Caitlyn Jenner reflects on ’76 gold in SI film, magazine cover story

Jenner is the subject of an SI Films documentary and Sports Illustrated cover story.

Forty years after winning Olympic gold at the 1976 Montreal Games, Caitlyn Jenner will reflect on her achievement and journey in an exclusive SI Films documentary and Sports Illustrated cover story, which will debut Tuesday morning.

Jenner gave Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Layden extensive access, opening up about her quest for decathlon gold and how her athletic achievement affected the public’s view of her as a transgender woman.

In the film and story, Jenner reflects on her extraordinary record–setting performance in Montreal and what it means to attain Olympic glory.

“The decathlon for me was the ultimate in what people think of as manhood. So for me, it was a good place to hide,” Jenner told SI. “I had a need to prove myself, that maybe that woman living inside of me isn’t living there.”

In addition to a series of interviews at her Malibu, Calif., home, SI followed Jenner as she retraced the steps she took to win Olympic gold, walking University of Oregon’s track—where she qualified for the 1972 Olympics, her first—and visiting San Jose City College, where she trained ahead of the 1976 Games.

• SI VAULT: Inside Jenner’s life, four years after ’76 Olympic triumph

“We are excited to bring a fresh perspective to one of the greatest athletic performances of all time,” said Paul Fichtenbaum, Sports Illustrated Group Editor. “Obviously, so much has transpired since the ’76 Olympic Games. Thanks to Tim's access, this story is rich with layers, and we’ve got multidimensional content that fans will enjoy across any platform they choose.”

Jenner also won gold in the decathlon at the 1975 Pan–American Games.  

Jenner’s retrospective follows Sports Illustrated’s exclusive film and cover story with soccer star Lionel Messi.