[2] The event was won by East Germany, the nation's first victory after three consecutive silver medals since it began competing separately in 1968.

Twin brothers Ullrich and Walter Dießner became the sixth and seventh men to earn two medals in the event, as they had also competed on the 1976 East German silver medal team.

This left defending Olympic champions the Soviet Union (silver in 1979 Worlds) and three-time Olympic runners-up (and three-time reigning World Champions) East Germany as the two favourites.

The coxed four event featured five-person boats, with four rowers and a coxswain.

[3] With only 12 boats, the event shrank from a four-round competition in prior Games to a three-round tournament in 1980.