The Soviet Union won the gold medal in the first Olympic women's basketball tournament in 1976.
Women's basketball made its Olympic debut at the Montreal Games. Six national teams played in a single round-robin group, meaning every team faced each of the other five teams. The Soviet team went undefeated, winning all five games and finishing first.
The United States earned silver, while Bulgaria took bronze. A close finish between the United States and Bulgaria was settled by the Americans' head-to-head victory over Bulgaria. The Soviet Union's triumph began a powerful Olympic basketball tradition: the team also won women's gold in 1980 and 1992, while the unified Russian team later remained a major force.
A common mix-up is to remember the United States as the winner because the American women's team eventually became dominant, especially after the 1996 Olympics. However, the United States did not win the inaugural tournament; it finished second behind the Soviet Union.