Bronze, Bronze, Bronze: Australia at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics

Australia approached the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal as we have all other Games, expecting a bagful of gold medals and some new sporting heroes, but our hopes were to be shattered. In fact we didn't win any gold medals. The result shocked the nation, and proved to be a crucial turning point in our sporting life.
The Montreal Olympics were the first which Australians were able to see live on television. Amongst those watching Steve Holland's big race were his family and friends in Brisbane. They looked on in horror as he was passed late in the race by Goodell and Hackett. There was clear disappointment in Australia's response to Holland's third place. "I wore the whole blame," he recalls, "I mean we were all looked at like we shamed Australia into that position . . . we've broken the world record, how much more do you have to do? Still got a bronze - but you're failures. You're failures."
But the Australian Olympic team was not prepared to take the criticism which was aimed against them lying down. When PM Malcolm Fraser and wife Tammy visited Montreal, they were told that Australia's government needed to invest more than goodwill in the future of Australian sport. Money was needed for training facilities, to enable the athletes to compete regularly overseas and to free the athletes up from work commitments. When Malcolm Fraser expressed the view that it was more important to participate than to win, the athletes were not impressed - "God, I never went to the Olympic Games to come last or just to be there and perform. I went there to win", says Raelene Boyle.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Olympics
• Montreal
• 1976
• Sumer games
• Australia
• superfish
• raelene
• boyle
• steve
• holland
• DDR
• kornelia
• ender
• AOC
• amateurism
• drugs in sport
• IOC

[shottut]

@metsdudenj Well I am sure that they would have... had it not been for the drug cheats. The young Nancy Garapick won bronze in both 100 and 200 backstroke in Montreal behind 2 East German drug cheats in both events... in fact Canada would have swept the podium in 100 backstroke had it not been for the East German's. Nancy had set a world record in 200 in 75, and an Olympic record in the heats in 100. But she was beaten by the drug cheats from EG.

[jubbadupa]

It was a real disappointment to have Raelene dq'd in the 200 meters, if she equalled her Munich time as she did in the 100 meters (11.23) to place 4th, she would have won bronze in the 200 meters, and she had the world leading time in the event, heading into the Montreal games.

[jokerwildest]

The Olympic games is really a gathering of professional athletes... the games were forever ruined with the inclusion of the professionals.

[Ineddiblehulk]

hmmmm... very interesting point Raelene made at 27:30.

[metsdudenj]

Dont feel bad, the host country in Montreal didnt even win a gold medal.

[zedlacredit]

Yes, absolutely wonderful to see Raelene Boyle's victory in the 100 m.

[karrtt1234]

It was great seeing the women's 100 meters from Christchurch in1974, (at 13:10), it is too bad they didn't include the 100 meters from Montreal in 1976.

[gheko1]

excellent!