[1] After missing out the semifinals in Sydney four years earlier, Japan's Kosuke Kitajima shattered one of the longest-standing Olympic swimming records when he clocked 2:09.44, erasing a 0.77-second mark by American swimmer Mike Barrowman in 1992.

This achievement secured a breaststroke double for the second consecutive time.

[2] In a surprise turn of events, 15-year-old Dániel Gyurta of Hungary claimed the silver medal with a time of 2:10.80, narrowly edging out U.S. swimmer Brendan Hansen in a close race by 0.07 of a second.

Hansen, who broke Kitajima's world record at the U.S. Olympic trials one month ago, finished third in 2:10.87.

[3] Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.