Javelin Throw, Women

Ruth Fuchs was by now the heavy favorite. She was the defending champion, 1974 European Champion, multiple world-record holder, and would be voted by Track & Field News as the female athlete of the decade for the 1970s. She was solid in 1976 as well, breaking the world record in the month prior to Montréal. And she ended the competition early in the final, throwing 65.94 (216-4¼) in the first round, which would be the best throw of the event. Kate Schmidt, bronze medalist from 1972, struggled to make the final three throws, fouling on her first two attempts, but she repeated her third-place finish from München. West Germany’s Marion Becker won the silver medal with 64.70 (212-3¼) thrown in round three, after which she fouled three times.