At the 1988 Olympic Trials, her 21.77 American record already showed Florence Griffith-Joyner was going to be a contender against the East Germans who had dominated the sprints for the previous decade. Marita Koch had retired but her equal Heike Drechsler was here. In the quarter-final round, Griffith-Joyner improved to 21.76, but then she had set the world record in the 100 metres in a pressure less quarter finals a month earlier. The semi-finals the following day showed she had more, her 21.56 was a .15 improvement on the world record. More than a quarter century later, the time still stands as the second fastest 200 metres ever run by a woman. The final was more impressive, Griffith-Joyner gradually making up the stagger on Grace Jackson to her outside and Merlene Ottey running about equal through the turn. From there she simply pulled away from the best in the world. The tall Jackson was able to separate from her Jamaican teammate but was still three long steps behind Griffith-Joyner. Inhibited by the tight turn of lane 1, Drechsler made a late rush on the inside to catch Ottey for bronze.
21.34 +1.3 knocked another .22 off her world record from earlier in the day. .37 taken from the world record on one day. The time has never been approached since. Jackson, in second place in this race missed the previous world record by .01 and did not look in contention. Five women have since surpassed Koch and Drechsler's world record, including 4th place Ottey twice.
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1988 Summer Olympics.
The following World and Olympic records were set during this competition.
First 3 from each heat (Q) and the next 8 fastest (q) qualified for the quarterfinals.
Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
---|
1 | 5 | Florence Griffith-Joyner | {{flagIOC|USA|1988 Summer}} | 22.51 | Q |
2 | 6 | Grace Jackson | {{flagIOC|JAM|1988 Summer}} | 22.66 | Q |
3 | 2 | Nadezhda Georgieva | {{flagIOC|BUL|1988 Summer}} | 22.80 | Q |
4 | 2 | Mary Onyali | {{flagIOC|NGR|1988 Summer}} | 22.82 | Q |
5 | 3 | Galina Malchugina | {{flagIOC|URS|1988 Summer}} | 22.85 | Q |
6 | 7 | Gwen Torrence | {{flagIOC|USA|1988 Summer}} | 22.87 | Q |
7 | 2 | Andrea Thomas | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 22.92 | Q |
8 | 1 | Heike Drechsler | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 22.93 | Q |
9 | 6 | Maya Azarachvili | {{flagIOC|URS|1988 Summer}} | 22.98 | Q |
10 | 4 | Merlene Ottey | {{flagIOC|JAM|1988 Summer}} | 23.06 | Q |
11 | 3 | Silke Möller | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 23.07 | Q |
12 | 7 | Pauline Davis | {{flagIOC|BAH|1988 Summer}} | 23.08 | Q |
13 | 1 | Agnieszka Siwek | {{flagIOC|POL|1988 Summer}} | 23.10 | Q |
14 | 1 | Falilat Ogunkoya | {{flagIOC|NGR|1988 Summer}} | 23.12 | Q |
15 | 5 | Katrin Krabbe | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 23.14 | Q |
16 | 5 | Muriel Leroy | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.19 | Q |
17 | 7 | Kerry Johnson | {{flagIOC|AUS|1988 Summer}} | 23.20 | Q |
18 | 5 | Regula Aebi | {{flagIOC|SUI|1988 Summer}} | 23.22 | q |
19 | 8 | Paula Dunn | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.32 | Q |
20 | 3 | Jolanta Janota | {{flagIOC|POL|1988 Summer}} | 23.40 | Q |
21 | 7 | Simmone Jacobs | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.47 | q |
22 | 4 | Marie-José Pérec | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.49 | Q |
23 | 7 | Marie-Christine Cazier-Ballo | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.50 | q |
24 | 4 | Silke Knoll | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 23.51 | Q |
25 | 3 | Jocelyn Joseph | {{flagIOC|ANT|1988 Summer}} | 23.57 | q |
26 | 3 | Marisa Masullo | {{flagIOC|ITA|1988 Summer}} | 23.58 | q |
27 | 2 | Rita Angotzi | {{flagIOC|ITA|1988 Summer}} | 23.59 | q |
28 | 4 | Louise Stuart | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.61 | q |
29 | 8 | Maria Magnólia Figueiredo | {{flagIOC|BRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.71 | Q |
30 | 1 | Angela Williams | {{flagIOC|TRI|1988 Summer}} | 23.76 | q |
31 | 6 | Norfalia Carabalí | {{flagIOC|COL|1988 Summer}} | 23.78 | Q |
32 | 6 | Yolande Straughn | {{flagIOC|BAR|1988 Summer}} | 23.81 |
33 | 8 | Karin Janke | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 23.83 | Q |
34 | 1 | Ximena Restrepo | {{flagIOC|COL|1988 Summer}} | 24.00 |
35 | 8 | Xie Zhiling | {{flagIOC|CHN|1988 Summer}} | 24.01 |
36 | 2 | Marina Skordi | {{flagIOC|GRE|1988 Summer}} | 24.06 |
37 | 5 | Zhang Xiaoqiong | {{flagIOC|CHN|1988 Summer}} | 24.08 |
38 | 4 | Joyce Odhiambo | {{flagIOC|KEN|1988 Summer}} | 24.26 |
39 | 4 | Oliver Acii | {{flagIOC|UGA|1988 Summer}} | 24.39 |
40 | 6 | Gaily Dube | {{flagIOC|ZIM|1988 Summer}} | 24.42 |
41 | 7 | Claudia Acerenza | {{flagIOC|URU|1988 Summer}} | 24.46 |
42 | 2 | Ruth Morris | {{flagIOC|ISV|1988 Summer}} | 24.51 |
43 | 2 | Agnes Griffith | {{flagIOC|GRN|1988 Summer}} | 24.79 |
44 | 6 | Yvonne Hasler | {{flagIOC|LIE|1988 Summer}} | 24.91 |
45 | 3 | U Yang-ja | {{flagIOC|KOR|1988 Summer}} | 24.94 |
46 | 5 | Ivette Bonapart | {{flagIOC|SUR|1988 Summer}} | 24.95 |
47 | 7 | Chen Ya-Li | {{flagIOC|TPE|1988 Summer}} | 25.03 |
48 | 4 | Judith Diankolela-Missengui | {{flagIOC|CGO|1988 Summer}} | 25.20 |
49 | 2 | Ng Ka Yi | {{flagIOC|HKG|1988 Summer}} | 25.35 |
50 | 1 | Felicite Bada | {{flagIOC|BEN|1988 Summer}} | 25.42 |
51 | 3 | Melvina Wulah | {{flagIOC|LBR|1988 Summer}} | 25.46 |
52 | 5 | Guilhermina da Cruz | {{flagIOC|ANG|1988 Summer}} | 25.62 |
53 | 4 | Evelyn Farrell | {{flagIOC|ARU|1988 Summer}} | 25.74 |
54 | 6 | Aminata Diarra | {{flagIOC|MLI|1988 Summer}} | 25.81 |
55 | 1 | Mariama Ouiminga | {{flagIOC|BUR|1988 Summer}} | 26.08 |
56 | 3 | Erin Tierney | {{flagIOC|COK|1988 Summer}} | 26.16 |
57 | 8 | Olivette Daruhi | {{flagIOC|VAN|1988 Summer}} | 26.88 |
58 | 8 | Rosa Mbuamangongo | {{flagIOC|GEQ|1988 Summer}} | 31.12 |
59}} | 8 | Pamela Marshall | {{flagIOC|USA|1988 Summer}} | 99.98|DNF}} |
60}} | 6 | Maree Holland | {{flagIOC|AUS|1988 Summer}} | 99.99|DNS}} |
First 4 from each heat qualified directly (Q) for the semifinals.
Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
---|
1 | 1 | Florence Griffith-Joyner | {{flagIOC|USA|1988 Summer}} | 21.76 | Q |
2 | 3 | Grace Jackson | {{flagIOC|JAM|1988 Summer}} | 22.24 | Q |
3 | 2 | Gwen Torrence | {{flagIOC|USA|1988 Summer}} | 22.25 | Q |
4 | 2 | Merlene Ottey | {{flagIOC|JAM|1988 Summer}} | 22.30 | Q |
5 | 1 | Maya Azarachvili | {{flagIOC|URS|1988 Summer}} | 22.37 | Q |
6 | 1 | Heike Drechsler | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 22.38 | Q |
7 | 2 | Nadezhda Georgieva | {{flagIOC|BUL|1988 Summer}} | 22.60 | Q |
8 | 2 | Katrin Krabbe | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 22.67 | Q |
9 | 4 | Galina Malchugina | {{flagIOC|URS|1988 Summer}} | 22.77 | Q |
10 | 3 | Andrea Thomas | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 22.84 | Q |
11 | 3 | Silke Möller | {{flagIOC|GDR|1988 Summer}} | 22.86 | Q |
12 | 1 | Regula Aebi | {{flagIOC|SUI|1988 Summer}} | 22.88 | Q |
12 | 2 | Falilat Ogunkoya | {{flagIOC|NGR|1988 Summer}} | 22.88 |
14 | 4 | Mary Onyali | {{flagIOC|NGR|1988 Summer}} | 22.89 | Q |
15 | 4 | Pauline Davis | {{flagIOC|BAH|1988 Summer}} | 22.92 | Q |
16 | 4 | Agnieszka Siwek | {{flagIOC|POL|1988 Summer}} | 22.96 | Q |
17 | 1 | Kerry Johnson | {{flagIOC|AUS|1988 Summer}} | 23.01 |
18 | 3 | Paula Dunn | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.04 | Q |
19 | 1 | Silke Knoll | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 23.15 |
20 | 3 | Muriel Leroy | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.22 |
21 | 2 | Rita Angotzi | {{flagIOC|ITA|1988 Summer}} | 23.33 |
22 | 2 | Jolanta Janota | {{flagIOC|POL|1988 Summer}} | 23.34 |
23 | 4 | Simmone Jacobs | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.38 |
24 | 1 | Angela Williams | {{flagIOC|TRI|1988 Summer}} | 23.48 |
25 | 3 | Marisa Masullo | {{flagIOC|ITA|1988 Summer}} | 23.52 |
26 | 2 | Louise Stuart | {{flagIOC|GBR|1988 Summer}} | 23.59 |
26 | 3 | Jocelyn Joseph | {{flagIOC|ANT|1988 Summer}} | 23.59 |
28 | 1 | Marie-Christine Cazier-Ballo | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.63 |
29 | 4 | Maria Magnólia Figueiredo | {{flagIOC|BRA|1988 Summer}} | 23.67 |
30 | 4 | Karin Janke | {{flagIOC|FRG|1988 Summer}} | 23.87 |
31 | 3 | Norfalia Carabalí | {{flagIOC|COL|1988 Summer}} | 23.96 |
32 | 4 | Marie-José Pérec | {{flagIOC|FRA|1988 Summer}} | 24.22 |
1. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1988/ATH/womens-200-metres.html |title=Athletics at the 1988 Seoul Games: Women's 200 metres |accessdate=16 July 2017 |work=Sports Reference}}