| Date | 31 August – 1 September 1960 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Stadio Olimpico, Roma |
| Participants | 28 from 17 countries |
Since 1956 a series of athletes had equaled the 10.6 world record. These included Gisela Birkemeyer (thrice), runner-up in 1956, Norma Thrower, bronze medalist in 1956 and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion, Galina Bystrova, fourth in 1956, and by Irina Press in July 1960. Press was the world’s best pentathlete, but that event was not on the Olympic program until 1964, so she specialized in the hurdles. She was also a top international sprinter and shot putter. All the favorites got to the final except Thrower, who missed out in the semi-final. Press won the final comfortably, establishing a lead at the first hurdle, and holding it throughout. The surprise silver medalist was Carole Quinton (GBR), who closed very quickly to edge out Birkemeyer-Köhler. Quinton had won the 1958 AAA Championship but had no other major palmares.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.7 (1 h1) | 10.6 (1 h2) | 10.8 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 10.9 (2 h1) | 11.0 (3 h2) | 10.9 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 11.2 (1 h4) | 10.9 (2 h2) | 11.0 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.2 (1 h2) | 11.0 (2 h1) | 11.1 (4) | |||
| 5 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.1 (2 h6) | 11.0 (1 h1) | 11.2 (5) | |||
| 6 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.1 (1 h3) | 11.1 (3 h1) | 11.2 (6) | |||
| 4 h1 r2/3 | 82 | Karin Richert | GER | 11.2 (1 h5) | 11.1 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 4 h2 r2/3 | 81 | Zenta Kopp | GER | 10.9 (1 h6) | 11.0 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r2/3 | 7 | Norma Thrower | AUS | 11.4 (2 h2) | 11.3 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 5 h2 r2/3 | 142 | Teresa Wieczorek | POL | 11.3 (2 h5) | 11.2 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | 149 | Barbara Sosgórnik | POL | 11.4 (2 h4) | 11.3 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | 137 | Denise Guénard | FRA | 11.2 (2 h3) | 11.4 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 3 h1 r1/3 | 99 | Draga Stamejčič | YUG | 11.3 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| 3 h2 r1/3 | 43 | Snezhana Kerkova | BUL | 11.6 (3 h2) | – | – | |||
| 3 h3 r1/3 | 35 | Alena Stolzová | TCH | 11.4 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 3 h4 r1/3 | 196 | Patricia Anne Pryce | GBR | 11.5 (3 h4) | – | – | |||
| 3 h5 r1/3 | 136 | Simone Brièrre | FRA | 11.6 (3 h5) | – | – | |||
| 3 h6 r1/3 | 183 | Letizia Bertoni | ITA | 11.4 (3 h6) | – | – | |||
| 4 h1 r1/3 | 103 | Ulla-Britt Wieslander | SWE | 11.5 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 4 h2 r1/3 | 15 | Wanda dos Santos | BRA | 11.7 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 4 h3 r1/3 | 121 | Jo Ann Terry | USA | 11.4 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 4 h4 r1/3 | 31 | Sally McCallum | CAN | 11.7 (4 h4) | – | – | |||
| 4 h5 r1/3 | 8 | Gloria Cooke-Wigney | AUS | 11.7 (4 h5) | – | – | |||
| 4 h6 r1/3 | 123 | Shirley Crowder | USA | 12.3 (4 h6) | – | – | |||
| 5 h1 r1/3 | 122 | Irene Robertson | USA | 11.6 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r1/3 | 32 | Berta Díaz | CUB | 11.7 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 5 h4 r1/3 | 23 | Friedl Murauer | AUT | 11.9 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 5 h6 r1/3 | 12 | Chi Cheng | TPE | 12.6 (5 h6) | – | – | |||
| 211 | Mária Bácskai | HUN | – (DNS h3) | – | – |
| Date | 31 August 1960 — 10:25 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top two in each heat advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (automatic) | Time (hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.91 | 10.7 | ||
| 2 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 11.07 | 10.9 | ||
| 3 | 81 | Zenta Kopp | GER | 11.10 | 10.9 | ||
| =4 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.26 | 11.1 | ||
| =4 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.26 | 11.1 | ||
| 6 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 11.31 | 11.2 | ||
| 7 | 137 | Denise Guénard | FRA | 11.37 | 11.2 | ||
| =8 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.40 | 11.2 | ||
| =8 | 82 | Karin Richert | GER | 11.40 | 11.2 | ||
| 10 | 142 | Teresa Wieczorek | POL | 11.46 | 11.3 | ||
| 11 | 99 | Draga Stamejčič | YUG | 11.47 | 11.3 | ||
| =12 | 7 | Norma Thrower | AUS | 11.54 | 11.4 | ||
| =12 | 183 | Letizia Bertoni | ITA | 11.54 | 11.4 | ||
| 14 | 149 | Barbara Sosgórnik | POL | 11.56 | 11.4 | ||
| 15 | 121 | Jo Ann Terry | USA | 11.58 | 11.4 | 1 | |
| 16 | 35 | Alena Stolzová | TCH | 11.59 | 11.4 | 2 | |
| 17 | 103 | Ulla-Britt Wieslander | SWE | 11.60 | 11.5 | ||
| 18 | 196 | Patricia Anne Pryce | GBR | 11.65 | 11.5 | ||
| 19 | 122 | Irene Robertson | USA | 11.69 | 11.6 | ||
| 20 | 43 | Snezhana Kerkova | BUL | 11.73 | 11.6 | ||
| 21 | 136 | Simone Brièrre | FRA | 11.75 | 11.6 | ||
| 22 | 32 | Berta Díaz | CUB | 11.83 | 11.7 | 3 | |
| 23 | 15 | Wanda dos Santos | BRA | 11.84 | 11.7 | 4 | |
| 24 | 8 | Gloria Cooke-Wigney | AUS | 11.89 | 11.7 | ||
| 25 | 31 | Sally McCallum | CAN | 11.90 | 11.7 | ||
| 26 | 23 | Friedl Murauer | AUT | 12.08 | 11.9 | ||
| 27 | 123 | Shirley Crowder | USA | 12.43 | 12.3 | ||
| 28 | 12 | Chi Cheng | TPE | 12.71 | 12.6 | ||
| 211 | Mária Bácskai | HUN | – | – |
| Wind | 0.4 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.7 | 10.91 | ||
| 2 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 10.9 | 11.07 | ||
| 3 | 99 | Draga Stamejčič | YUG | 11.3 | 11.47 | ||
| 4 | 103 | Ulla-Britt Wieslander | SWE | 11.5 | 11.60 | ||
| 5 | 122 | Irene Robertson | USA | 11.6 | 11.69 |
| Wind | -0.5 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.2 | 11.40 | ||
| 2 | 7 | Norma Thrower | AUS | 11.4 | 11.54 | ||
| 3 | 43 | Snezhana Kerkova | BUL | 11.6 | 11.73 | ||
| 4 | 15 | Wanda dos Santos | BRA | 11.7 | 11.84 | 5 | |
| 5 | 32 | Berta Díaz | CUB | 11.7 | 11.83 | 6 |
| Wind | -0.4 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.1 | 11.26 | ||
| 2 | 137 | Denise Guénard | FRA | 11.2 | 11.37 | ||
| 3 | 35 | Alena Stolzová | TCH | 11.4 | 11.59 | 7 | |
| 4 | 121 | Jo Ann Terry | USA | 11.4 | 11.58 | 8 | |
| 211 | Mária Bácskai | HUN | – | – |
| Wind | -0.5 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 11.2 | 11.31 | ||
| 2 | 149 | Barbara Sosgórnik | POL | 11.4 | 11.56 | ||
| 3 | 196 | Patricia Anne Pryce | GBR | 11.5 | 11.65 | ||
| 4 | 31 | Sally McCallum | CAN | 11.7 | 11.90 | ||
| 5 | 23 | Friedl Murauer | AUT | 11.9 | 12.08 |
| Wind | -0.5 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | Karin Richert | GER | 11.2 | 11.40 | ||
| 2 | 142 | Teresa Wieczorek | POL | 11.3 | 11.46 | ||
| 3 | 136 | Simone Brièrre | FRA | 11.6 | 11.75 | ||
| 4 | 8 | Gloria Cooke-Wigney | AUS | 11.7 | 11.89 |
| Wind | -0.4 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Zenta Kopp | GER | 10.9 | 11.10 | ||
| 2 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.1 | 11.26 | ||
| 3 | 183 | Letizia Bertoni | ITA | 11.4 | 11.54 | ||
| 4 | 123 | Shirley Crowder | USA | 12.3 | 12.43 | ||
| 5 | 12 | Chi Cheng | TPE | 12.6 | 12.71 |
| Date | 31 August 1960 — 17:10 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top three in each heat advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (automatic) | Time (hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.77 | 10.6 | ||
| 2 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 11.01 | 10.9 | ||
| 3 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 11.07 | 11.0 | ||
| 4 | 81 | Zenta Kopp | GER | 11.09 | 11.0 | ||
| 5 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.16 | 11.0 | ||
| 6 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.16 | 11.0 | ||
| 7 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.22 | 11.1 | ||
| 8 | 82 | Karin Richert | GER | 11.27 | 11.1 | ||
| 9 | 142 | Teresa Wieczorek | POL | 11.40 | 11.2 | ||
| 10 | 149 | Barbara Sosgórnik | POL | 11.44 | 11.3 | 9 | |
| 11 | 7 | Norma Thrower | AUS | 11.46 | 11.3 | 10 | |
| 12 | 137 | Denise Guénard | FRA | 11.51 | 11.4 |
| Wind | -0.9 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.0 | 11.16 | ||
| 2 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.0 | 11.16 | ||
| 3 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.1 | 11.22 | ||
| 4 | 82 | Karin Richert | GER | 11.1 | 11.27 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Norma Thrower | AUS | 11.3 | 11.46 | 11 | |
| 6 | 149 | Barbara Sosgórnik | POL | 11.3 | 11.44 | 12 |
| Wind | 0.0 m/s |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.6 | 10.77 | ||
| 2 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 10.9 | 11.01 | ||
| 3 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 11.0 | 11.07 | ||
| 4 | 81 | Zenta Kopp | GER | 11.0 | 11.09 | ||
| 5 | 142 | Teresa Wieczorek | POL | 11.2 | 11.40 | ||
| 6 | 137 | Denise Guénard | FRA | 11.4 | 11.51 |
| Date | 1 September 1960 — 17:10 |
|---|---|
| Wind | 0.0 m/s |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 | Irina Press | URS | 10.8 | 10.93 | ||
| 2 | 197 | Carole Quinton | GBR | 10.9 | 10.99 | ||
| 3 | 75 | Gisela Birkemeyer | GER | 11.0 | 11.13 | ||
| 4 | 195 | Mary Bignal | GBR | 11.1 | 11.22 | ||
| 5 | 166 | Galina Bystrova | URS | 11.2 | 11.26 | ||
| 6 | 167 | Rimma Koshelyova | URS | 11.2 | 11.28 |