Four runners clocked times quicker than 55 seconds yet failed to make
the final, the fastest and most surprising of whom was Sandra Farmer-
Patrick. The American ran 54.72 but was hindered by hamstring problems,
while defending champion Gunnell failed to finish in the same
race. Farmer-Patrick was later disqualified after it was revealed she had
failed a drugs test at the 1996 US Olympic Trials. Hemmings was
fastest in both preliminary rounds with 54.70 followed by a lifetime
best Olympic record of 52.99, but World Champion and record holder
Batten remained the favourite.
Tîrlea started fastest in the final, reaching the first hurdle in 6.25 seconds,
0.07 ahead of Hemmings, but the Jamaican was ahead by the second hurdle.
Buford-Bailey, in the lane inside Hemmings, quickly
closed her down, then stayed ahead until the eighth hurdle. At that point
the two were together, with Batten 2m behind, and Parris and Meisner
a further 6m back. Hemmings’ lead at the last hurdle was 0.07 over
Batten, but she easily beat her on the run-in to clock 52.82 – another
Olympic record, and fifth-fastest ever.
JAM Jamaica
USA United States
GER Germany
CAN Canada
ROU Romania
IRL
BEL
BLR
UKR
ISL
SUI
GBR
ITA
VAN
TPE
KAZ
ESP
NGR
RUS
RSA
LAT
