| | Event type

400 metres, Women

Date	25 – 29 July 1976
Status	Olympic
Location	Stade olympique, Parc olympique, Montréal, Québec
Participants	38 from 19 countries

Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein had started out as a long jumper and short sprinter but in the mid-70s turned her attention to the 400 metres. In 1974 she became the first woman to run 400 metres in under 50 seconds, recording 49.9 at the Kusociński Memorial meet in Warszawa. In May 1976 Christina Brehmer (GDR) broke that record running 49.77 in Dresden, but Szewińska-Kirszenstein took the record back shortly before the Olympics, running 49.75, again at the Kusociński Memorial. In the final, the race was close for 300 metres but Szewińska-Kirszenstein blasted the last 100 metres and won by almost 10 metres, Brehmer coming in second. The time was a world record 49.29. Szewińska-Kirszenstein later became a member of the IOC, but the first woman to become an IOC Member was Finland’s Pirjo Häggman, who placed fourth in this race.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	QF	SF	Final
1	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	52.75 (3 h4)	52.00 (4 h4)	50.48 (1 h1)	49.28 (1)	Gold	WR
2	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	52.45 (1 h1)	51.67 (2 h2)	50.86 (2 h2)	50.51 (2)	Silver
3	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	52.56 (1 h3)	51.33 (2 h1)	50.51 (2 h1)	50.55 (3)	Bronze
4	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	52.73 (4 h6)	51.35 (3 h1)	51.03 (3 h2)	50.56 (4)
5	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	52.01 (1 h5)	51.74 (2 h4)	50.62 (1 h2)	50.65 (5)
6	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	51.83 (1 h4)	51.31 (1 h1)	50.90 (3 h1)	50.90 (6)
7	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	52.57 (2 h5)	51.62 (1 h4)	51.26 (4 h1)	50.98 (7)
8	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	52.33 (1 h2)	51.23 (1 h3)	51.34 (4 h2)	51.66 (8)
5 h1 r3/4	6	Beth Nail	AUS	52.98 (4 h5)	51.71 (3 h3)	51.44 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r3/4	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.97 (1 h6)	51.32 (2 h3)	51.42 (5 h2)	–
6 h1 r3/4	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	52.90 (3 h5)	51.73 (4 h1)	51.55 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r3/4	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	52.10 (2 h6)	51.79 (3 h2)	51.71 (6 h2)	–
7 h1 r3/4	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.65 (2 h3)	52.25 (4 h3)	52.20 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r3/4	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	53.08 (3 h1)	52.41 (4 h2)	51.82 (7 h2)	–
8 h2 r3/4	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	52.45 (2 h4)	51.63 (1 h2)	51.95 (8 h2)	–
3 h4 r2/4	149	Marita Koch	GDR	52.78 (3 h2)	51.87 (3 h4)	– (DNS h1)	–
5 h1 r2/4	172	Dagmar Fuhrmann	FRG	52.58 (3 h6)	52.02 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r2/4	129	Gladys Taylor	GBR	53.46 (5 h4)	53.71 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r2/4	115	Verona Elder	GBR	52.60 (2 h1)	52.70 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r2/4	122	Donna Murray	GBR	52.75 (2 h2)	52.29 (5 h4)	–	–
6 h1 r2/4	3	Judy Canty	AUS	52.88 (3 h3)	52.65 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h2 r2/4	96	Marika Lindholm	FIN	53.64 (6 h4)	54.07 (6 h2)	–	–
6 h3 r2/4	33	Rosine Wallez	BEL	52.94 (5 h3)	53.04 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r2/4	216	Rita Bottiglieri	ITA	53.37 (6 h6)	52.51 (6 h4)	–	–
7 h1 r2/4	25	Lorna Forde	BAR	53.93 (4 h1)	53.62 (7 h1)	–	–
7 h2 r2/4	77	Joyce Yakubowich	CAN	53.35 (4 h4)	55.02 (7 h2)	–	–
7 h3 r2/4	175	Silvia Hollmann	FRG	53.73 (5 h2)	53.77 (7 h3)	–	–
7 h4 r2/4	27	Regina Berg	BEL	53.66 (4 h2)	53.14 (7 h4)	–	–
8 h1 r2/4	61	Rachelle Campbell	CAN	54.54 (5 h1)	54.16 (8 h1)	–	–
8 h3 r2/4	237	Ruth Simpson	JAM	54.07 (5 h5)	53.88 (8 h3)	–	–
8 h4 r2/4	71	Marg Stride	CAN	53.21 (5 h6)	53.14 (8 h4)	–	–
4 h3 r1/4	234	Marilyn Neufville	JAM	52.93 (4 h3)	– (DNS h2)	–	–
6 h2 r1/4	230	Helen Blake	JAM	53.93 (6 h2)	–	–	–
6 h3 r1/4	393	Jelica Pavličić	YUG	54.11 (6 h3)	–	–	–
6 h5 r1/4	248	Helen Ritter	LIE	58.52 (6 h5)	–	–	–
7 h2 r1/4	281	Ileana Hocking	PUR	57.85 (7 h2)	–	–	–
7 h4 r1/4	79	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	54.13 (7 h4)	–	–	–
7 h6 r1/4	197	Rose-Marie Gauthier	HAI	1:13.27 (7 h6)	–	–	–
DNS	35	Debbie Jones	BER	– (DNS h5)	–	–	–
DNS	214	Rita Hendricks	ISV	– (DNS h1)	–	–	–
DNS	300	Marième Boye	SEN	– (DNS h1)	–	–	–
DNS	303	Chee Swee Lee	SGP	– (DNS h3)	–	–	–

Round One

Date	25 July 1976 — 15:00
Format	Top five in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the quarter-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	51.83	Q
2	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.97	Q
3	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	52.01	Q
4	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	52.10	Q
5	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	52.33	Q
=6	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	52.45	Q
=6	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	52.45	Q
8	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	52.56	Q
9	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	52.57	Q
10	172	Dagmar Fuhrmann	FRG	52.58	Q
11	115	Verona Elder	GBR	52.60	Q
12	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.65	Q
13	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	52.73	Q
=14	122	Donna Murray	GBR	52.75	Q
=14	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	52.75	Q
16	149	Marita Koch	GDR	52.78	Q
17	3	Judy Canty	AUS	52.88	Q
18	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	52.90	Q
19	234	Marilyn Neufville	JAM	52.93	Q
20	33	Rosine Wallez	BEL	52.94	Q
21	6	Beth Nail	AUS	52.98	Q
22	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	53.08	Q
23	71	Marg Stride	CAN	53.21	Q
24	77	Joyce Yakubowich	CAN	53.35	Q
25	216	Rita Bottiglieri	ITA	53.37	q
26	129	Gladys Taylor	GBR	53.46	Q
27	96	Marika Lindholm	FIN	53.64	q
28	27	Regina Berg	BEL	53.66	Q
29	175	Silvia Hollmann	FRG	53.73	Q
=30	25	Lorna Forde	BAR	53.93	Q
=30	230	Helen Blake	JAM	53.93
32	237	Ruth Simpson	JAM	54.07	Q
33	393	Jelica Pavličić	YUG	54.11
34	79	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	54.13
35	61	Rachelle Campbell	CAN	54.54	Q
36	281	Ileana Hocking	PUR	57.85
37	248	Helen Ritter	LIE	58.52
38	197	Rose-Marie Gauthier	HAI	1:13.27
DNS	214	Rita Hendricks	ISV	–
DNS	300	Marième Boye	SEN	–
DNS	303	Chee Swee Lee	SGP	–
DNS	35	Debbie Jones	BER	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	52.45	Q
2	115	Verona Elder	GBR	52.60	Q
3	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	53.08	Q
4	25	Lorna Forde	BAR	53.93	Q
5	61	Rachelle Campbell	CAN	54.54	Q
DNS	214	Rita Hendricks	ISV	–
DNS	300	Marième Boye	SEN	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	52.33	Q
2	122	Donna Murray	GBR	52.75	Q
3	149	Marita Koch	GDR	52.78	Q
4	27	Regina Berg	BEL	53.66	Q
5	175	Silvia Hollmann	FRG	53.73	Q
6	230	Helen Blake	JAM	53.93
7	281	Ileana Hocking	PUR	57.85

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	52.56	Q
2	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.65	Q
3	3	Judy Canty	AUS	52.88	Q
4	234	Marilyn Neufville	JAM	52.93	Q
5	33	Rosine Wallez	BEL	52.94	Q
6	393	Jelica Pavličić	YUG	54.11
DNS	303	Chee Swee Lee	SGP	–

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	51.83	Q
2	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	52.45	Q
3	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	52.75	Q
4	77	Joyce Yakubowich	CAN	53.35	Q
5	129	Gladys Taylor	GBR	53.46	Q
6	96	Marika Lindholm	FIN	53.64	q
7	79	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	54.13

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	52.01	Q
2	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	52.57	Q
3	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	52.90	Q
4	6	Beth Nail	AUS	52.98	Q
5	237	Ruth Simpson	JAM	54.07	Q
6	248	Helen Ritter	LIE	58.52
DNS	35	Debbie Jones	BER	–

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.97	Q
2	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	52.10	Q
3	172	Dagmar Fuhrmann	FRG	52.58	Q
4	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	52.73	Q
5	71	Marg Stride	CAN	53.21	Q
6	216	Rita Bottiglieri	ITA	53.37	q
7	197	Rose-Marie Gauthier	HAI	1:13.27

Quarter-Finals

Date	26 July 1976 — 16:20
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	51.23	Q
2	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	51.31	Q
3	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.32	Q
4	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	51.33	Q
5	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	51.35	Q
6	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	51.62	Q
7	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	51.63	Q
8	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	51.67	Q
9	6	Beth Nail	AUS	51.71	Q
10	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	51.73	Q
11	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	51.74	Q
12	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	51.79	Q
13	149	Marita Koch	GDR	51.87	Q
14	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	52.00	Q
15	172	Dagmar Fuhrmann	FRG	52.02
16	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.25	Q
17	122	Donna Murray	GBR	52.29
18	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	52.41	Q
19	216	Rita Bottiglieri	ITA	52.51
20	3	Judy Canty	AUS	52.65
21	115	Verona Elder	GBR	52.70
22	33	Rosine Wallez	BEL	53.04
23	27	Regina Berg	BEL	53.14
24	71	Marg Stride	CAN	53.14
25	25	Lorna Forde	BAR	53.62
26	129	Gladys Taylor	GBR	53.71
27	175	Silvia Hollmann	FRG	53.77
28	237	Ruth Simpson	JAM	53.88
29	96	Marika Lindholm	FIN	54.07
30	61	Rachelle Campbell	CAN	54.16
31	77	Joyce Yakubowich	CAN	55.02
DNS	234	Marilyn Neufville	JAM	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	51.31	Q
2	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	51.33	Q
3	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	51.35	Q
4	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	51.73	Q
5	172	Dagmar Fuhrmann	FRG	52.02
6	3	Judy Canty	AUS	52.65
7	25	Lorna Forde	BAR	53.62
8	61	Rachelle Campbell	CAN	54.16

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	51.63	Q
2	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	51.67	Q
3	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	51.79	Q
4	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	52.41	Q
5	129	Gladys Taylor	GBR	53.71
6	96	Marika Lindholm	FIN	54.07
7	77	Joyce Yakubowich	CAN	55.02
DNS	234	Marilyn Neufville	JAM	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	51.23	Q
2	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.32	Q
3	6	Beth Nail	AUS	51.71	Q
4	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.25	Q
5	115	Verona Elder	GBR	52.70
6	33	Rosine Wallez	BEL	53.04
7	175	Silvia Hollmann	FRG	53.77
8	237	Ruth Simpson	JAM	53.88

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	51.62	Q
2	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	51.74	Q
3	149	Marita Koch	GDR	51.87	Q
4	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	52.00	Q
5	122	Donna Murray	GBR	52.29
6	216	Rita Bottiglieri	ITA	52.51
7	27	Regina Berg	BEL	53.14
8	71	Marg Stride	CAN	53.14

Semi-Finals

Date	26 July 1976 — 18:55
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	50.48	QOR
2	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	50.51	Q
3	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	50.62	Q
4	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	50.86	Q
5	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	50.90	Q
6	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	51.03	Q
7	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	51.26	Q
8	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	51.34	Q
9	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.42
10	6	Beth Nail	AUS	51.44
11	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	51.55
12	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	51.71
13	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.82
14	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	51.95
15	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.20
DNS	149	Marita Koch	GDR	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	50.48	QOR
2	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	50.51	Q
3	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	50.90	Q
4	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	51.26	Q
5	6	Beth Nail	AUS	51.44
6	325	Lyudmila Aksyonova	URS	51.55
7	22	Christiane Wildschek	AUT	52.20
DNS	149	Marita Koch	GDR	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	50.62	Q
2	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	50.86	Q
3	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	51.03	Q
4	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	51.34	Q
5	338	Nadezhda Ilyina	URS	51.42
6	2	Verna Burnard	AUS	51.71
7	186	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.82
8	351	Nataliya Sokolova	URS	51.95

Final Round

Date	29 July 1976 — 16:20

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	277	Irena Szewińska	POL	49.28	WR
2	137	Christina Brehmer	GDR	50.51
3	164	Ellen Streidt	GDR	50.55
4	94	Pirjo Häggman	FIN	50.56
5	360	Rosalyn Bryant	USA	50.65
6	369	Sheila Ingram	USA	50.90
7	99	Riitta Salin	FIN	50.98
8	380	Debra Sapenter	USA	51.66