Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre breaststroke

The men's 100 metre breaststroke event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 9-11th August at the Beijing National Aquatics Center. This swimming event used the breaststroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of two lengths of the pool.

Nine heats were held, with most containing the maximum number of swimmers (eight). The heat in which a swimmer competed did not formally matter for advancement, as the swimmers with the top sixteen times from the entire field qualified for the semifinals. Two semifinal heats of eight swimmers each were held. The swimmers with the eight fastest times again advanced to the finals; there, they all competed in a single final heat to earn final placements.

The qualifying standards were for the 2008 event were 1:01.57 (A norm) and 1:03.72 (B norm). NOCs with two or more swimmers meeting the A standard could enter any two such swimmers; otherwise, they could enter a single swimmer meeting the B standard.

Controversy

Iran's Mohammad Alirezaei was due to race against Israel's Tom Be'eri in the fourth heat of the 100 metre breaststroke, but pulled out, apparently under the orders from officials of the Iranian delegation. Efraim Zinger, Olympic Committee of Israel General Secretary, criticized the withdrawal saying "Politics takes precedence over sport with the Iranians and the Olympic spirit is as far from them as east is far from west". Giselle Davies, director of communications for the IOC, said that Alirezaei withdrew because of sickness and submitted his case in writing to his Federation. [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1218104248620] ] [ [http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/olympics/story/636862.html] ] At the 2004 Games in Athens, Iran's Arash Miresmaeili, a two-time world judo champion, refused to compete against Israel's Ehud Vaks in the opening round of the 66kg competition, later admitting that he made his decision to show solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

Medalists

Heats

References