Swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre backstroke
The women's 100 metre backstroke event at the 1956 Olympic Games took place December 5. This swimming event used backstroke. 23 swimmers from 14 countries competed in this swimming event. Because an Olympic-size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of two lengths of the pool.Medalists
Results
Heats
Eight fastest swimmers advanced to the finals.
Heat 1
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Judy Grinham | | 1:13.1 | Q |
| 2 | Maria Both | | 1:15.8 | |
| 3 | Liudmyla Klipova | | 1:16.1 | |
| 4 | Mary Anne Marchino | | 1:16.2 | |
| 5 | Elżbieta Gellner | | 1:16.2 | |
| 6 | Pam Singleton | | 1:17.0 | |
| 7 | Lenora Fisher | | 1:17.5 | |
| 8 | Ginette Jany-Sendral | | 1:19.1 | |
Heat 2
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Carin Cone | | 1:13.9 | Q |
| 2 | Gerganiya Beckitt | | 1:14.8 | Q |
| 3 | Julie Hoyle | | 1:15.0 | Q |
| 4 | Éva Pajor | | 1:15.3 | |
| 5 | Jean Stewart | | 1:15.4 | |
| 6 | Moira Abernethy | | 1:15.4 | |
| 7 | Jocelyn von Giese | | 1:20.0 | |
Heat 3
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Margaret Edwards | | 1:13.0 | Q |
| 2 | Sara Barber | | 1:14.3 | Q |
| 3 | Helga Schmidt-Neuber | | 1:14.8 | Q |
| 4 | Maureen Murphy | | 1:14.8 | Q |
| 5 | Patricia Huntingford | | 1:16.0 | |
| 6 | Philippa Gould | | 1:17.5 | |
| 7 | Judit Temes | | 1:17.6 | |
| 8 | Martha Gultom | | 1:21.7 | |
Final
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| Judy Grinham | | 1:12.9 | WR |
| Carin Cone | | 1:12.9 | =WR |
| Margaret Edwards | | 1:13.1 | |
| 4 | Helga Schmidt-Neuber | | 1:13.4 | |
| 5 | Maureen Murphy | | 1:14.1 | |
| 6 | Julie Hoyle | | 1:14.3 | |
| 7 | Sara Barber | | 1:14.3 | |
| 8 | Gerganiya Beckitt | | 1:14.7 | |
Key: WR = World record
