The men's 200 metre freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics was held from 25 to 27 July 2021 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.[1] There were 39 competitors from 30 nations, with the ultimate numbers determined through the ongoing selection process, including universality places.[2]
It was the event's 16th appearance, having been held in 1900 and 1904 and then at every edition since 1968.
The only finalist from the 2016 Games to return was fifth-place finisher Townley Haas of the United States, who did not make the final this time. Reigning Olympic champion and two-time reigning World Champion Sun Yang of China missed the Games due to a doping ban.[3]
Great Britain's Tom Dean put up a monumental effort for the Olympic mid-distance freestyle title in a race against his compatriot Duncan Scott. Swimming beside the early-leader in Korea's Hwang Sun-woo, Dean was second at the 50 m metre mark before falling to third at the last turn with Scott fifth. However, by the final 25 m, the race for gold came down to Dean and Scott, with the former taking the win in a British record of 1:44.22. Scott, the British record holder heading into the Games, finished an agonising 0.04 seconds behind to take the silver in a new personal best of 1:44.26. The pair's 1-2 finish represented the first British quinella in a pool event since the London Games in 1908.
Swimming out of lane 8, Brazil's Fernando Scheffer was in second at the final turn. While Scheffer was overtaken by Dean and Scott, he held on to win bronze in a South American record of 1:44.66. In lane 1, Romania's 16-year old David Popovici charged in the final lap though he could not reel in Scheffer, missing the podium by 0.02 seconds to come fourth. ROC's Martin Malyutin (1:45.01) was just outside the 1:44 barrier to come fifth, while the U.S.' 400 free Bronze medallist Kieran Smith (1:45.12) placed sixth.
World Junior record holder Hwang (1:45.26) was under world record pace at the halfway mark and led at the final turn, but faded in the closing stages to come seventh. Lithuania's Danas Rapšys was more than a second off his best time, finishing in 1:45.78 to round out the finalists.
The Olympic Qualifying Time for the event was 1:47.02. Up to two swimmers per National Olympic Committee (NOC) could automatically qualify by swimming that time at an approved qualification event. The Olympic Selection Time was 1:50.23. Up to one swimmer per NOC meeting that time was eligible for selection, allocated by world ranking until the maximum quota for all swimming events is reached. NOCs without a male swimmer qualified in any event could also use their universality place.[2]
The competition consisted of three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advanced to the semifinals. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the semifinals advanced to the final. A swim-off were used to break a tie for advancement to the next round.[4]
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
No new records were set during the competition.
The event was moved to a three-day schedule, with each round on separate, consecutive days.[1]All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
The swimmers with the top 16 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the semifinals.[8]
The swimmers with the best 8 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the final.[9]
200m freestyle final[10]