# 1976 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

The 1976 United States Olympic trials for track and field were held June 19–27 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. These were the last organized by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU); the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was passed two years later which formed the new national governing body for the sport of track and field, The Athletics Congress. The 1970s was a transitional period where amateur athletes were seeking ways to be paid for their athletic efforts. Many athletes had sacrificed their eligibility to run professionally, others made the attempt and were in transition to regain their amateur status.
The trials for the men's marathon was held in Eugene a month earlier on May 22. The longest race for women at the 1976 Olympics was the 1500 meters, but eventual Olympic marathoners Joan Benoit, Julie Brown, and Francie Larrieu all participated.
For the first time, the men's 50 km race walk was not part of the Olympics, but returned in 1980.
High school athletes Houston McTear, Dwayne Evans, Chandra Cheeseborough, Sheila Ingram, Rhonda Brady, Paula Girven, and Kathy McMillan were successful in these trials.

## Men's results

Key: ≠ Athlete without "A" standard, not selected.

### Men track events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 meters Wind +1.8 | Harvey Glance | 10.11 | Houston McTear | 10.16 | Steve Riddick | 10.18 |
| 200 meters Wind +1.7 | Millard Hampton | 20.10 | Dwayne Evans | 20.22 | Mark Lutz | 20.42 |
| 400 meters | Maxie Parks | 45.58 | Fred Newhouse | 45.76 | Herm Frazier | 45.84 |
| 800 meters | Rick Wohlhuter | 1:44.78 | James Robinson | 1:45.86 | Mark Enyeart | 1:46.28 |
| 1500 meters | Rick Wohlhuter | 3:36.47 | Matt Centrowitz | 3:36.70 | Mike Durkin | 3:36.72 |
| 5000 meters | Dick Buerkle | 13:26.60 | Duncan MacDonald | 13:29.46 | Paul Geis | 13.38.46 |
| 10,000 meters | Frank Shorter | 27:55.45 | Craig Virgin | 27:59.43 | Garry Bjorklund | 28:03.74 |
| 110 m hurdles Wind +2.2 | Charles Foster | 13.44w (13.2h) | Willie Davenport | 13.52w | James Owens | 13.57w |
| 400 m hurdles | Edwin Moses | 48.30 NR | Quentin Wheeler | 48.65 | Mike Shine | 49.33 |
| 3000 m s'chase | Doug Brown | 8.27.39 | Henry Marsh | 8.27.42 | Mike Roche | 8.32.70 |
| 20K racewalk | Todd Scully | 1:25:29 | Ron Laird | 1:25:44 | Larry Walker | 1:25:57 |
| Marathon | Frank Shorter | 2:11:51 | Bill Rodgers | 2:11:59 | Don Kardong | 2:13:54 |
Source:

### Men field events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| High jump | Bill Jankunis | 2.28 m (7 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | Dwight Stones | 2.25 m (7 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | James Barrineau | 2.25 m (7 ft 4+1⁄2 in) |
| Pole vault | Dave Roberts | 5.70 m (18 ft 8+1⁄4 in) WR | Earl Bell | 5.50 m (18 ft 1⁄2 in) | Terry Porter | 5.50 m (18 ft 1⁄2 in) |
| Long jump | Arnie Robinson | 8.37 m (27 ft 5+1⁄2 in)w +3.5 | Larry Myricks | 8.26 m (27 ft 1 in)w +3.8 | Randy Williams | 8.18 m (26 ft 10 in)w +2.7 |
| Triple jump | James Butts | 17.29 m (56 ft 8+1⁄2 in)w +2.9 | Tommy Haynes | 17.02 m (55 ft 10 in)w +2.8 | Rayfield Dupree | 17.01 m (55 ft 9+1⁄2 in)w +2.8 |
| Shot put | Al Feuerbach | 21.12 m (69 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | George Woods | 21.10 m (69 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Pete Shmock | 20.96 m (68 ft 9 in) |
| Discus throw | Mac Wilkins | 68.32 m (224 ft 1 in) | John Powell | 67.34 m (220 ft 11 in) | Jay Silvester | 64.74 m (212 ft 4 in) |
| Hammer throw | Larry Hart | 67.84 m (222 ft 6 in) | Ted Bregar | 67.48 m (221 ft 4 in) | Alvin Jackson | 66.60 m (218 ft 6 in) |
| Javelin throw | Sam Colson | 84.18 m (276 ft 2 in) | Richard George | 82.22 m (269 ft 9 in) | Anthony Hall | 81.58 m (267 ft 7 in) |
| Decathlon | Caitlyn Jenner | 8538 WR | Fred Dixon | 8294 | Fred Samara | 8004 |
Source:

## Women's results
### Women track events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 meters Wind +1.95 | Brenda Morehead | 11.08 | Chandra Cheeseborough | 11.13 | Evelyn Ashford | 11.22 |
| 200 meters Wind +2.3 | Brenda Morehead | 22.49w | Chandra Cheeseborough | 22.64w | Debra Armstrong | 22.74w |
| 400 meters | Sheila Ingram | 52.69 | Debra Sapenter | 52.73 | Rosalyn Bryant | 52.76 |
| 800 meters | Madeline Jackson | 1:59.81 NR | Cyndy Poor | 2:00.55 | Kathy Weston | 2:00.73 |
| 1500 meters | Cyndy Poor | 4:07.32 NR | Jan Merrill | 4:07.35 | Francie Larrieu | 4:08.08 |
| 100 m hurdles Wind +2.3 | Rhonda Brady | 13.25w | Deby LaPlante | 13.27 | Pat Donnelly | 13.36 |
Source:

### Women field events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| High jump | Paula Girven | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | Joni Huntley | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄4 in) | Pam Spencer | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄4 in) |
| Long jump | Kathy McMillan | 6.78 m (22 ft 2+3⁄4 in)w | Sherron Walker | 6.61 m (21 ft 8 in)w | Martha Watson | 6.55 m (21 ft 5+3⁄4 in)w |
| Shot put | Maren Seidler | 16.25 m (53 ft 3+3⁄4 in) | Kathy Devine | 15.54 m (50 ft 11+3⁄4 in) | Mary Jacobsen | 14.71 m (48 ft 3 in) |
| Discus throw | Lynne Winbigler | 50.65 m (166 ft 2 in) | Jan Svendsen | 50.27 m (164 ft 11 in) | Monette Driscoll | 48.93 m (160 ft 6 in) |
| Javelin throw | Kate Schmidt | 65.04 m (213 ft 4 in) | Sherry Calvert | 58.40 m (191 ft 7 in) | Karin Smith | 57.22 m (187 ft 8 in) |
| Pentathlon | Jane Frederick | 4622 | Gale Fitzgerald | 4417 | Marilyn King | 4374 |
Source: