Platform, Women

Sweden’s Ulrika Knape was the defending champion and had won the 1973 World Championships. Another favorite was American Janet Ely, the 1975 World Champion, an event in which Knape had placed third. The first surprise occurred when Ely placed ninth in qualifying and did not make the final. In the final Knape led after four dives, while Soviet Irina Kalinina, the 1975 World Championship runner-up, moved ahead after five dives. But on the sixth dive, Kalinina’s teammate, the completely unknown Yelena Vaytsekhovskaya nailed her back 2½ pike and moved into the lead. She was never headed and won a very surprise gold medal. Knape placed second, adding silver to her 1972 gold, while the bronze went to American Debbie Wilson, who had won the US Olympic Trials. Knape was only fourth going into the final dive but her inward 2½ earned her 63.18 points to move up to second.