# Canoeing at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's K-1 500 metres

The women's K-1 500 metres event was an individual kayaking event conducted as part of the Canoeing at the 1996 Summer Olympics program.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Rita Kőbán (HUN) | Caroline Brunet (CAN) | Josefa Idem (ITA) |

## Results
### Heats

23 competitors entered in three heats. The top three finishers in each heat advanced to the semifinals while the rest competed in the repechages.
Heat 1 :
| 1. | Josefa Idem (ITA) | 1:50.303 | QS |
| 2. | Rita Kőbán (HUN) | 1:50.423 | QS |
| 3. | Susanne Gunnarsson (SWE) | 1:52.943 | QS |
| 4. | Aneta Pastuszka (POL) | 1:54.015 | QR |
| 5. | Anna Michaut (FRA) | 1:57.623 | QR |
| 6. | Lior Carmi (ISR) | 1:57.675 | QR |
| 7. | Gao Beibei (CHN) | 1:59.943 | QR |
| 8. | Traci Phillips (USA) | 2:02.847 | QR |
| Heat 2 ||||
| 1. | Ursula Profanter (AUT) | 1:51.440 | QS |
| 2. | Caroline Brunet (CAN) | 1:53.024 | QS |
| 3. | Birgit Fischer (GER) | 1:54.880 | QS |
| 4. | Sayuri Maruyama (JPN) | 1:58.160 | QR |
| 5. | Ingrid Haralamow (SUI) | 1:58.520 | QR |
| 6. | Erika Duron (MEX) | 1:58.884 | QR |
| 7. | Irina Lyalina (UZB) | 1:59.996 | QR |
| 8. | Heidi Lehrer (ANT) | 3:00.672 | QR |
| Heat 3 ||||
| 1. | Katrin Borchert (AUS) | 1:53.767 | QS |
| 2. | Ruth Nortje (RSA) | 1:54.695 | QS |
| 3. | Belén Sánchez (ESP) | 1:55.043 | QS |
| 4. | Delphine Van de Venne (BEL) | 1:57.363 | QR |
| 5. | Andrea Dallaway (GBR) | 1:58.531 | QR |
| 6. | Raluca Ioniţǎ (ROU) | 2:00.059 | QR |
| 7. | Pavlina Jobánková (CZE) | 2:07.811 | QR |

### Repechages

Two repechages were held. The top four finishers in each repechage and the fastest fifth-place finisher advanced to the semifinals.
Repechage 1 :
| 1. | Ingrid Haralamow (SUI) | 1:57.891 | QS |
| 2. | Aneta Pastuszka (POL) | 1:58.359 | QS |
| 3. | Delphine Van de Venne (BEL) | 1:59.027 | QS |
| 4. | Gao Beibei (CHN) | 1:59.095 | QS |
| 5. | Traci Phillips (USA) | 2:00.371 | QS |
| 6. | Erika Duron (MEX) | 2:02.847 | |
| 7. | Pavlina Jobánková (CZE) | 2:12.219 | |
| Repechage 2 ||||
| 1. | Sayuri Maruyama (JPN) | 2:04.829 | QS |
| 2. | Andrea Dallaway (GBR) | 2:04.885 | QS |
| 3. | Anna Michaut (FRA) | 2:05.477 | QS |
| 4. | Lior Carmi (ISR) | 2:05.737 | QS |
| 5. | Irina Lyalina (UZB) | 2:08.017 | |
| 6. | Raluca Ioniţǎ (ROU) | 2:11.941 | |
Lehrer did not participate in the repechage.

### Semifinals

Two semifinals were held. The top four finishers in each semifinal and the fastest fifth-place finisher advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1 :
| 1. | Rita Kőbán (HUN) | 1:48.842 | QF |
| 2. | Susanne Gunnarsson (SWE) | 1:49.886 | QF |
| 3. | Ursula Profanter (AUT) | 1:50.066 | QF |
| 4. | Ingrid Haralamow (SUI) | 1:50.830 | QF |
| 5. | Katrin Borchert (AUS) | 1:51.142 | QF |
| 6. | Belén Sánchez (ESP) | 1:52.322 | |
| 7. | Andrea Dallaway (GBR) | 1:55.842 | |
| 8. | Anna Michaut (FRA) | 1:55.930 | |
| 9. | Gao Beibei (CHN) | 1:57.948 | |
| Semifinal 2 ||||
| 1. | Josefa Idem (ITA) | 1:49.079 | QF |
| 2. | Caroline Brunet (CAN) | 1:49.575 | QF |
| 3. | Birgit Fischer (GER) | 1:51.863 | QF |
| 4. | Aneta Pastuszka (POL) | 1:53.255 | QF |
| 5. | Ruth Nortje (RSA) | 1:53.611 | |
| 6. | Delphine Van de Venne (BEL) | 1:54.687 | |
| 7. | Lior Carmi (ISR) | 1:54.899 | |
| 8. | Sayuri Maruyama (JPN) | 1:54.943 | |
| 9. | Traci Phillips (USA) | 1:55.339 | |

### Final

The final was held on August 4.
| | Rita Kőbán (HUN) | 1:47.655 |
| | Caroline Brunet (CAN) | 1:47.891 |
| | Josefa Idem (ITA) | 1:48.731 |
| 4. | Birgit Fischer (GER) | 1:49.383 |
| 5. | Susanne Gunnarsson (SWE) | 1:49.591 |
| 6. | Ursula Profanter (AUT) | 1:50.271 |
| 7. | Katrin Borchert (AUS) | 1:50.811 |
| 8. | Ingrid Haralamow (SUI) | 1:50.875 |
| 9. | Aneta Pastuszka (POL) | 1:52.451 |
Three of the finalists (Borchert, Fischer, and Idem) were German-born, but Idem competed for Italy following the 1988 Summer Olympics while Borchert competed for Australia after the 1992 Summer Olympics. Pastuszka was the only finalist under 27 years of age. Kőbán overtook Brunet in the final 50 meters of the event to take the gold medal.