Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres

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Men's 400 metres
at the Games of the XX Olympiad
Venue Olympic Stadium, Munich, West Germany
Date3 September 1972
4 September 1972
7 September 1972
Competitors64 from 49 nations
Winning time44.66
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Vince Matthews
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Wayne Collett
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Julius Sang
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
  1968
1976  

The men's 400 metres was an event at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The competition was held on 3, 4 and 7 September. [1] Sixty-four athletes from 49 nations competed. [2] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by 0.14 seconds by Vince Matthews of the United States, the nation's fifth consecutive and 12th overall victory in the event (all by different men). The Americans' hopes to repeat their podium sweep of four years earlier were dashed by injury in the final. Bronze medalist Julius Sang became the first black African to win a sprint Olympic medal, earning Kenya's first medal in the event.

On the victory podium, Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett talked to each other and failed to stand at attention during the medal ceremony. On the advice of Avery Brundage, the International Olympic Committee banned them from further competition. Since the third American competitor, John Smith, had pulled a hamstring while leading 80 metres into the final and had been ruled unfit to run, the United States were left unable to field a 4 x 400 relay team, and were thus forced to scratch from the event.

Background

This was the seventeenth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Three finalists, but no medalists, from 1968 returned: fourth-place finisher Amadou Gakou of Senegal, sixth-place Tegegne Bezabeh of Ethiopia, and seventh-place Andrzej Badeński of Poland (who had won bronze in 1964). Despite the complete turnover from their 1968 podium sweep, the United States team was again favored—this time led by John Smith, the 440-yard world record holder and AAU champion. [2]

Dahomey, Cambodia, the Republic of the Congo, Fiji, Kuwait, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Paraguay, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and Zambia appeared in this event for the first time. The United States made its seventeenth appearance in the event, the only nation to compete in it at every Olympic Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition retained the basic four-round format from 1920. The "fastest loser" system, introduced in 1964, was applied in the first round and quarterfinals. There were 9, each scheduled to have 7 or 8 athletes but some with only 6 starters. The top four runners in each heat advanced to the quarterfinals along with the next four fastest overall. The 5 quarterfinals each had 8 runners; the top three athletes in each quarterfinal heat advanced to the semifinals, with one spot for the next fastest finisher. The semifinals featured 2 heats of 8 runners each. The top four runners in each semifinal heat advanced, making an eight-man final. [2] [3]

Records

Prior to the competition, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Lee Evans  (USA)43.86 Mexico City, Mexico 18 October 1968
Olympic recordFlag of the United States.svg  Lee Evans  (USA)43.86 Mexico City, Mexico 18 October 1968

No world or Olympic records were set during this event.

Schedule

All times are Central European Time (UTC+1)

DateTimeRound
Sunday, 3 September 197216:00Round 1
Monday, 4 September 197211:35
17:45
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Thursday, 7 September 197217:30Final

Results

Round 1

The top four runners in each of the nine heats (darker green) and the next four fastest (lighter green), advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Heat 1

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
14 Andrzej Badeński Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.21Q
23 Charles Joseph Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 46.38Q
35 Mulugetta Tadesse Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 46.38Q
47 Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Ceylon 46.62Q
52 Bjarni Sefánsson Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 46.76q
66 Jozo Alebić Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia 47.01
78 Silver Ayoo Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 47.04
81 Nusrat Iqbal Sahi Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 49.57

Heat 2

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
12 David Jenkins Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 46.15Q
27 Anders Faager Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 46.29Q
38 Munyoro Nyamau Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 46.33Q
45 Omar Ghizlat Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 46.37Q
53 Bruce Ijirighwo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 46.59q
66 Samuela Yavala Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 47.76
71 Théophile Nkounkou Flag of the People's Republic of Congo.svg  Republic of the Congo 47.86
84 Francisco Menocal Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 50.96

Heat 3

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
18 Georg Nückles Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 46.64Q
26 Yoshiharu Tomonaga Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 47.01Q
33 Francis Kerbiriou Flag of France.svg  France 47.01Q
41 Sam Bugri Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 47.83Q
52 Thomas N'Ma Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 49.73
65Jean-Max FaustinFlag of Haiti (1964-1986).svg  Haiti 52.33
Marcello Fiasconaro Flag of Italy.svg  Italy DNS
Michael FrederikssonFlag of Sweden.svg  Sweden DNS

Heat 4

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
15 Alberto Juantorena Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 45.94Q
21 Wayne Collett Flag of the United States.svg  United States 46.00Q
33 Claver Kamanya Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 46.18Q
44 Gilles Bertould Flag of France.svg  France 46.36Q
52 Eric Phillips Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).png  Venezuela 46.74q
67 Pedro Ferrer Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 47.90
77 Nicodemus Maipampe Flag of Zambia (1964-1996).svg  Zambia 48.84

Heat 5

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
12 Tegegne Bezabeh Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 45.88Q
21 Vince Matthews Flag of the United States.svg  United States 45.94Q
37 Angelo Hussein Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 47.01Q
43 Robert Ojo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 47.03Q
55 Fanahan McSweeney Flag of Ireland (3-2).svg  Ireland 47.07
66 Fernando Silva Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 47.67
74 Kassem Hamzé Flag of Lebanon (1943-1995).svg  Lebanon 49.20

Heat 6

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
18 Charles Asati Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.16Q
25 Leighton Priestley Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 45.75Q
32 Fernando Acevedo Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 45.80Q
46 Jan Werner Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 45.93Q
54 Gary Armstrong Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 46.48q
63 Francisco Rojas Flag of Paraguay (1954-1988).svg  Paraguay 47.46
71 Brian MacLaren Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 47.65
Caspar Springer Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados DNF

Heat 7

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
15 Julius Sang Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.24Q
21 Martin Reynolds Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 46.46Q
32 Daniel Velasques Flag of France.svg  France 46.70Q
43 Karl Honz Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 46.77Q
57 Franklin Rahming Flag of the Bahamas (1964-1973).svg  Bahamas 48.30
66 Ibrahima Idrissou Flag of Benin.svg  Dahomey 48.50
74William MsiskaFlag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 48.81

Heat 8

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
13 Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.27Q
27 John Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States 46.00Q
31 Kyriakos Onisiforou Flag of Greece (1970-1975).svg  Greece 46.94Q
45 Reza Entezari State Flag of Iran (1964-1980).svg  Iran 47.89Q
56 Mohamed Saad Flag of Kuwait (3-2).svg  Kuwait 49.61
64 Mohamed Jaman Al-Dosari Flag of Saudi Arabia (1938-1973).svg  Saudi Arabia 49.67
Lucijano SušanjFlag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia DNS

Heat 9

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
16 Markku Kukkoaho Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 46.05Q
23 Zbigniew Jaremski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.20Q
37 Arthur Cooper Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 47.15Q
48 Amadou Gakou Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 47.68Q
54 Tambusamy Krishnan Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 48.31
61 Frédérique Andrianaivo Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 48.72
75 Savin Chem Flag of the Khmer Republic.svg  Khmer Republic 48.82
Jimmy Sierra Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia DNS

Quarterfinals

The top three runners in each of the five heats, and the next fastest, advanced to the semifinal round.

Quarterfinal 1

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
12 Wayne Collett Flag of the United States.svg  United States 45.80Q
26 Alberto Juantorena Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 45.96Q
37 Jan Werner Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.02Q
45 Martin Reynolds Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 46.11q
51 Charles Joseph Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 46.14
68 Robert Ojo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 46.73
74 Omar Ghizlat Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 46.84
83 Sam Bugri Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 47.34

Quarterfinal 2

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
12 Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.41Q
23 Vince Matthews Flag of the United States.svg  United States 45.62Q
36 Tegegne Bezabeh Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 45.97Q
41 Gilles Bertould Flag of France.svg  France 46.14
55 Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Ceylon 46.50
67 Leighton Priestley Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 47.76
74 Arthur Cooper Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 48.29
88 Reza Entezari State Flag of Iran (1964-1980).svg  Iran 48.69

Quarterfinal 3

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
17 David Jenkins Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 45.99Q
28 John Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States 46.04Q
34 Markku Kukkoaho Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 46.11Q
43 Munyoro Nyamau Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 46.80
52 Bruce Ijirighwo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 46.81
66 Daniel Velasques Flag of France.svg  France 46.91
75 Amadou Gakou Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 46.96
81 Angelo Hussein Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 47.33

Quarterfinal 4

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
13 Karl Honz Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.87Q
27 Julius Sang Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.92Q
35 Zbigniew Jaremski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.52Q
41 Anders Faager Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 46.54
54 Francis Kerbiriou Flag of France.svg  France 46.63
62 Yoshiharu Tomonaga Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 46.92
76 Gary Armstrong Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 47.10
88 Kyriakos Onisiforou Flag of Greece (1970-1975).svg  Greece 47.22

Quarterfinal 5

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
11 Charles Asati Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 46.04Q
25 Andrzej Badeński Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.19Q
34 Georg Nückles Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 46.30Q
48 Claver Kamanya Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 46.55
56 Mulugetta Tadesse Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 46.85
67 Bjarni Stefánsson Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 46.92
72 Eric Phillips Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).png  Venezuela 46.97
3 Fernando Acevedo Flag of Peru.svg  Peru DNS

Semifinals

Top four in each of the two heats advanced to the final round.

Semifinal 1

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
14 Vince Matthews Flag of the United States.svg  United States 44.94Q
23 Karl Honz Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.32Q
31 John Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States 45.46Q
42 Charles Asati Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.47Q
58 David Jenkins Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 45.91
66 Tegegne Bezabeh Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 45.98
75 Georg Nückles Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 46.28
87 Andrzej Badeński Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.38

Semifinal 2

RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
11 Julius Sang Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.30Q
23 Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.62Q
32 Wayne Collett Flag of the United States.svg  United States 45.77Q
44 Markku Kukkoaho Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 46.02Q
55 Alberto Juantorena Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 46.07
68 Jan Werner Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 46.26
77 Martin Reynolds Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 46.71
6 Zbigniew Jaremski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland DNS

Final

Smith was leading at 80 metres when he pulled his hamstring and could not finish.

RankLaneAthleteNationTime
Gold medal icon.svg2 Vince Matthews Flag of the United States.svg  United States 44.66
Silver medal icon.svg3 Wayne Collett Flag of the United States.svg  United States 44.80
Bronze medal icon.svg5 Julius Sang Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 44.92
48 Charles Asati Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 45.13
57 Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.31
64 Markku Kukkoaho Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 45.49
71 Karl Honz Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 45.68
6 John Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States DNF

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1972 Munich Summer Games: Men's 400 metres". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "400 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. Official Report, vol. 3, p. 50.