Swimming at the 1979 Pan American Games – Women's 100 metre freestyle
The women's 100 metre freestyle competition of the swimming events at the 1979 Pan American Games took place on 8 July at the Piscina Olimpica Del Escambron. The last Pan American Games champion was Kim Peyton of US.
This race consisted of two lengths of the pool, both lengths being in freestyle.Results
All times are in minutes and seconds.
| KEY: | q | Fastest non-qualifiers | Q | Qualified | GR | Games record | NR | National record | PB | Personal best | SB | Seasonal best |
Heats
The first round was held on July 8.
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Cynthia Woodhead | | 57.31 | Q |
| 2 | Jill Sterkel | | 58.74 | Q |
| 3 | Gail Amundrud | | 58.97 | Q |
| 4 | Anne Jardin | | 59.30 | Q |
| 5 | Maria Paris | | 1:00.49 | Q |
| 6 | Shelley Cramer | | 1:00.57 | Q |
| 7 | Vilma Aguilera | | 1:00.68 | Q |
| 8 | Sonia Acosta | | 1:00.74 | Q |
| 9 | Helen Plachinski | | 1:00.92 | |
| 10 | Teresa Rivera | | 1:01.34 | |
| 11 | Rosanna Juncos | | 1:01.65 | |
| 12 | Virginia Sachero | | 1:01.85 | |
| 13 | Julia Vicioso | | 1:02.30 | NR |
| 14 | Maria Guimarães | | 1:02.71 | |
| 15 | Maria Vieira | | 1:03.06 | |
Final
The final was held on July 8.
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| Cynthia Woodhead | | 56.22 | NR, GR |
| Jill Sterkel | | 56.24 | |
| Gail Amundrud | | 57.79 | |
| 4 | Anne Jardin | | 58.06 | |
| 5 | Shelley Cramer | | 59.68 | NR |
| 6 | Maria Paris | | 59.82 | NR |
| 7 | Vilma Aguilera | | 59.90 | NR |
| 8 | Sonia Acosta | | 1:00.19 | |
