The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad and officially branded as Munich 1972, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972.
The World Athletics Championships are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics. Alongside the Olympic Games, they represent the highest level championships of senior international outdoor athletics competition for track and field athletics globally, including marathon running and race walking. Separate World Championships are held by World Athletics for certain other outdoor events, including cross-country running and half-marathon, as well as indoor and age-group championships.
Shooting at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich comprised eight events. The running target event was re-added to the programme, after last appearing in 1956. The events were held between 27 August and 2 September 1972. All events were mixed, meaning both men and women were allowed to compete in the same events, against each other. Four women competed in these games.
Race walking, or racewalking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully assess that this is maintained throughout the race. Typically held on either roads or running tracks, common distances range from 3,000 metres (1.9 mi) up to 100 kilometres (62.1 mi).
Peru competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 20 competitors, 17 men and 3 women, took part in 25 events in 7 sports.
The men's 50 kilometres walk was the longer of the two men's race walking events on the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics program in Tokyo, as well as the longest event on the program. It was held on 18 October 1964. 39 athletes from 20 nations entered, with 34 starting and 31 finishing.
Iran competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Iran sent a delegation of 50 competitors, all men, who participated in 33 events in 7 sports. Moslem Eskandar-Filabi was the flag bearer.
North Korea competed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. It was the first time that the nation had competed at the Summer Olympic Games. 37 competitors, 23 men and 14 women, took part in 23 events in 10 sports. North Korea won the first Olympic gold medal from either Korea.
Yevgeniy Ivchenko was a Soviet and Belarusian athlete from Ukraine who competed mainly in the 50 km walk. He trained at Trudovye Rezervy in Minsk.
The Men's 50 km Race Walk event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 42 competitors. Three athletes were disqualified, while four walkers did not finish the race, held on Friday September 30, 1988.
The men's marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany was held on Sunday September 10, 1972. The race started at 15:00h local time. There were 74 competitors from 39 countries. Twelve of them did not finish. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by Frank Shorter of the United States, the nation's first Olympic marathon victory since 1908 and third overall. Karel Lismont won Belgium's second medal in the marathon with his silver. Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia became only the second man, after his countryman Abebe Bikila, to win two medals in the marathon. Ethiopia's four-Games medal streak was matched only by Finland (1920–1932).
In cycling at the 1972 Summer Olympics, the men's individual road race was held on 7 September. There were 163 starters from 48 nations. The maximum per NOC was four. A total of 76 cyclists finished the race. The event was won by Hennie Kuiper of the Netherlands, the nation's first victory in the men's individual road race and first medal in the event since 1948. Clyde Sefton earned Australia's first medal in the event with his silver. Jaime Huélamo of Spain finished third, but was disqualified after failing a drug test; the medal was not reassigned. Italy missed the podium, breaking a four-Games streak of gold and silver medals.
The men's track time trial at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, was held on 31 August 1972. There were 31 participants from 31 nations, with each nation limited to one cyclist. One additional cyclist was entered but did not start. The event was won by Niels Fredborg of Denmark, the nation's first victory in the men's track time trial since Willy Hansen won in 1928. Denmark tied Italy and Australia for second-most gold medals in the event at 2. Fredborg was just the third man to win multiple medals in the event; he would become the only one to earn a third, in 1976. Daniel Clark's silver medal was Australia's first medal in the event since 1952. Jürgen Schütze's bronze was the first track time trial medal for East Germany as a separate nation.
The Men's 50 km Race Walk at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR had an entry list of 27 competitors. Three athletes were disqualified and nine of them did not finish in the final, held on 30 July 1980. This event was not held during 1976 Summer Olympics,returning to Olympic program after last returning to the program after a hiatus edition, because it was held in 1972.
These are the official results of the Women's 20 km Walk at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The race was held on Thursday 28 September 2000, starting at 10:45h.
These are the official results of the Men's 20 kilometres walk event at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The competition was held on 31 August. There were no heats with this event, it was held as a finals only event.
The men's 50 kilometres race walk at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico was held on October 17. It was won by Christoph Höhne of East Germany.
Race walking events at the Summer Olympics have been contested over a variety of distances at the multi-sport event. There were three race walking events in the 2020 Summer Olympics: a men's and a women's 20 kilometres walk, and a men's 50 kilometres walk. The races were held in a final-only format.
These are the official results of the Men's Team Time Trial at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, held on 29 August 1972. There were 140 participants from 35 nations. No bronze medal was awarded, as the Netherlands were disqualified when Aad van den Hoek tested positive for coramine. The fourth-placed Belgian team were not awarded the bronze medal because they had not been tested for drugs.
Charles Sowa was a Luxembourgian race walker and coach. He was born in Schifflange.
