)		Gennadiy Prigoda Gennadiy Prigoda Gennadiy Prigoda is a former freestyle swimmer from Russia, who competed twice at the Summer Olympics first for the Soviet Union in 1988, and then for the Unified Team in 1992....		22.57	q-A
3	7 (1)		Dano Halsall Dano Halsall Dano Halsall is a former freestyle swimmer from Switzerland, who competed in three Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1984. His mother is from Swiss origin, his father was born in Jamaica....		22.61	q-A OR
4	9 (2)		Tom Jager Tom Jager Thomas Michael "Tom" Jager is a USA Olympic and former World Record holding freestyle swimmer. He swam on the 1984-92 USA Olympic teams—where he earned seven medals, including five golds—and held the World Record in the 50m free at 3 different times, and at one point for over 10 years . He is an...		22.61	q-A
5	7 (2)		Vladimir Tkacenko		22.81	q-A
6	7 (3)		Frank Henter Frank Henter Frank Henter is a former freestyle swimmer from West Germany.Frank competed in the 50 metres freestyle at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, finishing seventh in the Championship Final in a time of 23.03 seconds. His preliminary time was slightly quicker at 22.98 seconds.-References:...		22.98	q-A
7	8 (2)		Andrew Baildon Andrew Baildon Andrew James Baildon is a former freestyle swimming champion from Australia, who competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988....		22.99	q-A
8	8 (3)		Stefan Volery Stefan Volery Stéfan Voléry, born 17 September 1961, is a former freestyle swimmer from Switzerland.Stéfan competed in the 50 metre freestyle at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, finishing fifth in the Championship Final in a time of 22.84 seconds....		23.04	q-A
9	9 (3)		Peng Siong Ang		23.08	q-B
10	8 (4)		Per Johansson Per Johansson (swimmer) Per Lennart Johansson is a former freestyle swimmer from Sweden. He won two bronze medals in the 100 m freestyle in 1980 and 1984. Johansson was nicknamed Senan.-Long course :-References:*...		23.12	q-B
11	7 (4)		Stéphan Caron Stéphan Caron Stéphan Caron, sometimes spelled Stéphane Caron, is a former freestyle swimmer from France.Caron won the bronze medal in the men's 100 m freestyle at the Summer Olympics twice in a row, starting in 1988. In 1985, he won the European title in the 100 m freestyle.-References:*...		23.22	q-B Scratched finals
12	9 (4)		Stephen Gusgen		23.22	q-B
13	9 (5=)		Shen Jianqiang		23.41	q-B
13	9 (5=)		Tzvetan Golomeev		23.41	q-B Scratched finals
15	4 (1)		Mark Andrews Mark Andrews (swimmer) Mark Andrews is a former international winner of the swimming competition in the Florida Keys and freestyle swimmer from Canada, who competed for his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea....		23.44	q-B OR
16	8 (5)		Goran Titus Göran Titus Göran Lars Titus is a former Swedish freestyle swimmer. He competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics and in the 1992 Summer Olympics. His best individual result is a 9th place in the 50 m freestyle 1992....		23.44	q-B
17	8 (6)		Hilton Woods		23.46
18	9 (7)		Feng Qiangbiao		23.47	Won Swim-off Scratched finals
18	6 (1)		Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan is a retired male freestyle swimmer from France, who represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. He twice won the silver medal in the men's 50 m freestyle at the European LC Championships : in 1993 and 1995.-References:*...		23.47
20	7 (5)		Vagn Hogholm		23.50
21	9 (8)		Hans Kroes Hans Kroes Hans Kroes is a former freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who competed for his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984. His best individual result in Los Angeles, California was the eighth place in the 100 m backstroke .-References:*...		23.50
22	7 (6)		Mark Foster Mark Foster (swimmer) Mark Andrew Foster is a British professional swimmer, specialising in butterfly and freestyle at 50 metres....		23.51
23	7 (7)		Petr Kladiva		23.53
24	5 (1)		Manuel Guzman Manuel Guzmán Manuel Guzmán Flores is a former international backstroke and freestyle swimmer from Puerto Rico, who participated in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988. His best result was a 12th place in the Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics in...		23.61
25	6 (2)		Mike Fibbens Mike Fibbens Michael Wenham Fibbens is an English swimmer who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988 .-References:* * *...		23.67
26	8 (7)		Peter Rohde		23.70
27	6 (3)		Tom Stachewicz		23.72
28	6 (4)		Yves Clausse		23.99
29			Rodrigo González Rodrigo González (swimmer) Rodrigo González Sesma is a retired freestyle swimmer from Mexico. He represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in Seoul, South Korea . He won the bronze medal in the Men's 100m Freestyle at the 1991 Pan American Games.-References:*...		24.01
30			Paulo Trindade		24.02
31			Sergio Esteves		24.24
32			Garvin Ferguson		24.25
33			José Moreira José Moreira (swimmer) José Moreira is a former international freestyle swimmer from Brazil, who participated for his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There he ended up in 33rd place in the men's 50m freestyle event....		24.26
33			Joseph Buhain		24.26
35			Li Khai-kam Li Khai-kam Johnny Li Khai-kam is a two-time Hong Kong Olympic swimmer in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. He is a 1983 graduate of Wan Chai, Hong Kong's Wah Yan College. As of 2004, he served as Hong Kong's representative to the Olympic swimming committee.-External links:*...		24.30
36			Markus Opartril		24.32
37			Jorge Fernandes Jorge Fernandes (swimmer) Jorge Luiz Fernandes Leite is a former international freestyle swimmer from Brazil, who participated in three consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1980....		24.40
38			Alexander Pilhatsch		24.42
39			Michael Wright		24.47
40			Magnus Olfsson		24.50
41			Richard Bera		24.63
42			Mohamed Elazoui		24.64
42			Murat Tahir		24.64
44			Hans Foerster		24.72
45			Urbano Zea		24.86
45			Jin Gee Oon		24.86
47			Ronald Pickard		25.01
48			Mohamed Hassan		25.11
49			Paul Yelle		25.15
50			Hakan Eskioglu		25.24
51			Chi-Li Chiang		25.26
52			Vaughan Smith		25.29
53			Graham Thompson		25.38
54			Kwang-Sun Song		25.40
55			Wirmandi Sugriat		25.55
56			Bruno Ndiaye		25.63
57			Warren Sorby		25.64
58			Pablo Barahona		25.79
59			Sergio Faftine		25.97
60			Plutaro Castellanos		26.00
61			Hasan Alshammari		26.27
62			Jason Chute		26.46
63			Michele Piva		26.60
63			Ahmad Faraj		26.60
65			Trevor Ncala		26.88
66			Filippo Piva		26.96
67			Amine El Domyati		27.34
68			Mubarak Farajbilal		27.60
69			Yul Mark Du Pont		27.93
--			Pedro Lima Pedro Lima Pedro Manuel Barata Lima is a former Olympic swimmer from Angola. He represented Angola in 1988 and 1992.Lima participated in several swimming contests but never advanced past preliminaries. In 1988, he was disqualified from the Men's 50 m Freestyle, finished 62nd in the Men's 100 m Freestyle,...		DQ
--			Mouhamedou Diop		DQ

Key: DQ = Disqualified, OR = Olympic record, q-A = Qualified in a final, q-B = Qualified in b final

Swim-off

(For 18^th & 19^th position)

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	Feng Qiangbiao		23.28
2	Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan is a retired male freestyle swimmer from France, who represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. He twice won the silver medal in the men's 50 m freestyle at the European LC Championships : in 1993 and 1995.-References:*...		23.37

A final

Place	Lane	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
		Matt Biondi Matt Biondi Matthew Nicholas Biondi is a three-time U.S. Olympic swimmer in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a total of 11 medals...		22.14	WR
		Tom Jager Tom Jager Thomas Michael "Tom" Jager is a USA Olympic and former World Record holding freestyle swimmer. He swam on the 1984-92 USA Olympic teams—where he earned seven medals, including five golds—and held the World Record in the 50m free at 3 different times, and at one point for over 10 years . He is an...		22.36
		Gennadiy Prigoda Gennadiy Prigoda Gennadiy Prigoda is a former freestyle swimmer from Russia, who competed twice at the Summer Olympics first for the Soviet Union in 1988, and then for the Unified Team in 1992....		22.71
4		Dano Halsall Dano Halsall Dano Halsall is a former freestyle swimmer from Switzerland, who competed in three Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1984. His mother is from Swiss origin, his father was born in Jamaica....		22.83
5		Stefan Volery Stefan Volery Stéfan Voléry, born 17 September 1961, is a former freestyle swimmer from Switzerland.Stéfan competed in the 50 metre freestyle at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, finishing fifth in the Championship Final in a time of 22.84 seconds....		22.84
6		Vladimir Tkachenko		22.88
7		Frank Henter Frank Henter Frank Henter is a former freestyle swimmer from West Germany.Frank competed in the 50 metres freestyle at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, finishing seventh in the Championship Final in a time of 23.03 seconds. His preliminary time was slightly quicker at 22.98 seconds.-References:...		23.03
8		Andrew Baildon Andrew Baildon Andrew James Baildon is a former freestyle swimming champion from Australia, who competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988....		23.15

Key: WR = World record

B final

Place	Lane	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
9		Goran Titus Göran Titus Göran Lars Titus is a former Swedish freestyle swimmer. He competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics and in the 1992 Summer Olympics. His best individual result is a 9th place in the 50 m freestyle 1992....		23.28
10		Per Johansson Per Johansson (swimmer) Per Lennart Johansson is a former freestyle swimmer from Sweden. He won two bronze medals in the 100 m freestyle in 1980 and 1984. Johansson was nicknamed Senan.-Long course :-References:*...		23.37
11		Peng Siong Ang		23.39
12		Shen Jianqiang		23.40
13		Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan Christophe Kalfayan is a retired male freestyle swimmer from France, who represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. He twice won the silver medal in the men's 50 m freestyle at the European LC Championships : in 1993 and 1995.-References:*...		23.45
14		Stephen Gusgen		23.55
15		Mark Andrews Mark Andrews (swimmer) Mark Andrews is a former international winner of the swimming competition in the Florida Keys and freestyle swimmer from Canada, who competed for his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea....		23.64
16		Hilton Woods		23.65