Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's discus throw

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Women's discus throw

|games = 1972 Summer

|image =

|caption =

|venue = Olympic Stadium

|dates = September 9 & September 10, 1972

|competitors = 17

|nations = 10

|win_value = 66.62 {{OlyR|athletics}}

|win_label = Winning throw

|longnames = yes

|gold = Faina Melnik

|goldNOC = URS

|silver = Argentina Menis

|silverNOC = ROU

|bronze = Vasilka Stoeva

|bronzeNOC = BUL

|prev=1968

|next=1976

}}

{{AthleticsAt1972SummerOlympics}}

The women's discus throw field event at the 1972 Olympic Games took place on September 9 & September 10.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-discus-throw.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174228/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-discus-throw.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1972 Munich City Summer Games: Women's Discus Throw |access-date=13 January 2018 |work=sports-reference.com}} Armenia Soviet Faina Melnik was the strong favorite to win the gold. She has broken the world record five times since 1971 as well as being the European Champion in the same year. But twice in 1972 she had been beaten by Romanian Argentina Menis. Menis took the lead in round one breaking the Olympic record throw of {{height|m=64.28}}. In the start of the fourth round Menis lead with Melnik in fifth. Menis then improved her distance to {{height|m=65.06}}. Melnike threw next and overtook Menis with a throw of {{height|m=66.62}} which held on to win the gold. Thirteen days later, Menis broke Melnik's world record with a throw of {{height|m=67.32}}.{{cite web|title=Athletics at the 1972 München Summer Games: Women's Discus Throw |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-discus-throw.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174228/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-discus-throw.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |access-date=4 January 2012 |author=Sports Reference}}