Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
On 23 July 1976, athletics competitions began at the Montreal Olympic Games, resulting in world records and notable performances. Among the highlights was Annegret Richter’s 100m victory for West Germany, halting Eastern Bloc dominance in women’s sprinting. East Germany captured nine of the fourteen women’s athletics golds, with the Soviet Union winning two, and Poland and Bulgaria one each.
Richter, 25, was instrumental in challenging East Germany’s sprint supremacy alongside her training partner Inge Helten. Both had set world records in the 100m shortly before the Games. Richter equaled a hand-timed 10.8 seconds, and Helten ran 11.04 seconds. In Montreal, Richter improved upon Helten’s electronic world record with 11.01 seconds in the semi-final, despite not running at full throttle. In the final, after three false starts, Richter clinched gold in 11.08 seconds, 0.05 seconds ahead of Renate Stecher, with Helten earning bronze in 11.17 seconds.
Richter later placed second in the 200m with 22.41 seconds, narrowly missing a sprint double, as East German Bärbel Eckert won gold. Stecher claimed bronze in 22.47 seconds and helped East Germany win the 4x100m relay against West Germany.
Cuban athlete Alberto Juantorena achieved a remarkable feat, winning both the 400m and 800m events at the same Games, a unique Olympic double at the time.