Swimming at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre backstroke
The women's 100 metre backstroke event at the 1952 Olympic Games took place on 29–31 July at the Swimming Stadium. This swimming event used the backstroke. Because an Olympic-size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of two lengths of the pool.
Medalists
Results
Heats
Eight fastest swimmer advanced to the finals.Heat 1
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Geertje Wielema | 1:13.8 | Q | |
| 2 | Jean Stewart | 1:16.0 | Q | |
| 3 | Margaret McDowell | 1:17.5 | Q | |
| 4 | Barbara Stark | 1:17.9 | Q | |
| 5 | Gerda Olsen | 1:20.1 | ||
| 6 | Anneli Haaranen | 1:21.7 |
Heat 2
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Ria van der Horst | 1:17.0 | Q | |
| 2 | Gertrud Herrbruck | 1:17.8 | Q | |
| 3 | Mary Freeman | 1:18.0 | ||
| 4 | Edith de Oliveira | 1:20.0 | ||
| 5 | Lenora Fisher | 1:22.9 | ||
| 6 | Irena Milnikiel | 1:25.5 | ||
| 7 | Doris Gontersweiler-Vetterli | 1:26.5 |
Heat 3
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Joan Harrison | 1:14.7 | Q | |
| 2 | Joke de Korte | 1:15.8 | Q | |
| 3 | Pauline Musgrave | 1:19.6 | ||
| 4 | Magdolna Hunyadfy | 1:19.6 | ||
| 5 | Coralie O'Connor | 1:19.7 | ||
| 6 | Margareta Westeson | 1:22.7 | ||
| 7 | Erna Herbers | 1:23.1 |
Final
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| Joan Harrison | 1:14.3 | |||
| Geertje Wielema | 1:14.5 | |||
| Jean Stewart | 1:15.8 | |||
| 4 | Joke de Korte | 1:15.8 | ||
| 5 | Barbara Stark | 1:16.2 | ||
| 6 | Gertrud Herrbruck | 1:18.0 | ||
| 7 | Margaret McDowell | 1:18.4 | ||
| Ria van der Horst | DSQ |
Key: DSQ = Disqualified