100 metres Breaststroke, Women

In the absence of the East German women, the three pre-meet favorites were Canada’s Anne Ottenbrite, Japan’s Hiroko Nagasaki, and American Tracy Caulkins. But they qualified only 6-7-8 in the prelims, and Caulkins only made the final after the disqualification of Italy’s Manuela Dalla Valle for using an illegal kick. The leading qualifier was Frenchwoman Cathérine Poirot, a veteran with an undistinguished international career, but one who had improved dramatically in the Olympic year. The second best mark in the prelims was set by Petra van Staveren of the Netherlands, another international veteran, who had trailed in the East German wakes for several years. The final seemed wide open.

But van Staveren controlled the entire race. She turned a half-bodylength in front of Poirot and Caulkins, although Caulkins had a great turn to almost make up the deficit. But then Ottenbrite and Poirot passed her near the wall to decide the medals. Van Staveren’s gold was a surprise but her national record of 1:09.88 made her the fifth fastest performer of all-time. Nagasaki was never a factor, placing sixth. This was the only women’s event in Los Angeles in which American women did not win a medal.