▁the ▁pod ium ▁in ▁fifth ▁place ▁at ▁ 2 5 . 2 4 , ▁and ▁was ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁sixth ▁spot ▁by ▁Germany ' s ▁Sand ra ▁V ölker ▁in ▁ 2 5 . 2 7 . ▁Great ▁Britain ' s ▁Al ison ▁She pp ard ▁( 2 5 . 4 5 ) ▁and ▁Japan ' s ▁Sum ika ▁Min am oto ▁( 2 5 . 6 5 ) ▁closed ▁out ▁the ▁field . ▁ ▁Notable ▁sw imm ers ▁missed ▁out ▁the ▁top ▁ 8 ▁final , ▁featuring ▁Australia ' s ▁over wh el ming ▁favorite ▁Sus ie ▁O ' Ne ill ; ▁V ölker ' s ▁team mate ▁K atr in ▁Me iss ner , ▁who ▁shared ▁bronze ▁med als ▁with ▁J ill ▁Ster kel ▁in ▁the ▁event ' s ▁in ception ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁East ▁German ▁squad ; ▁and ▁Est onia ' s ▁J ana ▁Kol uk an ova , ▁who ▁gra bb ed ▁the ▁final ▁spot ▁from ▁the ▁pre lim s ▁after ▁winning ▁a ▁three - person ▁sw im off . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁highlight s ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁heat . ▁Dub bed ▁as ▁the ▁C raw ler , ▁Pa ula ▁Bar ila ▁Bol op a ▁had ▁finally ▁completed ▁a ▁unique ▁double ▁for ▁Equ atorial ▁Guinea , ▁as ▁she ▁sw am ▁the ▁slow est ▁ever ▁race ▁by ▁a ▁female ▁in ▁Olympic ▁history ▁with ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 : 0 3 . 9