Legend
- =AF
- Equal African Record
- =AM
- Equal Americas Record
- =AS
- Equal Asian Record
- =EU
- Equal European Record
- =OC
- Equal Oceania Record
- =OR
- Equal Olympic Record
- =WR
- Equal World Record
- AF
- African Record
- ALL
- Top 10 All Time
- AM
- Americas Record
- AS
- Asian Record
- EU
- European Record
- O
- Olympic record at intermediate distance
- OC
- Oceania Record
- OR
- Olympic Record
- SBP
- 2012 Best Performers (Top 10 athletes)
- W
- World record at intermediate distance
- WR
- World Record
- WRC
- World Record Chronology (Last 10 WR)
- DNS
- Did not start
- DNF
- Did not finish
- DSQ
- Disqualified
- OTL
- Over Time Limit
- pd
- Pending for disqualification
- Q
- Qualified for the next phase (semi-final or final)
- ?
- Involved in swim-off
