Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre backstroke

The women's 200 metre backstroke event at the 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in 2021 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.[1] It will be the event's fourteenth consecutive appearance, having been held at every edition since 1968.

Women's 200 metre backstroke at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Venue	Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Dates	TBC

Records

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

World record	Regan Smith (USA)	2:03.35	Gwangju, South Korea	26 July 2019	[2]
Olympic record	Missy Franklin (USA)	2:04.06	London, United Kingdom	3 August 2012	[3][4]

Qualification

The Olympic Qualifying Time for the event is 2:10.39. Up to two swimmers per National Olympic Committee (NOC) can automatically qualify by swimming that time at an approved qualification event. The Olympic Selection Time is 2:14.30. Up to one swimmer per NOC meeting that time is eligible for selection, allocated by world ranking until the maximum quota for all swimming events is reached. NOCs without a female swimmer qualified in any event can also use their universality place.[5]

Competition format

The competition consists of three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advance to the semifinals. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the semifinals advance to the final. Swim-offs are used as necessary to break ties for advancement to the next round.[6]

Schedule

All times are Japan standard time (UTC+9)[1]

Date	Time	Round
TBC	19:00	Heats
TBC	10:30	Semifinals
TBC	10:30	Final

Results

Heats

The swimmers with the top 16 times, regardless of heat, advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals

The swimmers with the best 8 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the final.

References

1. "Tokyo 2020: Swimming Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
2. Rieder, David (26 July 2019). "Regan Smith Shatters Missy Franklin's 200 Back World Record In 2:03.35". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
3. Auerbach, Nicole (4 August 2012). "USA's Missy Franklin wins another gold, sets world record". USA Today. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
4. "US swimmer Missy Franklin sets world record, Phelps ends individual races with medal". Fox News. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
5. "Tokyo 2020 – FINA Swimming Qualification System" (pdf). Tokyo 2020. FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
6. "FINA Swimming Rulebook, 2017–21" (PDF). FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.