100 metres Hurdles, Women

The Soviet-boycott made this basically a Double AA competition, as the top eight ranked hurdlers at year’s end and the top 12 times were from Eastern Europe. Since 1980 the best American hurdler had been Stephanie Hightower but she failed to make the American team, finishing fourth in the Trials in one of the closest finishes ever. Benita Fitzgerald-Brown had been TAC Champion in 1983 and finished second at the Olympic Trials to Kim Turner. Shirley Strong (GBR) was 1982 Commonwealth Champion and was favored. Fitzgerald-Brown and Strong were out quickest in the final and contested the gold and silver medals, Fitzgerald-Brown inching ahead at the eighth hurdle. Third-place was announced at first as a dead heat between Turner and France’s Michele Chardonnet, but after reviewing photos of the finish, the judges reversed themselves and gave the bronze medal to Turner. But Chardonnet was not informed of this until she was standing on the infield awaiting the medal ceremony, and she left the field sobbing. The French Athletics Federation protested and 3½ months later the decision was reverted to a dead-heat. Chardonnet received her bronze medal six months after the Olympics ended.