title: 1997 FINA Short Course World Championships – Women's 50m Freestyle
text: # 1997 FINA Short Course World Championships – Women's 50m Freestyle
  
  The finals and the qualifying heats of the Women's 50 metres Freestyle event at the 1997 FINA Short Course World Championships were held on the second day of the competition, on Friday 18 April 1997 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
  
  ## Finals
  
  | RANK | FINAL A | TIME |
  | - | - | - |
  | | Sandra Völker (GER) | 24.70 ER |
  | | Jenny Thompson (USA) | 24.78 |
  | | Le Jingyi (CHN) | 24.83 |
  | 4. | Katrin Meissner (GER) | 25.13 |
  | 5. | Leah Martindale (BAR) | 25.32 |
  | 6. | Sue Rolph (GBR) | 25.41 |
  | 7. | Therese Alshammar (SWE) | 24.54 |
  | 8. | Siobhan Cropper (TRI) | 25.68 |
  | RANK | FINAL B | TIME |
  | 9. | Chao Na (CHN) | 25.47 |
  | 10. | Angela Postma (NED) | 25.48 |
  | 11. | Natalya Meshcheryakova (RUS) | 25.57 |
  | 12. | Judith Draxler (AUT) | 25.67 |
  | 13. | Dita Zelviene (LTU) | 25.78 |
  | 14. | Charlene Wittstock (RSA) | 25.85 |
  | 15. | Laura Nicholls (CAN) | 25.89 |
  | — | Angela Kennedy (AUS) | DSQ |
  
  ## Qualifying heats
  
  | RANK | HEATS RANKING | TIME |
  | - | - | - |
  | 1. | Sandra Völker (GER) | 24.62 |
  | 2. | Jenny Thompson (USA) | 25.01 |
  | 3. | Le Jingyi (CHN) | 25.05 |
  | 4. | Katrin Meissner (GER) | 25.37 |
  | 5. | Leah Martindale (BAR) | 25.51 |
  | 6. | Sue Rolph (GBR) | 25.55 |
  | 7. | Siobhan Cropper (TRI) | 25.58 |
  | 8. | Therese Alshammar (SWE) | 25.63 |
  | 9. | Chao Na (CHN) | 25.67 |
  | 10. | Dita Zelviene (LTU) | 25.68 |
  | 11. | Charlene Wittstock (RSA) | 25.75 |
  | 12. | Natalya Meshcheryakova (RUS) | 25.77 |
  | 13. | Angela Postma (NED) | 25.79 |
  | 14. | Laura Nicholls (CAN) | 25.82 |
  | 15. | Angela Kennedy (AUS) | 25.85 |
  | 16. | Judith Draxler (AUT) | 25.87 |
  | 17. | Sarah Ryan (AUS) | 25.97 |
  | 18. | Lindsey Farella (USA) | 25.98 |
  | 19. | Karen Hawcroft (GBR) | 25.99 |
  | 20. | Mette Norskov (DEN) | 26.04 |
  | 21. | Christine Cech (RSA) | 26.09 |
  | 21. | Yevgeniya Yermakova (KAZ) | 26.09 |
  | 23. | Elin Sigurdardottir (ISL) | 26.17 |
  | 24. | Viviana Susin (ITA) | 26.20 |
  | 25. | Ivana Walterová (SVK) | 26.68 |
  | 26. | Michelle Cruz (CAN) | 26.76 |
  | 27. | Catherine Surya (INA) | 26.88 |
  | 28. | Valeria Alvarez (ARG) | 26.92 |
  | 29. | Agnese Ozolina (LAT) | 26.93 |
  