Kayak Singles, 500 metres, Women

The Soviet Union was the dominant power in the K-1 500, having won it at the last two Olympics and European Championships, as well as the most recent World Championships, and sent its reigning World silver medalist Lyudmila Khvedosyuk to the 1964 Summer Games. The only other medalists from major international tournaments who travelled to Tokyo were Daniela Walkowiak of Poland, the 1960 Olympic bronze medalist, Austria’s Hanneliese Spitz, who had come in third at the 1963 European and World Championships, and Else-Marie Ljungdahl of Sweden, the 1961 European bronze medalist. Khvedosyuk had the fastest time in the opening round, although Hilde Lauer of Romania, the other heat winner, was not far behind. The Soviet dominated the final, however, capturing gold nearly two and a half seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. The race for the remaining podium spots turned into a five-way battle between Ljungdahl, Spitz, Lauer, American Marcia Jones, and German Elke Felten, all of whom crossed the finish line in the span of one second. A review of the photo finish revealed that Lauer had won the silver medal while Jones had taken bronze. Lauer also earned silver in the K-2 500 at the same Games.