| Date | 19 – 20 July 1976 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Piscine olympique, Montréal, Québec |
| Participants | 32 from 22 countries |
The top two breaststrokers in the world since München were American John Hencken and Britain’s David Wilkie, with Hencken considered better in the 100 and Wilkie in the 200. Hencken was World Champion in the 100 in 1973, but Wilkie had won it in 1975 when Hencken did not swim. Hencken had set the last three world records in the event, the current mark standing at 1:03.88, set in 1974. In the first round, he equaled that mark. He improved that in the semi-finals, posting another world record of 1:03.62, pushed by Canadian Graham Smith, who posted 1:03.92 in placing second.
The final was more of the same. Hencken went out well in the lead with 29.38 to the wall, with Wilkie inexplicably back in sixth place after missing his first kick off the start. But Wilkie’s strength brought him back in to finish in 1:03.43, under the recently posted record, but it gained him only silver, as Hencken set his third world record in the event, finishing in 1:03.11 for gold. Smith was unable to match his semi pace, finishing in 1:04.26 to trail Soviet Arvydas Juozaitis, and just miss out on the bronze medal.
Four days later, Wilkie and Hencken would again finish 1-2 in the 200 breaststroke, this time Wilkie having the better of it.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 422 | John Hencken |  USA | 1:03.88 (1 h5) | 1:03.62 (1 h2) | 1:03.11 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 143 | David Wilkie |  GBR | 1:05.19 (=1 h4) | 1:04.29 (1 h1) | 1:03.43 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 377 | Arvydas Juozaitis |  URS | 1:04.78 (1 h2) | 1:04.76 (4 h2) | 1:04.23 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 78 | Graham Smith |  CAN | 1:05.19 (=1 h4) | 1:03.92 (2 h2) | 1:04.26 (4) | |||
| 5 | 259 | Giorgio Lalle |  ITA | 1:06.38 (2 h3) | 1:04.35 (2 h1) | 1:04.37 (5) | |||
| 6 | 167 | Walter Kusch |  FRG | 1:05.88 (3 h2) | 1:04.28 (3 h2) | 1:04.38 (6) | |||
| 7 | – | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.92 (1 h1) | 1:04.59 (3 h1) | 1:04.66 (7) | |||
| 8 | 436 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:05.39 (3 h5) | 1:04.86 (4 h1) | 1:05.13 (8) | |||
| =9 | 169 | Peter Lang | FRG | 1:05.25 (2 h2) | 1:05.19 (5 h2) | – | |||
| =9 | 412 | Larry Dowler | USA | 1:05.32 (3 h4) | 1:05.19 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 11 | 394 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 1:05.38 (2 h1) | 1:05.59 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 12 | 273 | Nobutaka Taguchi |  JPN | 1:04.65 (2 h5) | 1:05.69 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 13 | 131 | David Leigh | GBR | 1:06.12 (1 h3) | 1:05.91 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 14 | – | Paul Jarvie |  AUS | 1:06.22 (5 h5) | 1:06.20 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | 36 | José Sylvio Fiolo |  BRA | 1:06.18 (4 h5) | 1:06.38 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 16 | 40 | Sérgio Ribeiro | BRA | 1:06.07 (4 h4) | 1:06.69 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 17 | 359 | Anders Norling |  SWE | 1:06.52 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 18 | 310 | Ove Wisløff |  NOR | 1:06.85 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| 19 | 372 | Vladimir Dementyev | URS | 1:06.96 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 20 | – | Tateki Shinya | JPN | 1:07.59 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 21 | 97 | Pedro Balcells |  ESP | 1:07.98 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 22 | 320 | Cezary Śmiglak |  POL | 1:08.02 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 23 | – | Steffen Kriechbaum |  AUT | 1:08.09 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 24 | 107 | Tuomo Kerola |  FIN | 1:08.22 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 25 | 447 | Zdravko Divjak |  YUG | 1:08.31 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 26 | 333 | Carlos Nazario |  PUR | 1:08.33 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 27 | 80 | Mel Zajac | CAN | 1:08.52 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 28 | 290 | Gustavo Lozano |  MEX | 1:08.89 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 29 | 440 | Glen Sochasky |  VEN | 1:09.93 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 30 | 32 | Bruce Knowles |  BAH | 1:11.65 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 31 | 323 | Henrique Vicêncio |  POR | 1:13.55 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 32 | 302 | Campari Knoepffler |  NCA | 1:15.18 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 151 | Wolfram Sperling |  GDR | – (DNS h3) | – | – | ||||
| 116 | Bernard Pierre |  FRA | – (DNS h5) | – | – | ||||
| 213 | István Javor |  HUN | – (DNS h3) | – | – | ||||
| 338 | Wang Ching-Chun |  TPE | – (DNS h4) | – | – |
| Date | 19 July 1976 — 11:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | John Hencken | USA | 1:03.88 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 1:04.65 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Arvydas Juozaitis | URS | 1:04.78 | ||
| 4 | 4 | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.92 | ||
| =5 | 4 | David Wilkie | GBR | 1:05.19 | ||
| =5 | 5 | Graham Smith | CAN | 1:05.19 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Peter Lang | FRG | 1:05.25 | ||
| 8 | 3 | Larry Dowler | USA | 1:05.32 | ||
| 9 | 5 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 1:05.38 | ||
| 10 | 3 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:05.39 | ||
| 11 | 4 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 1:05.88 | ||
| 12 | 6 | Sérgio Ribeiro | BRA | 1:06.07 | ||
| 13 | 6 | David Leigh | GBR | 1:06.12 | ||
| 14 | 6 | José Sylvio Fiolo | BRA | 1:06.18 | ||
| 15 | 2 | Paul Jarvie | AUS | 1:06.22 | ||
| 16 | 5 | Giorgio Lalle | ITA | 1:06.38 | ||
| 17 | 7 | Anders Norling | SWE | 1:06.52 | ||
| 18 | 3 | Ove Wisløff | NOR | 1:06.85 | ||
| 19 | 4 | Vladimir Dementyev | URS | 1:06.96 | ||
| 20 | 6 | Tateki Shinya | JPN | 1:07.59 | ||
| 21 | 2 | Pedro Balcells | ESP | 1:07.98 | ||
| 22 | 7 | Cezary Śmiglak | POL | 1:08.02 | ||
| 23 | 2 | Steffen Kriechbaum | AUT | 1:08.09 | ||
| 24 | 7 | Tuomo Kerola | FIN | 1:08.22 | ||
| 25 | 7 | Zdravko Divjak | YUG | 1:08.31 | ||
| 26 | 6 | Carlos Nazario | PUR | 1:08.33 | ||
| 27 | 2 | Mel Zajac | CAN | 1:08.52 | ||
| 28 | 2 | Gustavo Lozano | MEX | 1:08.89 | ||
| 29 | 1 | Glen Sochasky | VEN | 1:09.93 | ||
| 30 | 7 | Bruce Knowles | BAH | 1:11.65 | ||
| 31 | 1 | Henrique Vicêncio | POR | 1:13.55 | ||
| 32 | 1 | Campari Knoepffler | NCA | 1:15.18 | ||
| 3 | Wolfram Sperling | GDR | – | |||
| 1 | István Javor | HUN | – | |||
| 1 | Wang Ching-Chun | TPE | – | |||
| 8 | Bernard Pierre | FRA | – |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.92 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 1:05.38 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Ove Wisløff | NOR | 1:06.85 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Tateki Shinya | JPN | 1:07.59 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Cezary Śmiglak | POL | 1:08.02 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Mel Zajac | CAN | 1:08.52 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Campari Knoepffler | NCA | 1:15.18 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Arvydas Juozaitis | URS | 1:04.78 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Peter Lang | FRG | 1:05.25 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 1:05.88 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Steffen Kriechbaum | AUT | 1:08.09 | ||
| 5 | 7 | Tuomo Kerola | FIN | 1:08.22 | ||
| 6 | 6 | Carlos Nazario | PUR | 1:08.33 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Henrique Vicêncio | POR | 1:13.55 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | David Leigh | GBR | 1:06.12 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Giorgio Lalle | ITA | 1:06.38 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Anders Norling | SWE | 1:06.52 | ||
| 4 | 4 | Vladimir Dementyev | URS | 1:06.96 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Gustavo Lozano | MEX | 1:08.89 | ||
| 3 | Wolfram Sperling | GDR | – | |||
| 1 | István Javor | HUN | – |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | 4 | David Wilkie | GBR | 1:05.19 | ||
| =1 | 5 | Graham Smith | CAN | 1:05.19 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Larry Dowler | USA | 1:05.32 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Sérgio Ribeiro | BRA | 1:06.07 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Pedro Balcells | ESP | 1:07.98 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Bruce Knowles | BAH | 1:11.65 | ||
| 1 | Wang Ching-Chun | TPE | – |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | John Hencken | USA | 1:03.88 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 1:04.65 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:05.39 | ||
| 4 | 6 | José Sylvio Fiolo | BRA | 1:06.18 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Paul Jarvie | AUS | 1:06.22 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Zdravko Divjak | YUG | 1:08.31 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Glen Sochasky | VEN | 1:09.93 | ||
| 8 | Bernard Pierre | FRA | – |
| Date | 19 July 1976 — 19:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | John Hencken | USA | 1:03.62 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Graham Smith | CAN | 1:03.92 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 1:04.28 | ||
| 4 | 3 | David Wilkie | GBR | 1:04.29 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Giorgio Lalle | ITA | 1:04.35 | ||
| 6 | 5 | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.59 | ||
| 7 | 5 | Arvydas Juozaitis | URS | 1:04.76 | ||
| 8 | 2 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:04.86 | ||
| =9 | 6 | Larry Dowler | USA | 1:05.19 | ||
| =9 | 6 | Peter Lang | FRG | 1:05.19 | ||
| 11 | 2 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 1:05.59 | ||
| 12 | 4 | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 1:05.69 | ||
| 13 | 1 | David Leigh | GBR | 1:05.91 | ||
| 14 | 8 | Paul Jarvie | AUS | 1:06.20 | ||
| 15 | 1 | José Sylvio Fiolo | BRA | 1:06.38 | ||
| 16 | 7 | Sérgio Ribeiro | BRA | 1:06.69 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | David Wilkie | GBR | 1:04.29 | ||
| 2 | 8 | Giorgio Lalle | ITA | 1:04.35 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.59 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:04.86 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Larry Dowler | USA | 1:05.19 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 1:05.69 | ||
| 7 | 1 | José Sylvio Fiolo | BRA | 1:06.38 | ||
| 8 | 7 | Sérgio Ribeiro | BRA | 1:06.69 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | John Hencken | USA | 1:03.62 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Graham Smith | CAN | 1:03.92 | ||
| 3 | 7 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 1:04.28 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Arvydas Juozaitis | URS | 1:04.76 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Peter Lang | FRG | 1:05.19 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 1:05.59 | ||
| 7 | 1 | David Leigh | GBR | 1:05.91 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Paul Jarvie | AUS | 1:06.20 |
| Date | 20 July 1976 — 20:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | John Hencken | USA | 1:03.11 | ||
| 2 | 6 | David Wilkie | GBR | 1:03.43 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Arvydas Juozaitis | URS | 1:04.23 | ||
| 4 | 5 | Graham Smith | CAN | 1:04.26 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Giorgio Lalle | ITA | 1:04.37 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 1:04.38 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Duncan Goodhew | GBR | 1:04.66 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Chris Woo | USA | 1:05.13 |
