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

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Women's javelin throw

|games = 1972 Summer

|image =

|caption =

|venue = Olympic Stadium

|dates = August 31 & September 1, 1972

|competitors = 19

|nations = 10

|longnames = yes

|win_value = 63.88

|win_label = Winning distance

|gold = Ruth Fuchs

|goldNOC = GDR

|silver = Jacqueline Todten

|silverNOC = GDR

|bronze = Kate Schmidt

|bronzeNOC = USA

|prev=1968

|next=1976

}}

{{AthleticsAt1972SummerOlympics}}

The women's javelin throw field event at the 1972 Olympic Games took place on August 31 & September 1. On 11 June 1972 Ewa Gryziecka from Poland broke the javelin throw world record with a throw of 62.70m only to have Ruth Fuchs break that record on the same day with a throw of 65.06m. In 1972 Fuchs was the strong favorite heading in the Olympics. Kate Schmidt took the early lead on the first throw, but this was soon passed by the favorite on the second throw. She ended up topping her own mark two more time in rounds four and five. Fuchs would go one and set the new javelin world record in 1973, 1974 and 1976.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-javelin-throw.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174934/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/womens-javelin-throw.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1972 Munich Summer Games: Women's Javelin Throw |access-date=18 January 2018 |work=sports-reference.com}}