400 metres hurdles to 400 metres, or one lap of the stadium, and the number of hurdles was reduced to ten. The official height of the hurdles was set to 91.4 cm (3 feet) for men and 76.20 cm (2 ft, 6 inches) for women. The hurdles were now placed on the course with a run-up to the first hurdle of 45 metres, a distance between the hurdles of 35 metres each, and a home stretch from the last hurdle to the finish line of 40 metres. The first documented 400 m hurdles race for women took place in 1971. The International Association
1976 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics men category, both Luis Alex Misiniak and David Giralt from Cuba won 3 golds (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4 × 100 m relay) and (Long jump, Triple jump, 4 × 100 m relay), respectively. Another Cuban fellow, Juan Martínez and Bahamian Rickey Moxey won two golds each (Shot put, Discus Throw) and (100m, 200m) respectively. In the under-20 women category, Ileana Hocking from Puerto Rico, who won already a gold (1500m) and a silver medal (800m) at the 1974 championships in Maracaibo, Venezuela, gained a total of 5 medals, 4 golds (800m, 1500m, 4 × 100 m relay, 4 ×