Swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metre freestyle
The final of the women's 800 metre freestyle event for the 1976 Summer Olympics was held on July 25, 1976, in Montreal, after the preliminary heats on July 24, 1976.Results
Heats
Heat 1
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Nicole Kramer | | 8:46.81 | Q, OR |
| 2 | Shannon Smith | | 8:52.66 | Q |
| 3 | Lisa Geary | | 8:56.49 | |
| 4 | Allison Calder | | 8:57.24 | |
| 5 | Carine Verbauwen | | 8:57.31 | |
| 6 | Laura Bortolotti | | 9:00.16 | |
Heat 2
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Petra Thümer | | 8:46.58 | Q, OR |
| 2 | Regina Jäger | | 8:49.19 | Q |
| 3 | Wendy Weinberg | | 8:49.78 | Q |
| 4 | Wendy Quirk | | 8:53.93 | |
| 5 | Eleonora Pandini | | 9:12.47 | |
| 6 | Fernanda Pérez | | 9:36.10 | |
| - | Maria Guimarães | | - | DQ |
Heat 3
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Shirley Babashoff | | 8:47.74 | Q |
| 2 | Jenny Turrall | | 8:51.41 | Q |
| 3 | Rosemary Milgate | | 8:53.65 | Q |
| 4 | Annelies Maas | | 8:57.38 | |
| 5 | Tracey Wickham | | 9:01.93 | |
| 6 | Antonia Real | | 9:07.24 | |
| 7 | Diana Hatler | | 9:43.51 | |
Final
