| | Event type

400 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	22 July 1976
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscine olympique, Montréal, Québec
Participants	47 from 29 countries

Tim Shaw had been the world’s top swimmer in 1975, winning the 200, 400, and 1,500 freestyles at the 1975 World Championships, but 1976 had been difficult for him. He had problems with his shoulders and a case of anemia and never again reached the form of 1975. He had set four world records in the event in 1974-75, but his mark was bettered at the US Trials in June 1976 by Brian Goodell, where he had out-dueled Shaw. The final in Montréal was more of the same, as the two matched stroke-for-stroke for 300 metres, going out at world record pace. On the penultimate lap, Goodell finally opened some water, leading Shaw by a stroke at the final turn. Shaw hung on for the next 25 metres, but then Goodell opened up further to win by half-a-bodylength in a world record 3:51.93, over a second ahead of the time he had set at the Trials. This was Goodell’s second gold medal in Montréal, having won the 1,500 metres two days before.

Soviet Volodymyr Raskatov placed third, well back in 3:55.76. Raskatov was the European record holder coming into the 1976 Games, but as David Wallechinsky has noted in his book The Complete Book of the Olympic Games, his European record would not have even qualified him for the final of the US Olympic Trials in 1976.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	416	Brian Goodell	USA	3:55.24 (1 h7)	3:51.93 (1)	Gold
2	432	Tim Shaw	USA	3:56.40 (1 h6)	3:52.54 (2)	Silver
3	396	Vladimir Raskatov	URS	3:57.56 (1 h3)	3:55.76 (3)	Bronze
4	37	Djan Madruga	BRA	3:59.62 (1 h2)	3:57.18 (4)
5	7	Steve Holland	AUS	3:58.39 (1 h4)	3:57.59 (5)
6	218	Sándor Nagy	HUN	4:00.02 (2 h7)	3:57.81 (6)
7	389	Vladimir Mikheyev	URS	4:00.20 (1 h5)	4:00.79 (7)
8	–	Steve Badger	CAN	4:00.14 (2 h4)	4:20.83 (8)
9	108	Pierre Andraca	FRA	4:00.34 (1 h1)	–
10	313	Brett Naylor	NZL	4:00.38 (2 h1)	–
11	224	Zoltán Wladár	HUN	4:00.55 (2 h6)	–
12	410	Casey Converse	USA	4:00.65 (2 h5)	–
13	–	Max Metzker	AUS	4:00.82 (3 h7)	–
14	126	Gordon Downie	GBR	4:01.00 (3 h6)	–
15	134	Alan McClatchey	GBR	4:02.09 (3 h5)	–
16	189	Henk Elzerman	NED	4:02.16 (3 h4)	–
17	75	Bill Sawchuk	CAN	4:02.18 (2 h3)	–
18	152	Rainer Strohbach	GDR	4:02.24 (3 h1)	–
19	398	Vladimir Salnikov	URS	4:02.79 (4 h4)	–
20	168	Werner Lampe	FRG	4:03.04 (4 h5)	–
21	198	René van der Kuil	NED	4:03.14 (4 h7)	–
22	305	Arne Borgstrøm	NOR	4:03.49 (5 h5)	–
23	106	David López-Zubero	ESP	4:03.73 (5 h7)	–
24	215	István Koczka	HUN	4:03.75 (3 h3)	–
25	360	Peter Pettersson	SWE	4:04.15 (4 h3)	–
26	25	Graham Windeatt	AUS	4:04.31 (5 h3)	–
27	149	Frank Pfütze	GDR	4:04.66 (2 h2)	–
28	356	Bengt Gingsjö	SWE	4:04.68 (4 h6)	–
29	46	Tom Alexander	CAN	4:05.63 (3 h2)	–
30	–	Stefan Wenz	FRG	4:06.25 (4 h1)	–
31	357	Bengt Jönsson	SWE	4:07.28 (4 h2)	–
32	457	Borut Petrič	YUG	4:07.54 (5 h2)	–
33	34	Johan Van Steenberge	BEL	4:08.28 (5 h6)	–
34	351	Gerhard Waldmann	SUI	4:09.54 (6 h5)	–
35	227	Kevin Williamson	IRL	4:09.60 (5 h1)	–
36	31	Andy Knowles	BAH	4:10.78 (6 h7)	–
37	182	Georgios Karpouzis	GRE	4:12.41 (5 h4)	–
38	147	Lutz Löscher	GDR	4:12.88 (6 h2)	–
39	175	Andreas Schmidt	FRG	4:14.36 (6 h4)	–
40	81	Tomás Becerra	COL	4:14.73 (7 h7)	–
41	329	Francisco Canales	PUR	4:15.78 (6 h6)	–
42	225	Kris Sumono	INA	4:17.48 (7 h2)	–
43	240	Sigurður Ólafsson	ISL	4:18.11 (6 h1)	–
44	–	Edwin Borja	PHI	4:18.97 (7 h5)	–
45	301	Patrick Novaretti	MON	4:20.62 (8 h7)	–
46	326	Rui de Abreu	POR	4:28.43 (7 h4)	–
47	303	Frank Richardson	NCA	4:40.76 (6 h3)	–
DNS	285	Guillermo García	MEX	– (DNS h1)	–
DNS	121	Brian Brinkley	GBR	– (DNS h6)	–
DNS	364	Ali Gharbi	TUN	– (DNS h6)	–

Round One

Date	22 July 1976 — 9:45
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	–	Brian Goodell	USA	3:55.24	QOR
2	–	Tim Shaw	USA	3:56.40	QOR
3	–	Vladimir Raskatov	URS	3:57.56	QOR
4	–	Steve Holland	AUS	3:58.39	Q
5	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	3:59.62	QOR
6	–	Sándor Nagy	HUN	4:00.02	Q
7	–	Steve Badger	CAN	4:00.14	Q
8	–	Vladimir Mikheyev	URS	4:00.20	Q
9	–	Pierre Andraca	FRA	4:00.34
10	–	Brett Naylor	NZL	4:00.38
11	–	Zoltán Wladár	HUN	4:00.55
12	–	Casey Converse	USA	4:00.65
13	–	Max Metzker	AUS	4:00.82
14	–	Gordon Downie	GBR	4:01.00
15	–	Alan McClatchey	GBR	4:02.09
16	–	Henk Elzerman	NED	4:02.16
17	–	Bill Sawchuk	CAN	4:02.18
18	–	Rainer Strohbach	GDR	4:02.24
19	–	Vladimir Salnikov	URS	4:02.79
20	–	Werner Lampe	FRG	4:03.04
21	–	René van der Kuil	NED	4:03.14
22	–	Arne Borgstrøm	NOR	4:03.49
23	–	David López-Zubero	ESP	4:03.73
24	–	István Koczka	HUN	4:03.75
25	–	Peter Pettersson	SWE	4:04.15
26	–	Graham Windeatt	AUS	4:04.31
27	–	Frank Pfütze	GDR	4:04.66
28	–	Bengt Gingsjö	SWE	4:04.68
29	–	Tom Alexander	CAN	4:05.63
30	–	Stefan Wenz	FRG	4:06.25
31	–	Bengt Jönsson	SWE	4:07.28
32	–	Borut Petrič	YUG	4:07.54
33	–	Johan Van Steenberge	BEL	4:08.28
34	–	Gerhard Waldmann	SUI	4:09.54
35	–	Kevin Williamson	IRL	4:09.60
36	–	Andy Knowles	BAH	4:10.78
37	–	Georgios Karpouzis	GRE	4:12.41
38	–	Lutz Löscher	GDR	4:12.88
39	–	Andreas Schmidt	FRG	4:14.36
40	–	Tomás Becerra	COL	4:14.73
41	–	Francisco Canales	PUR	4:15.78
42	–	Kris Sumono	INA	4:17.48
43	–	Sigurður Ólafsson	ISL	4:18.11
44	–	Edwin Borja	PHI	4:18.97
45	–	Patrick Novaretti	MON	4:20.62
46	–	Rui de Abreu	POR	4:28.43
47	–	Frank Richardson	NCA	4:40.76
DNS	–	Guillermo García	MEX	–
DNS	–	Brian Brinkley	GBR	–
DNS	–	Ali Gharbi	TUN	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Pierre Andraca	FRA	4:00.34	58.39 (3)	1:59.74 (3)	3:00.13 (2)	1:01.35 (3)	1:00.39 (1)	1:00.21 (1)
2	–	Brett Naylor	NZL	4:00.38	57.79 (2)	1:58.32 (1)	2:59.66 (1)	1:00.53 (1)	1:01.34 (2)	1:00.72 (2)
3	–	Rainer Strohbach	GDR	4:02.24	57.56 (1)	1:58.40 (2)	3:00.36 (3)	1:00.84 (2)	1:01.96 (3)	1:01.88 (4)
4	–	Stefan Wenz	FRG	4:06.25	58.80 (4)	2:00.77 (4)	3:03.64 (4)	1:01.97 (4)	1:02.87 (4)	1:02.61 (5)
5	–	Kevin Williamson	IRL	4:09.60	1:00.70 (5)	2:04.37 (5)	3:07.73 (5)	1:03.67 (5)	1:03.36 (5)	1:01.87 (3)
6	–	Sigurður Ólafsson	ISL	4:18.11	1:01.11 (6)	2:05.62 (6)	3:11.63 (6)	1:04.51 (6)	1:06.01 (6)	1:06.48 (6)
DNS	–	Guillermo García	MEX	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	3:59.62	59.79 (4)	2:00.98 (2)	3:00.76 (1)	1:01.19 (1)	59.78 (1)	58.86 (1)	QOR
2	–	Frank Pfütze	GDR	4:04.66	58.51 (1)	1:59.75 (1)	3:01.75 (2)	1:01.24 (2)	1:02.00 (2)	1:02.91 (5)
3	–	Tom Alexander	CAN	4:05.63	59.74 (3)	2:01.96 (3)	3:04.33 (3)	1:02.22 (3)	1:02.37 (3)	1:01.30 (2)
4	–	Bengt Jönsson	SWE	4:07.28	1:00.05 (6)	2:03.00 (5)	3:05.84 (5)	1:02.95 (5)	1:02.84 (4)	1:01.44 (3)
5	–	Borut Petrič	YUG	4:07.54	59.99 (5)	2:02.55 (4)	3:05.41 (4)	1:02.56 (4)	1:02.86 (5)	1:02.13 (4)
6	–	Lutz Löscher	GDR	4:12.88	59.37 (2)	2:03.31 (6)	3:07.75 (6)	1:03.94 (6)	1:04.44 (6)	1:05.13 (7)
7	–	Kris Sumono	INA	4:17.48	1:01.91 (7)	2:07.80 (7)	3:13.25 (7)	1:05.89 (7)	1:05.45 (7)	1:04.23 (6)

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Vladimir Raskatov	URS	3:57.56	57.53 (1)	1:58.31 (1)	2:58.23 (1)	1:00.78 (1)	59.92 (1)	59.33 (1)	QOR
2	–	Bill Sawchuk	CAN	4:02.18	58.61 (2)	2:00.28 (2)	3:01.53 (2)	1:01.67 (5)	1:01.25 (3)	1:00.65 (2)
3	–	István Koczka	HUN	4:03.75	58.95 (3)	2:00.58 (3)	3:02.77 (4)	1:01.63 (4)	1:02.19 (5)	1:00.98 (4)
4	–	Peter Pettersson	SWE	4:04.15	1:00.54 (5)	2:01.47 (5)	3:03.23 (5)	1:00.93 (2)	1:01.76 (4)	1:00.92 (3)
5	–	Graham Windeatt	AUS	4:04.31	59.96 (4)	2:01.11 (4)	3:02.33 (3)	1:01.15 (3)	1:01.22 (2)	1:01.98 (5)
6	–	Frank Richardson	NCA	4:40.76	1:04.60 (6)	2:15.35 (6)	3:28.35 (6)	1:10.75 (6)	1:13.00 (6)	1:12.41 (6)

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Steve Holland	AUS	3:58.39	59.14 (3)	2:00.18 (3)	2:59.51 (1)	1:01.04 (2)	59.33 (1)	58.88 (1)	Q
2	–	Steve Badger	CAN	4:00.14	58.07 (1)	1:58.87 (1)	3:00.62 (2)	1:00.80 (1)	1:01.75 (4)	59.52 (3)	Q
3	–	Henk Elzerman	NED	4:02.16	1:00.00 (5)	2:01.67 (4)	3:02.83 (4)	1:01.67 (4)	1:01.16 (2)	59.33 (2)
4	–	Vladimir Salnikov	URS	4:02.79	58.65 (2)	2:00.10 (2)	3:01.81 (3)	1:01.45 (3)	1:01.71 (3)	1:00.98 (4)
5	–	Georgios Karpouzis	GRE	4:12.41	59.61 (4)	2:02.38 (5)	3:08.24 (5)	1:02.77 (5)	1:05.86 (6)	1:04.17 (5)
6	–	Andreas Schmidt	FRG	4:14.36	1:00.61 (6)	2:03.84 (6)	3:09.43 (6)	1:03.23 (6)	1:05.59 (5)	1:04.93 (6)
7	–	Rui de Abreu	POR	4:28.43	1:02.84 (7)	2:10.30 (7)	3:20.16 (7)	1:07.46 (7)	1:09.86 (7)	1:08.27 (7)

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Vladimir Mikheyev	URS	4:00.20	1:00.18 (5)	2:01.71 (3)	3:02.18 (3)	1:01.53 (2)	1:00.47 (3)	58.02 (1)	Q
2	–	Casey Converse	USA	4:00.65	1:00.23 (6)	2:01.95 (5)	3:01.85 (1)	1:01.72 (3)	59.90 (1)	58.80 (2)
3	–	Alan McClatchey	GBR	4:02.09	59.64 (1)	2:01.73 (4)	3:02.13 (2)	1:02.09 (5)	1:00.40 (2)	59.96 (3)
4	–	Werner Lampe	FRG	4:03.04	59.70 (2)	2:01.60 (2)	3:02.47 (4)	1:01.90 (4)	1:00.87 (4)	1:00.57 (4)
5	–	Arne Borgstrøm	NOR	4:03.49	1:00.04 (3)	2:01.20 (1)	3:02.90 (5)	1:01.16 (1)	1:01.70 (5)	1:00.59 (5)
6	–	Gerhard Waldmann	SUI	4:09.54	1:00.16 (4)	2:03.05 (6)	3:05.86 (6)	1:02.89 (6)	1:02.81 (6)	1:03.68 (6)
7	–	Edwin Borja	PHI	4:18.97	1:01.17 (7)	2:06.53 (7)	3:13.25 (7)	1:05.36 (7)	1:06.72 (7)	1:05.72 (7)

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Tim Shaw	USA	3:56.40	57.02 (1)	1:57.07 (1)	2:57.55 (1)	1:00.05 (1)	1:00.48 (1)	58.85 (1)	QOR
2	–	Zoltán Wladár	HUN	4:00.55	59.49 (4)	2:00.25 (2)	3:00.86 (2)	1:00.76 (2)	1:00.61 (2)	59.69 (3)
3	–	Gordon Downie	GBR	4:01.00	59.40 (3)	2:00.29 (3)	3:01.33 (3)	1:00.89 (3)	1:01.04 (3)	59.67 (2)
4	–	Bengt Gingsjö	SWE	4:04.68	59.22 (2)	2:00.36 (4)	3:02.37 (4)	1:01.14 (4)	1:02.01 (4)	1:02.31 (4)
5	–	Johan Van Steenberge	BEL	4:08.28	59.90 (5)	2:02.81 (5)	3:05.46 (5)	1:02.91 (5)	1:02.65 (5)	1:02.82 (5)
6	–	Francisco Canales	PUR	4:15.78	1:01.17 (6)	2:05.56 (6)	3:10.85 (6)	1:04.39 (6)	1:05.29 (6)	1:04.93 (6)
DNS	–	Brian Brinkley	GBR	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ali Gharbi	TUN	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Brian Goodell	USA	3:55.24	56.93 (1)	1:57.08 (1)	2:56.61 (1)	1:00.15 (1)	59.53 (1)	58.63 (1)	QOR
2	–	Sándor Nagy	HUN	4:00.02	58.60 (2)	1:59.74 (2)	3:00.85 (3)	1:01.14 (3)	1:01.11 (3)	59.17 (2)	Q
3	–	Max Metzker	AUS	4:00.82	59.57 (5)	1:59.84 (3)	3:00.58 (2)	1:00.27 (2)	1:00.74 (2)	1:00.24 (3)
4	–	René van der Kuil	NED	4:03.14	59.49 (4)	2:00.94 (4)	3:02.08 (4)	1:01.45 (4)	1:01.14 (4)	1:01.06 (5)
5	–	David López-Zubero	ESP	4:03.73	59.39 (3)	2:01.25 (5)	3:02.93 (5)	1:01.86 (5)	1:01.68 (5)	1:00.80 (4)
6	–	Andy Knowles	BAH	4:10.78	1:00.48 (6)	2:03.47 (6)	3:07.07 (6)	1:02.99 (6)	1:03.60 (6)	1:03.71 (7)
7	–	Tomás Becerra	COL	4:14.73	1:01.06 (7)	2:06.05 (7)	3:11.45 (7)	1:04.99 (7)	1:05.40 (7)	1:03.28 (6)
8	–	Patrick Novaretti	MON	4:20.62	1:03.30 (8)	2:08.79 (8)	3:14.99 (8)	1:05.49 (8)	1:06.20 (8)	1:05.63 (8)

Final Round

Date	22 July 1976 — 19:15

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time	100 m	200 m	300 m	100-200 m Time (Rank)	200-300 m Time (Rank)	300-400 m Time (Rank)
1	–	Brian Goodell	USA	3:51.93	56.73 (3)	1:55.95 (1)	2:54.62 (1)	59.22 (1)	58.67 (1)	57.31 (1)	WR
2	–	Tim Shaw	USA	3:52.54	56.64 (2)	1:55.99 (2)	2:54.86 (2)	59.35 (2)	58.87 (2)	57.68 (2)
3	–	Vladimir Raskatov	URS	3:55.76	57.08 (4)	1:56.53 (3)	2:56.30 (3)	59.45 (3)	59.77 (4)	59.46 (5)
4	–	Djan Madruga	BRA	3:57.18	58.67 (8)	1:59.15 (8)	2:58.71 (6)	1:00.48 (7)	59.56 (3)	58.47 (3)
5	–	Steve Holland	AUS	3:57.59	58.00 (6)	1:57.70 (5)	2:57.97 (4)	59.70 (4)	1:00.27 (5)	59.62 (6)
6	–	Sándor Nagy	HUN	3:57.81	58.10 (7)	1:58.61 (7)	2:59.29 (7)	1:00.51 (8)	1:00.68 (6)	58.52 (4)
7	–	Vladimir Mikheyev	URS	4:00.79	56.45 (1)	1:56.66 (4)	2:58.37 (5)	1:00.21 (5)	1:01.71 (7)	1:02.42 (7)
8	–	Steve Badger	CAN	4:20.83	57.44 (5)	1:57.89 (6)	3:00.06 (8)	1:00.45 (6)	1:02.17 (8)	1:20.77 (8)