# 2010 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) – Women's 100 metre backstroke

The Women's 100 Backstroke event at the 10th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) took place 15 – 16 December in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The heats and semifinals were 15 December; the final was 16 December.
61 swimmers swam the event.

## Records

Prior to the competition, the existing world and championship records were as follows.
| | Name | Nation | Time | Location | Date |
| World record | Shiho Sakai | Japan | 55.23 | Berlin | 15 November 2009 |
| Championship record | Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | 57.10 | Manchester | 10 April 2008 |
The following records were established during the competition:
| Date | Round | Name | Nation | Time | WR | CR |
| 15 December 2010 | Semifinals | Gao Chang | China | 56.58 | | CR |
| 16 December 2010 | Final | Natalie Coughlin | United States | 56.08 | | CR |

## Results
### Heats

| Rank | Heat | Lane | Name | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 7 | 1 | Missy Franklin (USA) | 57.33 | Q |
| 2 | 8 | 6 | Rachel Goh (AUS) | 57.54 | Q |
| 3 | 8 | 4 | Gao Chang (CHN) | 57.56 | Q |
| 4 | 7 | 6 | Marieke Guehrer (AUS) | 57.78 | Q |
| 5 | 7 | 7 | Natalie Coughlin (USA) | 57.91 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | Zhao Jing (CHN) | 58.17 | Q |
| 7 | 7 | 5 | Daryna Zevina (UKR) | 58.37 | Q |
| 8 | 6 | 4 | Aleksandra Gerasimenya (BLR) | 58.41 | Q |
| 9 | 8 | 5 | Anastasia Zuyeva (RUS) | 58.48 | Q |
| 10 | 8 | 2 | Alexianne Castel (FRA) | 58.51 | Q |
| 11 | 6 | 3 | Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) | 58.62 | Q |
| 12 | 6 | 2 | Fabíola Molina (BRA) | 58.88 | Q |
| 13 | 7 | 8 | Chanelle Van Wyk (RSA) | 58.89 | Q |
| 14 | 7 | 3 | Mercedes Peris (ESP) | 58.90 | Q |
| 15 | 7 | 4 | Kseniya Moskvina (RUS) | 58.96 | Q |
| 16 | 7 | 2 | Simona Baumrtová (CZE) | 59.13 | Q |
| 17 | 6 | 5 | Elena Gemo (ITA) | 59.24 | |
| 18 | 8 | 7 | Sarah Sjöström (SWE) | 59.26 | |
| 19 | 6 | 1 | Sinead Russell (CAN) | 59.31 | |
| 20 | 4 | 4 | Fernanda González (MEX) | 59.39 | |
| 21 | 6 | 6 | Miyuki Takemura (JPN) | 59.55 | |
| 22 | 6 | 8 | Michelle Coleman (SWE) | 59.73 | |
| 23 | 7 | 8 | Ekaterina Avramova (BUL) | 59.82 | |
| 24 | 5 | 2 | Leone Vorster (RSA) | 1:00.09 | |
| 25 | 5 | 8 | Laura Letrari (ITA) | 1:00.13 | |
| 26 | 1 | 6 | Theodora Drakou (GRE) | 1:00.28 | |
| 27 | 8 | 1 | Ingvild Snildal (NOR) | 1:00.47 | |
| 28 | 8 | 3 | Pernille Jessing Larsen (DEN) | 1:00.60 | |
| 29 | 6 | 7 | Sophia Batchelor (NZL) | 1:00.66 | |
| 30 | 5 | 4 | Etiene Medeiros (BRA) | 1:00.78 | |
| 31 | 5 | 5 | Hanna-Maria Seppälä (FIN) | 1:00.80 | |
| 32 | 5 | 1 | Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) | 1:00.95 | |
| 33 | 4 | 5 | Alana Kathryn Dillette (BAH) | 1:01.33 | |
| 34 | 5 | 6 | Katarina Milly (SVK) | 1:01.36 | |
| 35 | 5 | 3 | Hazal Sarikaya (TUR) | 1:01.49 | |
| 36 | 4 | 1 | Yulduz Kuchkarova (UZB) | 1:01.91 | |
| 37 | 4 | 3 | Kätlin Sepp (EST) | 1:01.92 | |
| 38 | 4 | 2 | Sarah Rolko (LUX) | 1:02.00 | |
| 39 | 4 | 8 | Jeserik Pinto (VEN) | 1:02.09 | |
| 40 | 5 | 7 | Cecilia Bertoncello (ARG) | 1:02.11 | |
| 41 | 4 | 7 | Chen Ting (TPE) | 1:02.33 | |
| 42 | 4 | 6 | Isabella Arcila (COL) | 1:02.46 | |
| 43 | 3 | 3 | Massie Milagros Carrillo (PER) | 1:03.78 | |
| 44 | 3 | 2 | Elimar Barrios (VEN) | 1:04.15 | |
| 45 | 3 | 4 | Monica Ramirez (AND) | 1:04.45 | |
| 46 | 2 | 3 | Lara Butler (CAY) | 1:04.77 | |
| 47 | 3 | 6 | Kirsten Ann Lapham (ZIM) | 1:05.23 | |
| 48 | 2 | 4 | Nicola Muscat (MLT) | 1:05.54 | |
| 49 | 2 | 2 | Karen Torrez (BOL) | 1:05.66 | NR |
| 50 | 3 | 7 | Carolina Alejandra Aguilar (PER) | 1:06.26 | |
| 51 | 2 | 5 | Karen Vilorio (HON) | 1:06.58 | |
| 52 | 3 | 5 | Iulia Olari (MDA) | 1:06.61 | |
| 53 | 2 | 6 | Jade Howard (ZAM) | 1:06.91 | |
| 54 | 3 | 8 | Vong Erica Man Wai (MAC) | 1:07.40 | |
| 55 | 3 | 1 | Sara Hyajna (JOR) | 1:08.51 | |
| 56 | 2 | 7 | Talisa Lanoe (KEN) | 1:08.90 | |
| 57 | 2 | 8 | Estellah Fils Rabetsara (MAD) | 1:11.59 | |
| 58 | 2 | 1 | Cheyenne Rova (FIJ) | 1:13.20 | |
| 59 | 1 | 5 | Osisang Chilton (PLW) | 1:16.48 | |
| 60 | 1 | 4 | Shaila Rana (NEP) | 1:21.82 | |
| 61 | 1 | 3 | Keanna Villagomez (NMI) | 1:22.99 | |

### Semifinals

Semifinal 1
| Rank | Lane | Name | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 5 | Natalie Coughlin (USA) | 57.61 | Q |
| 2 | 4 | Rachel Goh (AUS) | 57.76 | Q |
| 3 | 6 | Anastasia Zuyeva (RUS) | 57.79 | Q |
| 4 | 3 | Daryna Zevina (UKR) | 58.58 | |
| 5 | 2 | Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) | 58.69 | |
| 6 | 7 | Chanelle Van Wyk (RSA) | 58.84 | |
| 7 | 1 | Kseniya Moskvina (RUS) | 58.91 | |
| 8 | 8 | Elena Gemo (ITA) | 59.05 | |
Semifinal 2
| Rank | Lane | Name | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 5 | Gao Chang (CHN) | 56.58 | Q, CR |
| 2 | 4 | Missy Franklin (USA) | 57.49 | Q |
| 3 | 3 | Zhao Jing (CHN) | 57.54 | Q |
| 4 | 6 | Aleksandra Gerasimenya (BLR) | 58.03 | Q |
| 5 | 1 | Mercedes Peris (ESP) | 58.31 | Q |
| 6 | 2 | Alexianne Castel (FRA) | 58.49 | |
| 7 | 7 | Fabíola Molina (BRA) | 58.63 | |
| 8 | 8 | Simona Baumrtová (CZE) | 59.24 | |

### Final

| Rank | Lane | Name | Time | Notes |
| | 6 | Natalie Coughlin (USA) | 56.08 | CR |
| | 3 | Zhao Jing (CHN) | 56.18 | |
| | 4 | Gao Chang (CHN) | 56.21 | |
| 4 | 5 | Missy Franklin (USA) | 56.92 | |
| 5 | 2 | Rachel Goh (AUS) | 57.36 | |
| 6 | 7 | Anastasia Zuyeva (RUS) | 57.67 | |
| 7 | 8 | Mercedes Peris (ESP) | 57.87 | |
| 8 | 1 | Aleksandra Gerasimenya (BLR) | 58.48 | |