Swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre backstroke

The women's 100 metre backstroke was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event, which was established in 1924. The competition was held from Tuesday to Thursday, 11 to 13 August 1936.

Twenty-one swimmers from 14 nations competed.

Famous swimmer Eleanor Holm was suspended by Avery Brundage over "a drinking episode" while she was traveling to Germany together with other American athletes. She had swum in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics, winning gold in 1932. Holm's Olympic teammates unsuccessfully petitioned to have her dismissal overturned. She was the top favorite for the 100-meter backstroke event, and watched from the stands as the gold medal went to Dutch swimmer Nida Senff. Decades later, Holm told Olympic sprinter Dave Sime that Brundage held a grudge from an incident in which he propositioned her, and she turned him down. Brundage was one of the most controversial figures in the US Olympic history, known for his racist and sexist remarks and actions and also for appeasing dictatorships, such as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Records
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Nida Senff set a new Olympic record in the first heat with 1:16.2 minutes.

Heats
Thursday 11 August 1936: The fastest four in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat 1

Heat 2

Heat 3

Semifinals
Wednesday 12 August 1936: The fastest three in each semi-final and the fastest fourth-placed advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

Semifinal 2

Final
Thursday 13 August 1936: