The women's 100 metre freestyle was a swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 event held as part of the swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics

At the 1912 Summer Olympics, nine swimming events were contested. Swimming events were held in a 100 m course built in Stockholm harbor. For the first time, women's events were part of the Olympic swimming program. The competitions were held from Saturday July 6, 1912 to Friday July 12, 1912...

 programme. It was the first appearance of a women's event in Olympic swimming, followed closely by the 4x100 metre free relay. The competition was held from Monday July 8, 1912 to Friday July 12, 1912.

Twenty-seven swimmers from eight nations competed.

Durack

Fanny Durack

Sarah Frances "Fanny" Durack was an Australian swimmer. From 1910 until 1918 she was the world's greatest female swimmer of all distances from freestyle sprints to the mile marathon.-Life and career:...

 also won the gold medal, with compatriot Wylie

Mina Wylie

Wilhelmina "Mina" Wylie was one of Australia's first two female Olympic swimming representatives, along with friend Fanny Durack.-Early life:...

 close behind for silver.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.

World Record	1:20.6	Daisy Curwen Daisy Curwen Daisy Curwen is a former British swimmer. Curwen competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and is a former world record holder in the 100 m freestyle.-References:...	Birkenhead Birkenhead Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...  (GBR United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it.... )	June 10, 1912
Olympic Record		none

Belle Moore

Belle Moore

Isabella "Belle" Mary Moore was a British freestyle swimmer, who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.She was born in Glasgow....

, swimming in the first heat, set the first Olympic record with 1:29.8 minutes. In the second heat Daisy Curwen

Daisy Curwen

Daisy Curwen is a former British swimmer. Curwen competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and is a former world record holder in the 100 m freestyle.-References:...

 bettered the record with 1:23.6 minutes. And in the fourth heat Fanny Durack

Fanny Durack

Sarah Frances "Fanny" Durack was an Australian swimmer. From 1910 until 1918 she was the world's greatest female swimmer of all distances from freestyle sprints to the mile marathon.-Life and career:...

 set a new world record with 1:19.8 minutes.

Quarterfinals

The top two in each heat advanced along with the fastest loser overall.

Heat 1

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:29.8	QS OR
2		1:34.4	QS
3		1:37.2
4		1:41.4
5		1:42.4
—		DNF

Heat 2

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:23.6	QS OR
2		1:26.2	QS
3		1:38.6
4		1:41.2
5		1:44.8
6

Heat 3

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:26.8	QS
2		1:28.0	QS
3		1:29.2
4		1:31.8
5
6

Heat 4

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:19.8	QS WR
2		1:27.2	QS
3		1:28.6	qs
4		1:34.4
5
6

Heat 5

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:25.0	QS
2		1:25.6	QS
3		1:44.0

Semifinals

The top two from each heat and the faster of the two third place swimmers advanced.

Semifinal 1

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:20.2	QF
2		1:26.8	QF
3		1:27.0	qf
4		1:27.4
5		1:29.2
6		1:32.0

Semifinal 2

Place	Swimmer	Time	Qual.
1		1:27.0	QF
2		1:27.2	QF
3		1:29.2	*
4		1:33.4
—		DQ

Curwen

Daisy Curwen

Daisy Curwen is a former British swimmer. Curwen competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and is a former world record holder in the 100 m freestyle.-References:...

 had to undergo an operation for appendicitis

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...

 and missed the final. Rosenberg

Grete Rosenberg

Margareta "Grete" Rosenberg was a German freestyle swimmer, who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.She won a silver medal in relay together with her teammates Wally Dressel, Louise Otto and Hermine Stindt....

advanced to the final to replace her.

Final

Place	Swimmer	Time
1		1:22.2
2		1:25.4
3		1:27.0
4		1:27.2
5		1:27.4
—		DNS