Legend

No wedge block no underwater dolphin no speed suit no internet and 48.63 get the F outta here ( what a champ

The relay team were inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame last night (10/5/2024).Well deserved.

Credit to Thorpe: he was the first to use the benefits of the bodycompressing and air trapping suits.

Matt Biondi was astonishing and very good looking ,I watched these whole Olympics and I was 11 ,still watching it till today and he was my first crush 😉 for an Olympian .❤

36 years later, David Berkoff's daughter also medaled at this event.

This race is widely considered as the GREATEST race in the history of the summer Olympics !

Peter VH almost did the improbable at these games, 200m, 100m and fractions off 50m gold. That would have been truly amazing, up there fast forward with what Phelps and Marchand (2024) have achieved.

Talk about pressure on a young 17yr old thorpe , he just won a silver medal against a brilliant world record holder and olympic champian and you would think he came last in a heat the way the media carried on. How sad he wasnt praised and lifted up high gor such a magnificent achievement, silver medal againt the worlds best at 17 and under pressure from your own country . Well done ian , there will never be another swimmer that changed the world of swimming like you have.

Now we all know the east Germany team used performance enhancing drugs to win! They were cheaters.

Before Michael Phelps, I used to think that Lenny was the man when it came to swimming as a little boy.

I apologize for my actions and words.

I don’t feel well.

Thank you.

This almost became Beijing 2000.

Commentator John Naber went 55:4 in Montreal Olympics 1976 with absolutely NO Dolphin and much slower Backstroke flip ,not a bucket turn . That guy was a GOD . the top 3 USA bacvkstrokers were all Huge 6-6. Peter Rocca and Bob Jackson.

Be very careful. This race is strong medicine. I don’t care how many times I watch it, I become 13 again. At 150 to go, I still get sick, thinking this is over. No one is stopping the Albatross. But that last 50, I don’t know if any American has ever swum a better lap than Hayes did. And when Mark Spitz and Jim Lampley lose it, I do, too.

Jill Sterkel won that race for them on the flip turn.

Even nowadays, that time in 100 m freestyle is astonishing.

Brilliant. Well done ladies 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💪🏻🇬🇧🇺🇲

These women were FLYING

Award ceremony and anthem of the USA: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opC3lXide52LkJosi=t35Q3_MfkgxfaC_n

I love how Shirley is holding her shoes. It was just a different world like if you look at the nineteen eighty eight australian open final tennis

May Kim Peyton rest in peace so sorry for her family

Monstrous performance by Jill Sterkel

They should make a dolphin kick 50m competition

Orn Arnarson is my trainer right now, im serious

No, Donna, it's not the training system. It's the DRUGS!!!! These announcers are CLUELESS. And don't say nobody knew!! Has DeVarona made any statement when the doping revelations came (officially) to light?

Training methods? Oh, we just juice up! Unbelievable the way East Germany cheated!!!!!

Donna - DDR were roided up more than Barry Bonds. No one in the media had the guts to call them out except Babashoff.

can you tell that Curt Gowdy kept cutting off Donna DeVerona

Did anyone make swimsuits in the 70s other than Speedo? I loved my Speedos.

I remember watching this as a kid and it convinced me to continue with swimming and not a tennis player. I ended up becoming an Olympian myself!

Love the pre-race comments about the professional, high altitude training of the East German team and how that is why they were so dominant.

Hello boomers

One of the greatest sporting moments of all time especially so now that we know the truth of East German training methods. Remember watching this at the time and so so pleased for Shirley Babashoff a great great olympian.

Jill sterkel my baby flying albatross did that at 15 years of age. Still goosebumps today 💕

Berkoff got fatigue in the last 10m it shows from his weak kicking.

How the heck does someone swim the exact same time in the semi and final? Thats probably the only time that happened to a gold medalist

There was so much pride in The USA back then being the Bicentennial year. Plus, United States athletes wanted to do well for America and stand on top of the podium to see The American Flag raised as The Star Bangled Banner played. There was no kneeling or any protest. Just the emotion of being proud to be an American. I used to say that anyone who had athletic abilities in the eastern block countries wanted to do well because that was their only chance to see the outside world. They were good but they were forced to be good. Not to mention, the communist countries paid their athletes. The United States was still strictly amateur back then. God Bless America!!

When the Olympics mattered...

I have just realized Mark Tewksburry was there, in lane 1. Four years later in Barcelona, the Canadian upset Jeff Rouse (WR holder) and Berkoff.

This is memorable to me : 1. Daichi Suzuki upset David Berkoff 2. Swimmers went underwater for long. When watching live on TV that time, I said "Where were those swimmers ? What were they doing underwater ?" Yeah, it is fun to watch.

03:16 Daichi Suzuki (Da - Ee - CHEE) Not .. DAA-KAY XD

This is the Equal of Miracle on Ice ... this should be much more famous ... I cry every time with sheer joy ... it's the back story of East German cheating, bastard commies, that makes this so-o stupendous. Shirley babashoff was The Leader, and all four decided, win or die, No Way! would they bow to the hairy women! Lessons for Today?

I actually forgot about Welsh and Piersol for a while. I feel bad.

"He's helpless in the pool". Was the lifeguard not listening?

They say a victory isn't as sweet when it comes easy. I too believe victories are sweeter when it was hard as hell to achieve!

If the US Swimmers thought all those East German victories bit, what do you think it felt like for Canadians? In Montreal, Canada became the first, and so far only, nation to fail to win Summer Olympic gold as host nation. In three women's swimming events -- 100 back, 200 back and 400 IM -- the fastest non-Est German was a Canadian. To think three gold medals that should have gone to Canadians! Cheryl Gibson could have been Olympic champion and Nancy Garapick could have been a double-gold medallist for Canada.

Me thinks the East Germans knew they'd lose because they let Korneila Ender go first and try for a world record. Relays are supposed to be about what is best for the team, not what is best one one member of the team. I've seen this happen since in other swim meets. A relay team knows it does not have the athletes to win the race. So it puts its fastest swimmer up first in an attempt to break some sort of record(s). Anyway, Kim Peyton (may she rest in peace) did a great job keeping Ender close enough to keep the U.S. in it. Jill Sterkel at the tender age of 15 excelled and did not crack under pressure. Well done.