Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics

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Athletics at the Games of the XX Olympiad

No. of events	38
Competitors	1,324 from 104 nations
← 1968 1976 →

Athletics

at the Games of the XX Olympiad

No. of events

Competitors

1,324 from 104 nations

← 1968

1976 →

Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Track events
100 m	men	women
200 m	men	women
400 m	men	women
800 m	men	women
1500 m	men	women
5000 m	men
10,000 m	men
100 m hurdles		women
110 m hurdles	men
400 m hurdles	men
3000 m steeplechase	men
4 × 100 m relay	men	women
4 × 400 m relay	men	women
Road events
Marathon	men
20 km walk	men
50 km walk	men
Field events
Long jump	men	women
Triple jump	men
High jump	men	women
Pole vault	men
Shot put	men	women
Discus throw	men	women
Javelin throw	men	women
Hammer throw	men
Combined events
Pentathlon		women
Decathlon	men
v t e

Athletics at the
1972 Summer Olympics

Track events

100 m

200 m

400 m

800 m

1500 m

5000 m

10,000 m

100 m hurdles

110 m hurdles

400 m hurdles

3000 m
steeplechase

4 × 100 m relay

4 × 400 m relay

Road events

Marathon

men

20 km walk

men

50 km walk

men

Field events

Long jump

Triple jump

High jump

Pole vault

Shot put

Discus throw

Javelin throw

Hammer throw

Combined events

Pentathlon

women

Decathlon

men

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
100 metres details	Valeriy Borzov Soviet Union	10.14	Robert Taylor United States	10.24	Lennox Miller Jamaica	10.33
200 metres details	Valeriy Borzov Soviet Union	20.00	Larry Black United States	20.19	Pietro Mennea Italy	20.30
400 metres details	Vincent Matthews United States	44.66	Wayne Collett United States	44.80	Julius Sang Kenya	44.92
800 metres details	Dave Wottle United States	1:45.86	Yevhen Arzhanov Soviet Union	1:45.89	Mike Boit Kenya	1:46.01
1500 metres details	Pekka Vasala Finland	3:36.33	Kipchoge Keino Kenya	3:36.81	Rod Dixon New Zealand	3:37.46
5000 metres details	Lasse Virén Finland	13:26.42 (OR)	Mohammed Gammoudi Tunisia	13:27.33	Ian Stewart Great Britain	13:27.61
10,000 metres details	Lasse Virén Finland	27:38.35 (WR)	Emiel Puttemans Belgium	27:39.58	Miruts Yifter Ethiopia	27:40.96
110 metres hurdles details	Rod Milburn United States	13.24 (WR)	Guy Drut France	13.34	Thomas Hill United States	13.48
400 metres hurdles details	John Akii-Bua Uganda	47.82 (WR)	Ralph Mann United States	48.51	David Hemery Great Britain	48.52
3000 metres steeplechase details	Kipchoge Keino Kenya	8:23.64 (OR)	Ben Jipcho Kenya	8:24.62	Tapio Kantanen Finland	8:24.66
4 × 100 metres relay details	United States (USA) Larry Black Robert Taylor Gerald Tinker Eddie Hart	38.19 (WR)	Soviet Union (URS) Aleksandr Kornelyuk Vladimir Lovetskiy Juris Silovs Valeriy Borzov	38.50	West Germany (FRG) Jobst Hirscht Karlheinz Klotz Gerhard Wucherer Klaus Ehl	38.79
4 × 400 metres relay details	Kenya (KEN) Charles Asati Munyoro Nyamau Robert Ouko Julius Sang	2:59.83	Great Britain (GBR) Martin Reynolds Alan Pascoe David Hemery David Jenkins	3:00.46	France (FRA) Gilles Bertould Daniel Velasques Francis Kerbiriou Jacques Carette	3:00.65
Marathon details	Frank Shorter United States	2:12:19.8	Karel Lismont Belgium	2:14:31.8	Mamo Wolde Ethiopia	2:15:08.4
20 kilometres walk details	Peter Frenkel East Germany	1:26:42.4 (OR)	Volodymyr Holubnychy Soviet Union	1:26:55.2	Hans-Georg Reimann East Germany	1:27:16.6
50 kilometres walk details	Bernd Kannenberg West Germany	3:56:11.6 (OR)	Veniamin Soldatenko Soviet Union	3:58:24.0	Larry Young United States	4:00:46.0
High jump details	Jüri Tarmak Soviet Union	2.23 m	Stefan Junge East Germany	2.21 m	Dwight Stones United States	2.21 m
Pole vault details	Wolfgang Nordwig East Germany	5.50 m (OR)	Bob Seagren United States	5.40 m	Jan Johnson United States	5.35 m
Long jump details	Randy Williams United States	8.24 m	Hans Baumgartner West Germany	8.18 m	Arnie Robinson United States	8.03 m
Triple jump details	Viktor Saneyev Soviet Union	17.35 m	Jörg Drehmel East Germany	17.31 m	Nelson Prudêncio Brazil	17.05 m
Shot put details	Władysław Komar Poland	21.18 m (OR)	George Woods United States	21.17 m	Hartmut Briesenick East Germany	21.14 m
Discus throw details	Ludvík Daněk Czechoslovakia	64.40 m	Jay Silvester United States	63.50 m	Ricky Bruch Sweden	63.40 m
Hammer throw details	Anatolij Bondarčuk Soviet Union	75.50 m (OR)	Jochen Sachse East Germany	74.96 m	Vasiliy Khmelevskiy Soviet Union	74.04 m
Javelin throw details	Klaus Wolfermann West Germany	90.48 m (OR)	Jānis Lūsis Soviet Union	90.46 m	Bill Schmidt United States	84.42 m
Decathlon details	Mykola Avilov Soviet Union	8454 pts (WR)	Leonid Lytvynenko Soviet Union	8035 pts	Ryszard Katus Poland	7984 pts

Event

Gold

Silver

Bronze

100 metres
details

10.14

10.24

Jamaica

10.33

200 metres
details

20.00

20.19

Italy

20.30

400 metres
details

44.66

44.80

Kenya

44.92

800 metres
details

1:45.86

1:45.89

Kenya

1:46.01

1500 metres
details

Pekka Vasala

Finland

3:36.33

Kipchoge Keino

Kenya

3:36.81

Rod Dixon

New Zealand

3:37.46

5000 metres
details

Lasse Virén

Finland

13:26.42
(OR)

Mohammed Gammoudi

Tunisia

13:27.33

Ian Stewart

Great Britain

13:27.61

10,000 metres
details

Lasse Virén

Finland

27:38.35
(WR)

Emiel Puttemans

Belgium

27:39.58

Miruts Yifter

Ethiopia

27:40.96

110 metres hurdles
details

Rod Milburn

United States

13.24
(WR)

Guy Drut

France

13.34

Thomas Hill

United States

13.48

400 metres hurdles
details

John Akii-Bua

Uganda

47.82
(WR)

48.51

48.52

3000 metres steeplechase
details

Kipchoge Keino

Kenya

8:23.64
(OR)

Ben Jipcho

Kenya

8:24.62

Tapio Kantanen

Finland

8:24.66

4 × 100 metres relay
details

United States (USA)
Larry Black
Robert Taylor
Gerald Tinker
Eddie Hart

38.19
(WR)

Soviet Union (URS)
Aleksandr Kornelyuk
Vladimir Lovetskiy
Juris Silovs
Valeriy Borzov

38.50

West Germany (FRG)
Jobst Hirscht
Karlheinz Klotz
Gerhard Wucherer
Klaus Ehl

38.79

4 × 400 metres relay
details

Kenya (KEN)
Charles Asati
Munyoro Nyamau
Robert Ouko
Julius Sang

2:59.83

Great Britain (GBR)
Martin Reynolds
Alan Pascoe
David Hemery
David Jenkins

3:00.46

France (FRA)
Gilles Bertould
Daniel Velasques
Francis Kerbiriou
Jacques Carette

3:00.65

Marathon
details

Frank Shorter

United States

2:12:19.8

Karel Lismont

Belgium

2:14:31.8

Mamo Wolde

Ethiopia

2:15:08.4

20 kilometres walk
details

1:26:42.4
(OR)

1:26:55.2

1:27:16.6

50 kilometres walk
details

3:56:11.6
(OR)

3:58:24.0

4:00:46.0

High jump
details

2.23 m

2.21 m

2.21 m

Pole vault
details

5.50 m
(OR)

5.40 m

5.35 m

Long jump
details

8.24 m

8.18 m

8.03 m

Triple jump
details

17.35 m

17.31 m

Brazil

17.05 m

Shot put
details

Władysław Komar

Poland

21.18 m
(OR)

21.17 m

21.14 m

Discus throw
details

64.40 m

63.50 m

Sweden

63.40 m

Hammer throw
details

75.50 m
(OR)

74.96 m

74.04 m

Javelin throw
details

90.48 m
(OR)

90.46 m

84.42 m

Decathlon
details

8454 pts
(WR)

8035 pts

Poland

7984 pts

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
100 metres details	Renate Stecher East Germany	11.07 (WR)	Raelene Boyle Australia	11.23	Silvia Chivás Cuba	11.24
200 metres details	Renate Stecher East Germany	22.40 (=WR)	Raelene Boyle Australia	22.45	Irena Szewińska Poland	22.74
400 metres details	Monika Zehrt East Germany	51.08	Rita Wilden West Germany	51.21	Kathy Hammond United States	51.64
800 metres details	Hildegard Falck West Germany	1:58.55 (OR)	Nijolė Sabaitė Soviet Union	1:58.65	Gunhild Hoffmeister East Germany	1:59.19
1500 metres details	Lyudmila Bragina Soviet Union	4:01.38 (WR)	Gunhild Hoffmeister East Germany	4:02.83	Paola Pigni Italy	4:02.85
100 metres hurdles details	Annelie Ehrhardt East Germany	12.59 (WR)	Valeria Bufanu Romania	12.84	Karin Balzer East Germany	12.90
4 × 100 metres relay details	West Germany (FRG) Christiane Krause Ingrid Becker Annegret Richter Heide Rosendahl	42.81 (WR)	East Germany (GDR) Evelin Kaufer Christina Heinich Bärbel Struppert Renate Stecher	42.95	Cuba (CUB) Marlene Elejarde Carmen Valdés Fulgencia Romay Silvia Chivás	43.36
4 × 400 metres relay details	East Germany (GDR) Dagmar Käsling Rita Kühne Helga Seidler Monika Zehrt	3:22.95 (WR)	United States (USA) Mable Fergerson Madeline Manning Cheryl Toussaint Kathy Hammond	3:25.15	West Germany (FRG) Anette Rückes Inge Bödding Hildegard Falck Rita Wilden	3:26.51
High jump details	Ulrike Meyfarth West Germany	1.92 m (=WR)	Yordanka Blagoeva Bulgaria	1.88 m	Ilona Gusenbauer Austria	1.88 m
Long jump details	Heide Rosendahl West Germany	6.78 m	Diana Yorgova Bulgaria	6.77 m	Eva Šuranová Czechoslovakia	6.67 m
Shot put details	Nadezhda Chizhova Soviet Union	21.03 m (WR)	Margitta Gummel East Germany	20.22 m	Ivanka Khristova Bulgaria	19.35 m
Discus throw details	Faina Melnik Soviet Union	66.62 m (OR)	Argentina Menis Romania	65.06 m	Vasilka Stoeva Bulgaria	64.34 m
Javelin throw details	Ruth Fuchs East Germany	63.88 m (OR)	Jacqueline Todten East Germany	62.54 m	Kate Schmidt United States	59.94 m
Pentathlon details	Mary Peters Great Britain	4801 pts (WR)	Heide Rosendahl West Germany	4791 pts	Burglinde Pollak East Germany	4768 pts

Games

Gold

Silver

Bronze

100 metres
details

11.07
(WR)

11.23

Cuba

11.24

200 metres
details

22.40
(=WR)

22.45

Poland

22.74

400 metres
details

51.08

51.21

51.64

800 metres
details

1:58.55
(OR)

1:58.65

1:59.19

1500 metres
details

4:01.38
(WR)

4:02.83

Italy

4:02.85

100 metres hurdles
details

Annelie Ehrhardt

East Germany

12.59
(WR)

Valeria Bufanu

Romania

12.84

Karin Balzer

East Germany

12.90

4 × 100 metres relay
details

West Germany (FRG)
Christiane Krause
Ingrid Becker
Annegret Richter
Heide Rosendahl

42.81
(WR)

East Germany (GDR)
Evelin Kaufer
Christina Heinich
Bärbel Struppert
Renate Stecher

42.95

Cuba (CUB)
Marlene Elejarde
Carmen Valdés
Fulgencia Romay
Silvia Chivás

43.36

4 × 400 metres relay
details

East Germany (GDR)
Dagmar Käsling
Rita Kühne
Helga Seidler
Monika Zehrt

3:22.95
(WR)

United States (USA)
Mable Fergerson
Madeline Manning
Cheryl Toussaint
Kathy Hammond

3:25.15

West Germany (FRG)
Anette Rückes
Inge Bödding
Hildegard Falck
Rita Wilden

3:26.51

High jump
details

1.92 m
(=WR)

1.88 m

Austria

1.88 m

Long jump
details

6.78 m

6.77 m

6.67 m

Shot put
details

21.03 m
(WR)

20.22 m

19.35 m

Discus throw
details

Faina Melnik

Soviet Union

66.62 m
(OR)

Argentina Menis

Romania

65.06 m

Vasilka Stoeva

Bulgaria

64.34 m

Javelin throw
details

63.88 m
(OR)

62.54 m

59.94 m

Pentathlon
details

4801 pts
(WR)

4791 pts

4768 pts

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Soviet Union (URS)	9	7	1	17
2	East Germany (GDR)	8	7	5	20
3	United States (USA)	6	8	8	22
4	West Germany (FRG)	6	3	2	11
5	Finland (FIN)	3	0	1	4
6	Kenya (KEN)	2	2	2	6
7	Great Britain (GBR)	1	1	2	4
8	Poland (POL)	1	0	2	3
9	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	1	0	1	2
10	Uganda (UGA)	1	0	0	1
11	Bulgaria (BUL)	0	2	2	4
12	Australia (AUS)	0	2	0	2
Belgium (BEL)	0	2	0	2
Romania (ROU)	0	2	0	2
15	France (FRA)	0	1	1	2
16	Tunisia (TUN)	0	1	0	1
17	Cuba (CUB)	0	0	2	2
Ethiopia (ETH)	0	0	2	2
Italy (ITA)	0	0	2	2
20	Austria (AUT)	0	0	1	1
Brazil (BRA)	0	0	1	1
Jamaica (JAM)	0	0	1	1
New Zealand (NZL)	0	0	1	1
Sweden (SWE)	0	0	1	1
Totals (24 entries)	38	38	38	114

Rank

Nation

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Soviet Union (URS)

East Germany (GDR)

United States (USA)

West Germany (FRG)

Finland (FIN)

Kenya (KEN)