| Date | 20 – 21 July 1976 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Piscine olympique, Montréal, Québec |
| Participants | 34 from 21 countries |
As with every other major backstroke event since Munich the scenario was as follows: Ulrike Richter was in the race, therefore, Ulrike Richter won the race, usually in a world record. Since 1972 Richter had won the 1973 and 1975 World Championships, the 1974 European Championships, and had set nine world records in the 100 backstroke. The only major backstroke she had lost in four years came at the 1976 GDR Olympic Trials, when Kornelia Ender defeated her and briefly claimed the world record, which Richter regained two days later opening the medley relay. Ender was the women’s star of the Montréal Olympics, but did not contest the 100 backstroke which left it open for Richter. She easily won the gold medal over her teammate, Birgit Treiber, with her only disappointment being that the world record stayed intact. Canadians Nancy Garapick and Wendy Cook-Hogg placed 3-4, as the top four finished in same places as they had at the 1975 World Championship.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 112 | Ulrike Richter |  GDR | 1:03.61 (1 h5) | 1:02.39 (1 h1) | 1:01.83 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | – | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:04.34 (1 h3) | 1:04.21 (2 h1) | 1:03.41 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 43 | Nancy Garapick |  CAN | 1:03.28 (1 h2) | 1:03.75 (1 h2) | 1:03.71 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 46 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:04.31 (2 h5) | 1:04.17 (3 h2) | 1:03.93 (4) | |||
| 5 | 45 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:05.64 (3 h1) | 1:04.89 (3 h1) | 1:05.16 (5) | |||
| 6 | 213 | Nadezhda Stavko |  URS | 1:05.39 (3 h4) | 1:05.23 (5 h2) | 1:05.19 (6) | |||
| 7 | 113 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:04.34 (1 h4) | 1:03.94 (2 h2) | 1:05.30 (7) | |||
| 8 | 133 | Diane Edelijn |  NED | 1:05.56 (3 h5) | 1:05.58 (6 h2) | 1:05.53 (8) | |||
| 9 | 131 | Enith Brigitha | NED | 1:04.98 (2 h4) | 1:05.21 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 10 | 214 | Klavdiya Studennikova | URS | 1:05.56 (2 h1) | 1:05.73 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 11 | 233 | Linda Jezek |  USA | 1:04.69 (2 h3) | 1:06.01 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 12 | – | Michelle de Vries |  AUS | 1:06.22 (2 h2) | 1:06.02 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 13 | 122 | Heike John |  FRG | 1:06.20 (5 h5) | 1:06.26 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 14 | 245 | Tauna Vandeweghe | USA | 1:05.00 (1 h1) | 1:06.29 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 15 | 163 | Yoshimi Nishigawa |  JPN | 1:05.78 (4 h5) | 1:06.46 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 16 | 15 | Glenda Robertson | AUS | 1:06.19 (4 h4) | 1:06.93 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 17 | 143 | Gabriella Verrasztó |  HUN | 1:06.27 (3 h2) | – | – | |||
| 18 | 119 | Karin Bormann | FRG | 1:06.33 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 19 | 236 | Renee Magee | USA | 1:06.44 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 20 | 154 | Antonella Roncelli |  ITA | 1:06.59 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 21 | 83 | Joy Beasley |  GBR | 1:06.66 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 22 | 174 | Monique Rodahl |  NZL | 1:06.73 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 23 | 90 | Mandy James | GBR | 1:07.28 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 24 | 78 | Sylvie Testuz |  FRA | 1:07.62 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 25 | 192 | Gunilla Lundberg |  SWE | 1:07.73 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 26 | 120 | Angelika Grieser | FRG | 1:08.08 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 27 | 161 | Naoko Miura | JPN | 1:08.31 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 28 | – | Claudia Bellotto |  ARG | 1:10.27 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 29 | 256 | Paola Ruggeri |  VEN | 1:11.14 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 30 | 145 | Deirdre Sheehan |  IRL | 1:11.53 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 31 | 58 | Liliana Cian |  COL | 1:11.62 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 32 | 27 | Pierrette Michel |  BEL | 1:12.73 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 33 | 129 | Raphaelynne Lee |  HKG | 1:14.66 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 34 | 200 | Sansanee Changkasiri |  THA | 1:19.15 (7 h2) | – | – |
| Date | 20 July 1976 — 11:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Nancy Garapick | CAN | 1:03.28 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Ulrike Richter | GDR | 1:03.61 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:04.31 | ||
| =4 | 4 | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:04.34 | ||
| =4 | 4 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:04.34 | ||
| 6 | 5 | Linda Jezek | USA | 1:04.69 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Enith Brigitha | NED | 1:04.98 | ||
| 8 | 5 | Tauna Vandeweghe | USA | 1:05.00 | ||
| 9 | 5 | Nadezhda Stavko | URS | 1:05.39 | ||
| =10 | 3 | Klavdiya Studennikova | URS | 1:05.56 | ||
| =10 | 3 | Diane Edelijn | NED | 1:05.56 | ||
| 12 | 4 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:05.64 | ||
| 13 | 2 | Yoshimi Nishigawa | JPN | 1:05.78 | ||
| 14 | 6 | Glenda Robertson | AUS | 1:06.19 | ||
| 15 | 6 | Heike John | FRG | 1:06.20 | ||
| 16 | 6 | Michelle de Vries | AUS | 1:06.22 | ||
| 17 | 5 | Gabriella Verrasztó | HUN | 1:06.27 | ||
| 18 | 6 | Karin Bormann | FRG | 1:06.33 | ||
| 19 | 3 | Renee Magee | USA | 1:06.44 | ||
| 20 | 6 | Antonella Roncelli | ITA | 1:06.59 | ||
| 21 | 2 | Joy Beasley | GBR | 1:06.66 | ||
| 22 | 2 | Monique Rodahl | NZL | 1:06.73 | ||
| 23 | 2 | Mandy James | GBR | 1:07.28 | ||
| 24 | 2 | Sylvie Testuz | FRA | 1:07.62 | ||
| 25 | 7 | Gunilla Lundberg | SWE | 1:07.73 | ||
| 26 | 3 | Angelika Grieser | FRG | 1:08.08 | ||
| 27 | 7 | Naoko Miura | JPN | 1:08.31 | ||
| 28 | 7 | Claudia Bellotto | ARG | 1:10.27 | ||
| 29 | 7 | Paola Ruggeri | VEN | 1:11.14 | ||
| 30 | 1 | Deirdre Sheehan | IRL | 1:11.53 | ||
| 31 | 7 | Liliana Cian | COL | 1:11.62 | ||
| 32 | 1 | Pierrette Michel | BEL | 1:12.73 | ||
| 33 | 1 | Raphaelynne Lee | HKG | 1:14.66 | ||
| 34 | 1 | Sansanee Changkasiri | THA | 1:19.15 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Tauna Vandeweghe | USA | 1:05.00 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Klavdiya Studennikova | URS | 1:05.56 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:05.64 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Antonella Roncelli | ITA | 1:06.59 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Sylvie Testuz | FRA | 1:07.62 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Paola Ruggeri | VEN | 1:11.14 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Nancy Garapick | CAN | 1:03.28 | ||
| 2 | 6 | Michelle de Vries | AUS | 1:06.22 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Gabriella Verrasztó | HUN | 1:06.27 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Mandy James | GBR | 1:07.28 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Angelika Grieser | FRG | 1:08.08 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Liliana Cian | COL | 1:11.62 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Sansanee Changkasiri | THA | 1:19.15 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:04.34 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Linda Jezek | USA | 1:04.69 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Karin Bormann | FRG | 1:06.33 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Renee Magee | USA | 1:06.44 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Joy Beasley | GBR | 1:06.66 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Claudia Bellotto | ARG | 1:10.27 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Raphaelynne Lee | HKG | 1:14.66 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:04.34 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Enith Brigitha | NED | 1:04.98 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Nadezhda Stavko | URS | 1:05.39 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Glenda Robertson | AUS | 1:06.19 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Monique Rodahl | NZL | 1:06.73 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Naoko Miura | JPN | 1:08.31 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Deirdre Sheehan | IRL | 1:11.53 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ulrike Richter | GDR | 1:03.61 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:04.31 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Diane Edelijn | NED | 1:05.56 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Yoshimi Nishigawa | JPN | 1:05.78 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Heike John | FRG | 1:06.20 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Gunilla Lundberg | SWE | 1:07.73 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Pierrette Michel | BEL | 1:12.73 |
| Date | 20 July 1976 — 19:15 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ulrike Richter | GDR | 1:02.39 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Nancy Garapick | CAN | 1:03.75 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:03.94 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:04.17 | ||
| 5 | 5 | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:04.21 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:04.89 | ||
| 7 | 6 | Enith Brigitha | NED | 1:05.21 | ||
| 8 | 2 | Nadezhda Stavko | URS | 1:05.23 | ||
| 9 | 7 | Diane Edelijn | NED | 1:05.58 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Klavdiya Studennikova | URS | 1:05.73 | ||
| 11 | 3 | Linda Jezek | USA | 1:06.01 | ||
| 12 | 8 | Michelle de Vries | AUS | 1:06.02 | ||
| 13 | 8 | Heike John | FRG | 1:06.26 | ||
| 14 | 6 | Tauna Vandeweghe | USA | 1:06.29 | ||
| 15 | 1 | Yoshimi Nishigawa | JPN | 1:06.46 | ||
| 16 | 1 | Glenda Robertson | AUS | 1:06.93 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ulrike Richter | GDR | 1:02.39 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:04.21 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:04.89 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Klavdiya Studennikova | URS | 1:05.73 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Linda Jezek | USA | 1:06.01 | ||
| 6 | 8 | Michelle de Vries | AUS | 1:06.02 | ||
| 7 | 6 | Tauna Vandeweghe | USA | 1:06.29 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Glenda Robertson | AUS | 1:06.93 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Nancy Garapick | CAN | 1:03.75 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:03.94 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:04.17 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Enith Brigitha | NED | 1:05.21 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Nadezhda Stavko | URS | 1:05.23 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Diane Edelijn | NED | 1:05.58 | ||
| 7 | 8 | Heike John | FRG | 1:06.26 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Yoshimi Nishigawa | JPN | 1:06.46 |
| Date | 21 July 1976 — 19:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ulrike Richter | GDR | 1:01.83 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Birgit Treiber | GDR | 1:03.41 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Nancy Garapick | CAN | 1:03.71 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Wendy Hogg | CAN | 1:03.93 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 1:05.16 | ||
| 6 | 8 | Nadezhda Stavko | URS | 1:05.19 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Antje Stille | GDR | 1:05.30 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Diane Edelijn | NED | 1:05.53 |
