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| Event type

400 metres, Women

Date14 – 16 October 1968
StatusOlympic
LocationEstadio Olímpico Universitario, Ciudad de México
Participants29 from 21 countries

Great Britain’s Lillian Board was favored based on fast times early in the year. The lead in the final was taken by Jarvis Scott (USA) but she faded at 300 metres and Board took over. In the last 20 metres, France’s Colette Besson pulled up to win the gold medal with Board second. Besson was completely unheralded prior to the competition, but would place second in the 400 at the 1969 European Championships. Britain’s press was somewhat critical of Board, but later had cause to regret that. Within 18 months of the 1968 Olympics, she was diagnosed with cancer and died in December 1970, when she was only 22.

Another story concerned Dutch athlete Lia Hinten-Louer. The former pentathlete had concentrated on the 400 m since the Tokyo Games and she flew to Mexico ranked fourth in the world having recently broken the national record. She felt unwell on arrival and, after visiting a doctor, discovered she was 10 weeks pregnant. Hinten-Louer withdrew from the Games and immediately retired from the sport.

PosNumberCompetitorNOCR1SFFinal
1117Colette BessonFRA53.1 (1 h1)53.6 (2 h1)52.0 (1)Gold
2126Lillian BoardGBR52.9 (2 h2)52.5 (1 h2)52.1 (2)Silver
3238Nataliya PechenkinaURS53.7 (1 h4)52.8 (3 h2)52.2 (3)Bronze
4141Janet SimpsonGBR53.6 (3 h3)54.0 (3 h1)52.5 (4)
569Aurelia PentónCUB52.8 (1 h2)54.0 (4 h1)52.7 (5)
6102Jarvis ScottUSA53.5 (2 h1)53.2 (4 h2)52.7 (6)
75Helga HenningFRG53.5 (3 h1)53.3 (1 h1)52.8 (7)
8154Mirna van der Hoeven-JansenNED53.1 (1 h3)52.6 (2 h2)53.0 (8)
5 h1 r2/3104Esther StroyUSA53.5 (2 h3)54.3 (5 h1)
5 h2 r2/3127Mary GreenGBR53.9 (2 h4)53.6 (5 h2)
6 h1 r2/3180Una MorrisJAM54.1 (4 h2)54.6 (6 h1)
6 h2 r2/3219Karin WallgrenSWE54.2 (3 h4)53.9 (6 h2)
7 h1 r2/3249Ingrīda VerbeleURS54.0 (3 h2)54.6 (7 h1)
7 h2 r2/3122Monique NoirotFRA53.6 (4 h3)54.2 (7 h2)
8 h1 r2/356Joan FisherCAN54.6 (4 h1)55.2 (8 h1)
8 h2 r2/391Lois DrinkwaterUSA54.5 (4 h4)57.3 (8 h2)
5 h1 r1/3185Enriqueta BasilioMEX55.6 (5 h1)
5 h2 r1/354Anne CovellCAN54.3 (5 h2)
5 h3 r1/3183Tekla ChemabwaiKEN54.0 (5 h3)
5 h4 r1/3172Donata GovoniITA54.7 (5 h4)
6 h1 r1/332Joyce BennettAUS56.5 (6 h1)
6 h2 r1/372Anna ChmelkováTCH54.9 (6 h2)
6 h3 r1/334Sandra BrownAUS55.4 (6 h3)
6 h4 r1/3112Eeva HaimiFIN55.0 (6 h4)
7 h2 r1/3164Antónia MunkácsiHUN55.6 (7 h2)
7 h3 r1/3171Channa ShezifiISR56.3 (7 h3)
7 h4 r1/3252Josefa VicentURU56.3 (7 h4)
8 h2 r1/364Jean RobothamCRC58.2 (8 h2)
8 h4 r1/3193Olajumoke BodunrinNGR57.0 (8 h4)
DNS47Irenice Maria RodriguesBRA
DNS151Lia LouerNED
DNS218Elisabeth ÖstbergSWE

Round One

Date14 October 1968 — 10:40
FormatTop four in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat #1

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
1117Colette BessonFRA53.153.11Q
2102Jarvis ScottUSA53.553.53Q
35Helga HenningFRG53.553.58Q
456Joan FisherCAN54.654.62Q
5185Enriqueta BasilioMEX55.655.47
632Joyce BennettAUS56.556.56

Heat #2

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
169Aurelia PentónCUB52.852.86Q
2126Lillian BoardGBR52.953.00Q
3249Ingrīda VerbeleURS54.054.07Q
4180Una MorrisJAM54.154.19Q
554Anne CovellCAN54.354.34
672Anna ChmelkováTCH54.954.91
7164Antónia MunkácsiHUN55.655.61
864Jean RobothamCRC58.258.25

Heat #3

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
1154Mirna van der Hoeven-JansenNED53.153.17Q
2104Esther StroyUSA53.553.58Q
3141Janet SimpsonGBR53.653.63Q
4122Monique NoirotFRA53.653.67Q
5183Tekla ChemabwaiKEN54.054.05
634Sandra BrownAUS55.455.43
7171Channa ShezifiISR56.356.38

Heat #4

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
1238Nataliya PechenkinaURS53.753.73Q
2127Mary GreenGBR53.954.00Q
3219Karin WallgrenSWE54.254.30Q
491Lois DrinkwaterUSA54.554.56Q
5172Donata GovoniITA54.754.77
6112Eeva HaimiFIN55.055.01
7252Josefa VicentURU56.356.34
8193Olajumoke BodunrinNGR57.057.09

Semi-Finals

Date15 October 1968 — 15:20
FormatTop four in each heat advanced to the final.

Heat #1

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
15Helga HenningFRG53.353.33Q
2117Colette BessonFRA53.653.62Q
3141Janet SimpsonGBR54.054.01Q
469Aurelia PentónCUB54.054.08Q
5104Esther StroyUSA54.354.35
6180Una MorrisJAM54.654.63
7249Ingrīda VerbeleURS54.654.67
856Joan FisherCAN55.255.37

Heat #2

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
1126Lillian BoardGBR52.552.56Q
2154Mirna van der Hoeven-JansenNED52.652.69Q
3238Nataliya PechenkinaURS52.852.83Q
4102Jarvis ScottUSA53.253.22Q
5127Mary GreenGBR53.653.64
6219Karin WallgrenSWE53.953.93
7122Monique NoirotFRA54.254.30
891Lois DrinkwaterUSA57.357.39

Final

Date16 October 1968 — 17:00
PosCompetitorNOCTime (Hand)Time (Automatic)
1Colette BessonFRA52.052.03=OR
2Lillian BoardGBR52.152.12
3Nataliya PechenkinaURS52.252.25
4Janet SimpsonGBR52.552.57
5Aurelia PentónCUB52.752.75
6Jarvis ScottUSA52.752.79
7Helga HenningFRG52.852.89
8Mirna van der Hoeven-JansenNED53.053.02