Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre backstroke Semifinal 1 Semifinal 1

| Rank_ | Lane | Name_ | Nationality | Time_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Elizabeth Beisel | United States | 2:07.90 |
| 2 | 7 | Reiko Nakamura | Japan | 2:08.21 |
| 3 | 4 | Elizabeth Simmonds | Great Britain | 2:08.96 |
| 4 | 8 | Gemma Spofforth | Great Britain | 2:09.19 |
| 5 | 5 | Zhao Jing | China | 2:09.59 |
| 6 | 6 | Melissa Ingram | New Zealand | 2:09.70 |
| 7 | 1 | Hanae Ito | Japan | 2:09.86 |
| 8 | 2 | Laure Manaudou | France | 2:12.04 |