| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women

Date	25 July 1976
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscine olympique, Montréal, Québec
Participants	60 from 14 countries

This was the final swimming event for women in Montréal. Of the previous 12 events at the 1976 Olympics, the German Democratic Republic (GDR – East Germany) had won 11, with one won by the Soviet Union (200 metre breaststroke). The GDR were overwhelming favorites and they put out their best swimmer, Kornelia Ender, on the opening leg to finish the race early. Ender opened a 1.16 second lead over American Kim Peyton and it seemed over. But Wendy Boglioli, swimming the second leg for the US, pulled back time as did third swimmer Jill Sterkel, who actually put the USA in the lead. As Claudia Hempel (GDR) and Shirley Babashoff started their anchor legs, the USA led by .40 seconds. Babashoff had been frustrated at Montréal by her inability to defeat Ender, whom she openly accused of using drugs, accusations that would prove to be true, but not fully known until after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the release of East German sporting documents. But on the anchor Babashoff achieved a measure of redemption when she out-swam Hempel to give the United States its only women’s swimming gold medal in Montréal.

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	–	United States	USA	3:50.27 (1 h1)	3:44.82 (1)	Gold
	240	Kim Peyton		–	–
	222	Wendy Boglioli		–	–
	243	Jill Sterkel		–	–
	220	Shirley Babashoff		–	–
	232	Jennifer Hooker		–	–
2	–	East Germany	GDR	3:48.95 (1 h2)	3:45.50 (2)	Silver
	99	Kornelia Ender		–	–
	110	Petra Priemer		–	–
	109	Andrea Pollack		–	–
	102	Claudia Hempel		–	–
3	–	Canada	CAN	3:49.69 (2 h2)	3:48.81 (3)	Bronze
	35	Gail Amundrud		–	–
	40	Barbara Clark		–	–
	55	Becky Smith		–	–
	47	Anne Jardin		–	–
	41	Debbie Clarke		–	–
4	–	Netherlands	NED	3:53.40 (2 h1)	3:51.67 (4)
	138	Ineke Ran		–	–
	134	Linda Faber		–	–
	136	Annelies Maas		–	–
	131	Enith Brigitha		–	–
	135	Berber Kamstra DNS		–	–
5	–	Soviet Union	URS	3:53.67 (3 h2)	3:52.69 (5)
	207	Lyubov Kobzova		–	–
	217	Irina Vlasova		–	–
	206	Marina Klyuchnikova		–	–
	215	Larisa Tsaryova		–	–
6	–	France	FRA	3:56.89 (3 h1)	3:56.73 (6)
	71	Guylaine Berger		–	–
	75	Sylvie Le Noach		–	–
	72	Caroline Carpentier		–	–
	77	Chantal Schertz		–	–
	76	Catherine Recouvreur DNS		–	–
7	–	Sweden	SWE	3:57.48 (4 h1)	3:57.25 (7)
	193	Pia Mårtensson		–	–
	195	Ylva Persson		–	–
	194	Diana Olsson		–	–
	188	Ida Hanson		–	–
	192	Gunilla Lundberg		–	–
	191	Carina Ljungdahl DNS		–	–
8	–	West Germany	FRG	3:58.09 (5 h1)	3:58.33 (8)
	128	Jutta Weber		–	–
	126	Marion Platten		–	–
	124	Regina Nissen		–	–
	121	Beate Jasch		–	–
	118	Gudrun Beckmann		–	–
9	6	Australia	AUS	3:58.87 (4 h2)	–
	19	Jenny Tate		–	–
	10	Lesleigh Harvey		–	–
	21	Tracey Wickham		–	–
	13	Drue Le Guier		–	–
	8	Sonya Gray DNS		–	–
10	2	Belgium	BEL	4:00.35 (6 h1)	–
	28	Anne Richard		–	–
	30	Carine Verbauwen		–	–
	26	Chantal Grimard		–	–
	23	Geert Boekhout		–	–
11	2	Great Britain	GBR	4:00.97 (5 h2)	–
	89	Debbie Hill		–	–
	84	Ann Bradshaw		–	–
	87	Susan Edmondson		–	–
	88	Elaine Gray		–	–
12	7	Venezuela	VEN	4:12.81 (7 h1)	–
	257	Vania Vázquez		–	–
	255	Ivis Poleo		–	–
	251	Marianela Huen		–	–
	254	María Pérez		–	–
	252	María Hung DNS		–	–
13	7	Argentina	ARG	4:14.57 (6 h2)	–
	–	Susana Coppo		–	–
	–	Patricia Spohn		–	–
	–	Claudia Bellotto		–	–
	–	Rossana Juncos		–	–
14	1	Puerto Rico	PUR	4:18.40 (7 h2)	–
	180	Diana Hatler		–	–
	181	Ángela López		–	–
	182	María Mock		–	–
	179	Jane Fayer		–	–
DNS	–	Italy	ITA	–	–
	149	Laura Bortolotti DNS		–	–
	151	Iris Corniani DNS		–	–
	152	Elisabetta Dessy DNS		–	–
	154	Antonella Roncelli DNS		–	–

Round One

Date	25 July 1976 — 9:30
Format	Fastest 8 advanced to the final round.

Pos	Lane	Team	NOC	Time
1	4	East Germany	GDR	3:48.95	QOR
2	5	Canada	CAN	3:49.69	Q
3	4	United States	USA	3:50.27	QOR
4	5	Netherlands	NED	3:53.40	Q
5	3	Soviet Union	URS	3:53.67	Q
6	1	France	FRA	3:56.89	Q
7	6	Sweden	SWE	3:57.48	Q
8	3	West Germany	FRG	3:58.09	Q
9	6	Australia	AUS	3:58.87
10	2	Belgium	BEL	4:00.35
11	2	Great Britain	GBR	4:00.97
12	7	Venezuela	VEN	4:12.81
13	7	Argentina	ARG	4:14.57
14	1	Puerto Rico	PUR	4:18.40

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	United States	USA	3:50.27	– (–)	– (–)	QOR
Lead-off	–	Jill Sterkel		–	57.31 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Wendy Boglioli		–	57.35 (1)	1:54.66 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Jennifer Hooker		–	58.17 (1)	2:52.83 (1)
Anchor	–	Kim Peyton		–	57.44 (2)	– (–)
2	5	Netherlands	NED	3:53.40	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Ineke Ran		–	58.58 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Linda Faber		–	59.76 (4)	1:58.34 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Annelies Maas		–	58.24 (2)	2:56.58 (2)
Anchor	–	Enith Brigitha		–	56.82 (1)	– (–)
3	1	France	FRA	3:56.89	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Chantal Schertz		–	1:00.23 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Sylvie Le Noach		–	59.15 (2)	1:59.38 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Caroline Carpentier		–	59.56 (3)	2:58.94 (3)
Anchor	–	Guylaine Berger		–	57.95 (3)	– (–)
4	6	Sweden	SWE	3:57.48	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Pia Mårtensson		–	59.49 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ylva Persson		–	59.25 (3)	1:58.74 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Gunilla Lundberg		–	59.83 (4)	2:58.57 (4)
Anchor	–	Ida Hanson		–	58.91 (4)	– (–)
5	3	West Germany	FRG	3:58.09	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Jutta Weber		–	58.20 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Gudrun Beckmann		–	59.88 (5)	1:58.08 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Regina Nissen		–	1:00.90 (5)	2:58.98 (5)
Anchor	–	Marion Platten		–	59.11 (5)	– (–)
6	2	Belgium	BEL	4:00.35	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Anne Richard		–	59.51 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Carine Verbauwen		–	1:00.14 (6)	1:59.65 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Chantal Grimard		–	1:01.02 (6)	3:00.67 (6)
Anchor	–	Geert Boekhout		–	59.68 (6)	– (–)
7	7	Venezuela	VEN	4:12.81	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Vania Vázquez		–	1:02.75 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ivis Poleo		–	1:02.58 (7)	2:05.33 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Marianela Huen		–	1:03.36 (7)	3:08.69 (7)
Anchor	–	María Pérez		–	1:04.12 (7)	– (–)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	East Germany	GDR	3:48.95	– (–)	– (–)	QOR
Lead-off	–	Kornelia Ender		–	56.77 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Petra Priemer		–	57.17 (2)	1:53.94 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Andrea Pollack		–	58.24 (2)	2:52.18 (1)
Anchor	–	Claudia Hempel		–	56.77 (1)	– (–)
2	5	Canada	CAN	3:49.69	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Gail Amundrud		–	57.93 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Barbara Clark		–	56.59 (1)	1:54.52 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Debbie Clarke		–	58.09 (1)	2:52.61 (2)
Anchor	–	Anne Jardin		–	57.08 (2)	– (–)
3	3	Soviet Union	URS	3:53.67	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Lyubov Kobzova		–	58.42 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Irina Vlasova		–	58.76 (3)	1:57.18 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Marina Klyuchnikova		–	59.16 (3)	2:56.34 (3)
Anchor	–	Larisa Tsaryova		–	57.33 (3)	– (–)
4	6	Australia	AUS	3:58.87	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Jenny Tate		–	59.35 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Lesleigh Harvey		–	1:00.23 (4)	1:59.58 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Tracey Wickham		–	1:00.35 (5)	2:59.93 (4)
Anchor	–	Drue Le Guier		–	58.94 (4)	– (–)
5	2	Great Britain	GBR	4:00.97	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Debbie Hill		–	1:00.14 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ann Bradshaw		–	1:01.00 (5)	2:01.14 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Susan Edmondson		–	59.79 (4)	3:00.93 (5)
Anchor	–	Elaine Gray		–	1:00.04 (5)	– (–)
6	7	Argentina	ARG	4:14.57	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Susana Coppo		–	1:02.47 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Patricia Spohn		–	1:05.66 (6)	2:08.13 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Claudia Bellotto		–	1:05.28 (7)	3:13.41 (6)
Anchor	–	Rossana Juncos		–	1:01.16 (6)	– (–)
7	1	Puerto Rico	PUR	4:18.40	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Diana Hatler		–	1:02.63 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ángela López		–	1:08.28 (7)	2:10.91 (7)
3rd Leg	–	María Mock		–	1:04.48 (6)	3:15.39 (7)
Anchor	–	Jane Fayer		–	1:03.01 (7)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	25 July 1976 — 20:45

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	3	United States	USA	3:44.82	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-off	–	Kim Peyton		–	56.95 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Wendy Boglioli		–	55.81 (1)	1:52.76 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Jill Sterkel		–	55.78 (1)	2:48.54 (1)
Anchor	–	Shirley Babashoff		–	56.28 (2)	– (–)
2	4	East Germany	GDR	3:45.50	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Kornelia Ender		–	55.79 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Petra Priemer		–	56.16 (2)	1:51.95 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Andrea Pollack		–	56.99 (2)	2:48.94 (2)
Anchor	–	Claudia Hempel		–	56.56 (3)	– (–)
3	5	Canada	CAN	3:48.81	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Gail Amundrud		–	57.60 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Barbara Clark		–	57.05 (3)	1:54.65 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Becky Smith		–	57.13 (3)	2:51.78 (3)
Anchor	–	Anne Jardin		–	57.03 (4)	– (–)
4	6	Netherlands	NED	3:51.67	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Ineke Ran		–	58.86 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Linda Faber		–	59.42 (8)	1:58.28 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Annelies Maas		–	57.48 (4)	2:55.76 (4)
Anchor	–	Enith Brigitha		–	55.91 (1)	– (–)
5	2	Soviet Union	URS	3:52.69	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Lyubov Kobzova		–	58.07 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Irina Vlasova		–	58.58 (4)	1:56.65 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Marina Klyuchnikova		–	58.57 (5)	2:55.22 (5)
Anchor	–	Larisa Tsaryova		–	57.47 (5)	– (–)
6	7	France	FRA	3:56.73	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Guylaine Berger		–	58.99 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Sylvie Le Noach		–	58.76 (5)	1:57.75 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Caroline Carpentier		–	59.82 (7)	2:57.57 (6)
Anchor	–	Chantal Schertz		–	59.16 (7)	– (–)
7	1	Sweden	SWE	3:57.25	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Pia Mårtensson		–	59.57 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ylva Persson		–	59.06 (6)	1:58.63 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Diana Olsson		–	59.76 (6)	2:58.39 (7)
Anchor	–	Ida Hanson		–	58.86 (6)	– (–)
8	8	West Germany	FRG	3:58.33	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Jutta Weber		–	58.02 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Marion Platten		–	59.35 (7)	1:57.37 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Regina Nissen		–	1:00.59 (8)	2:57.96 (8)
Anchor	–	Beate Jasch		–	1:00.37 (8)	– (–)