Kayak Fours, 500 metres, Women

The women’s K-4 500 made its début at the Olympics in 1984 and was significantly affected by the Soviet-led boycott, as a boycotting nation had been either World Champion or runner-up at every tournament since 1973. Romania and Sweden, bronze in 1981 and 1983 respectively, were the only nations to have won a recent World Championship medal in the event, the latter of whom included Anna Olsson and Agneta Andersson in their lineup. These two became Olympic champions in the K-2 500 the day prior to the final, while Andersson also won the K-1 500. Canada’s lineup, meanwhile, included K-2 500 runners-up Alexandra Barré and Sue Holloway, while West Germany had the bronze medalists Barbara Schüttpelz and Josefa Idem. With only seven crews taking part, only a final was held and it developed into a three-way battle to the finish between Romania, Sweden, and Canada, who finished in that order and with just over one second separating them. West Germany, meanwhile, finished fifth, thus ending the first of Idem’s eight appearances at the Olympics, a record number for a woman in any sport.