Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics

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Swimming
at the Games of the XX Olympiad
Olympic Pool Munich 1972.jpg Olympia Schwimmhalle
Venue Olympia Schwimmhalle
Dates28 August – 4 September 1972
No. of events29
Competitors532 from 52 nations
  1968
1976  

The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany, 29 events in swimming were contested. There was a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing. [1] [2]

Perhaps the most spectacular athletic events were in swimming. Mark Spitz had a remarkable run, competing in seven events, winning seven Olympic titles and setting seven world records. In 2008, Michael Phelps matched Spitz's feat of setting seven world records in a single Olympics. According to the official Olympic website, "He took part in the 4 × 200 m one hour after his final in the 100 m butterfly. As for the 200 m freestyle gold, it was his third medal in three days" .

On the women's side of the competition, Shane Gould of Australia won five medals. She won the 200 m and 400 m freestyle as well as the 200 m individual medley, each with a new world-record time. In addition, she won the silver and the bronze in the 800 m and 100 m freestyle, respectively. In 2022, Gould remains the only woman in history to have claimed five medals in solo events in swimming at a single Olympic Games. [3] Another 15-years-old, American Sandy Neilson, won three gold medals.

The Olympic record was broken at least once in all 29 events. In 20 of those events, a new world record was set.

Events

The following events were contested (all pool events were long course, and distances are in metres unless otherwise stated):

Participating nations

532 swimmers from 52 nations competed. [1]

Medal table

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)17141243
2Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)62210
3Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)2529
4Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan  (JPN)2013
5Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)2002
6Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)0235
7Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)0224
8Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)0134
9Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary  (HUN)0123
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA)0123
11Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)0101
Totals (11 entries)29292987

Results

Men's events

GamesGoldSilverBronze
100 m freestyle
details
Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
51.22 (WR) Jerry Heidenreich
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
51.65 Vladimir Bure
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
51.77
200 m freestyle
details
Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:52.78 (WR) Steve Genter
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:53.73 Werner Lampe
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
1:53.99
400 m freestyle
details
Brad Cooper
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
4:00.27 (OR) Steve Genter
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:01.94 Tom McBreen
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:02.64
1500 m freestyle
details
Mike Burton
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
15:52.58 (WR) Graham Windeatt
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
15:58.48 Doug Northway
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
16:09.25
100 m backstroke
details
Roland Matthes
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
56.58 (OR) Mike Stamm
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
57.70 John Murphy
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
58.35
200 m backstroke
details
Roland Matthes
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
2:02.82 (WR) Mike Stamm
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:04.09 Mitch Ivey
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:04.33
100 m breaststroke
details
Nobutaka Taguchi
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
1:04.94 (WR) Tom Bruce
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:05.43 John Hencken
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:05.61
200 m breaststroke
details
John Hencken
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:21.55 (WR) David Wilkie
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
2:23.67 Nobutaka Taguchi
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
2:23.88
100 m butterfly
details
Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
54.27 (WR) Bruce Robertson
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
55.56 Jerry Heidenreich
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
55.74
200 m butterfly
details
Mark Spitz
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:00.70 (WR) Gary Hall, Sr.
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:02.86 Robin Backhaus
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:03.23
200 m individual medley
details
Gunnar Larsson
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
2:07.17 (WR) Tim McKee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:08.37 Steve Furniss
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:08.45
400 m individual medley
details
Gunnar Larsson
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
4:31.98 (OR) Tim McKee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4:31.98 (OR) András Hargitay
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
4:32.70
4 × 100 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
David Edgar
John Murphy
Jerry Heidenreich
Mark Spitz
3:26.42 (WR)Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)
Vladimir Bure
Viktor Mazanov
Viktor Aboimov
Igor Grivennikov
3:29.72Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Roland Matthes
Wilfried Hartung
Peter Bruch
Lutz Unger
3:32.42
4 × 200 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
John Kinsella
Fred Tyler
Steve Genter
Mark Spitz
7:35.78 (WR)Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)
Klaus Steinbach
Werner Lampe
Hans Vosseler
Hans Fassnacht
7:41.69Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)
Igor Grivennikov
Viktor Mazanov
Georgi Kulikov
Vladimir Bure
7:45.76
4 × 100 m medley relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Mike Stamm
Tom Bruce
Mark Spitz
Jerry Heidenreich
3:48.16 (WR)Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Roland Matthes
Klaus Katzur
Hartmut Flöckner
Lutz Unger
3:52.26Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)
Erik Fish
William Mahony
Bruce Robertson
Robert Kasting
3:53.26

Women's events

GamesGoldSilverBronze
100 m freestyle
details
Sandy Neilson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
58.59 (OR) Shirley Babashoff
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
59.02 Shane Gould
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
59.06
200 m freestyle
details
Shane Gould
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2:03.56 (WR) Shirley Babashoff
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:04.33 Keena Rothhammer
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:04.92
400 m freestyle
details
Shane Gould
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
4:19.04 (WR) Novella Calligaris
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
4:22.44 Gudrun Wegner
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
4:23.11
800 m freestyle
details
Keena Rothhammer
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
8:53.68 (WR) Shane Gould
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
8:56.39 Novella Calligaris
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
8:57.46
100 m backstroke
details
Melissa Belote
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:05.78 (OR) Andrea Gyarmati
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
1:06.26 Susie Atwood
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:06.34
200 m backstroke
details
Melissa Belote
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:19.19 (WR) Susie Atwood
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:20.38 Donna Gurr
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2:23.22
100 m breaststroke
details
Cathy Carr
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1:13.58 (WR) Galina Prozumenshchikova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1:14.99 Beverley Whitfield
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
1:15.73
200 m breaststroke
details
Beverley Whitfield
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2:41.05 (OR) Dana Schoenfield
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:42.05 Galina Prozumenshchikova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2:42.36
100 m butterfly
details
Mayumi Aoki
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
1:03.34 (WR) Roswitha Beier
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
1:03.61 Andrea Gyarmati
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
1:03.73
200 m butterfly
details
Karen Moe
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:15.57 (WR) Lynn Colella
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:16.34 Ellie Daniel
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:16.74
200 m individual medley
details
Shane Gould
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2:23.07 (WR) Kornelia Ender
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
2:23.59 Lynn Vidali
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2:24.06
400 m individual medley
details
Gail Neall
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
5:02.97 (WR) Leslie Cliff
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
5:03.57 Novella Calligaris
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
5:03.99
4 × 100 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Shirley Babashoff
Jane Barkman
Jenny Kemp
Sandy Neilson
3:55.19 (WR)Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Andrea Eife
Kornelia Ender
Elke Sehmisch
Gabriele Wetzko
3:55.55Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)
Gudrun Beckmann
Heidemarie Reineck
Angela Steinbach
Jutta Weber
3:57.93
4 × 100 m medley relay
details
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Melissa Belote
Cathy Carr
Deena Deardurff
Sandy Neilson
4:20.75 (WR)Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Christine Herbst
Renate Vogel
Roswitha Beier
Kornelia Ender
4:24.91Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)
Gudrun Beckmann
Vreni Eberle
Silke Pielen
Heidemarie Reineck
4:26.46

Some of the Olympic medalists in Munich:

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References

  1. 1 2 "Swimming at the 1972 Munich Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  2. "Olympedia – Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  3. "Happy 65th To Shane Gould, Still The Only Swim Sorority Champ To Claim Five Solo Medals In The Olympic Pool At One Games". State of Swimming. Retrieved 21 August 2016.