Considered one of the greatest untold stories in Olympic Swimming history, The Last Gold, a feature-length documentary, will air on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) with limited commercial interruption, on Monday, August 1, at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.
Produced by USA Swimming, The Last Gold details the remarkable efforts of the women’s 1976 U.S. Olympic swim team as it competed against the systematically-doped East Germans. After an entire competition of disappointing results, winning no races and facing critical media that heaped-on additional pressure, the U.S. women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay team of Kim Peyton, Wendy Boglioli, Jill Sterkel and Shirley Babashoff rallied together to do as a team what they could not do individually – win gold
This film documents an incredible story that many people outside the swimming community may not know, but this telling of The Last Gold is an ideal prelude to the Rio Olympic Games,” said Chuck Wielgus, Executive Director of USA Swimming and Executive Producer of the film. “This topic is as relevant today as it was 40 year ago and the NBCSN broadcast honors those athletes from the 1976 Olympic team who kept their focus and believed that anything was possible.”
The film, directed by 15-time Emmy winner Brian T. Brown and narrated by Emmy Award-winning actress Julianna Margulies, premiered during the 2016 LA Film Festival as one of only 12 documentary films chosen from over 4,000 submissions.
“We are pleased to join with our partners at USA Swimming to share this important and timely story,” said Joe Gesue, Senior Vice President, Production, Olympics, and Executive Editor NBC Sports Group. “The Last Gold recognizes the astonishing determination of the women of the U.S. Olympic swim team with an expertly balanced and compassionate account of their experience at the Montreal Games.”
NBC Olympics’ presentation of the 2016 U.S. Olympics Team Trials featured more television and live streaming hours than ever before, with primetime television coverage averaging 5.1 million viewers.
NBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympic Games will span across NBC, NBCSN, Bravo, CNBC, Golf Channel, MSNBC, USA Network, TELEMUNDO, NBC UNIVERSO, the NBC Sports app, and NBCOlympics.com, including live streaming of all competition. To follow NBC’s swimming coverage, visit: http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming
For more information about The Last Gold, visit: www.TheLastGold.com and follow on Twitter at: @TheLastGoldFilm
USA Swimming Contributed this report.
I know I’m going to watched it I knew Shirley Bashashoff when she swam in Huntington Beach under Flip Darr, so yes I will enjoy watching it.
Although my sister, Maryanne Graham Keever, is not mentioned in the movie, she was on the ladies swim team. She worked her heart out and was overwhelmed by the sheer size and super-strength displayed by the team that used drugs to win the gold.
Too bad that the Olympic committee did not pursue this travesty.
KIM PEYTON WAS MY FIRST COUSIN. I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE WATCHING THIS TONIGHT WITH MY FAMILY.
My family will be tuned in!
Just watched this excellent documentary. I hope NBC re-airs it again and again, so that generations of Americans (and Germans) can see it. Outstanding film about truly amazing women. I was only four in 1976, so my first memories of the Summer Olympics began in 1984.
We missed it. When will it be ran again?
Great documentary. When will this wrong be righted and the proper recipients receive their medals? The fact that the East Germans cheated is not in dispute. The cheating and doping was systemic and systematic. It’s amazing to me that the girls who cheated were compensated but the real victims (the other competing swim teams) have not been. At least give the medals to those who deserve them.