Biathlon at the 1972 Winter Olympics
{{Infobox Olympic event
|event = Biathlon
|games = 1972 Winter
|venue = Makomanai Biathlon Site
|dates = 9–11 February
|competitors = 62
|nations = 14
|prev = 1968
|next = 1976
}}
{{Biathlon at the 1972 Winter Olympics}}
Biathlon at the 1972 Winter Olympics consisted of two biathlon events, held at Makomanai Biathlon Site. The events began on 9 February and ended on 11 February 1972.{{cite web
| title = The XI Olympic Winter Games Sapporo 1972
| url = http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1972/orw1972.pdf
| publisher = LA84 Foundation
| work = Organizing Committee for the XIth Olympic Winter Games
| year = 1972
Medal summary
Five nations won medals in biathlon, the Soviet Union and Norway leading the medal table with one gold medal each, while East Germany were the only country to win more than one medal. Hansjörg Knauthe, who was part of both East German medals, was the only athlete to win more than one medal.
=Medal table=
{{Medals table
| caption =
| host =
| flag_template = flagIOCteam
| event = 1972 Winter
| team =
| gold_NOR = 1 | silver_NOR = 0 | bronze_NOR = 0
| gold_URS = 1 | silver_URS = 0 | bronze_URS = 0
| gold_GDR = 0 | silver_GDR = 1 | bronze_GDR = 1
| gold_FIN = 0 | silver_FIN = 1 | bronze_FIN = 0
| gold_SWE = 0 | silver_SWE = 0 | bronze_SWE = 1
}}
=Events=
| {{MedalistTable|type=Event|columns=2}} | |||
| valign="top"
| Individual |{{flagIOCmedalist|Magnar Solberg|NOR|1972 Winter}} | 1:15:55.50
|{{flagIOCmedalist|Hansjörg Knauthe|GDR|1972 Winter}} | 1:16:07.60
|{{flagIOCmedalist|Lars-Göran Arwidson|SWE|1972 Winter}} | 1:16:27.03 |
| valign="top"
| Relay |{{flagIOCteam|URS|1972 Winter}} | 1:51:44.92
|{{flagIOCteam|FIN|1972 Winter}} | 1:54:37.25
|{{flagIOCteam|GDR|1972 Winter}} | 1:54:57.67 |
Participating nations
Fourteen nations sent biathletes to compete in Sapporo. Below is a list of the competing nations; in parentheses are the number of national competitors. Italy made its Olympic biathlon debut.
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- {{flagIOC|FIN|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|FRA|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|FRG|1972 Winter|2}}
- {{flagIOC|GBR|1972 Winter|4}}
- {{flagIOC|GDR|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|ITA|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|JPN|1972 Winter|4}}
- {{flagIOC|NOR|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|POL|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|ROU|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|SWE|1972 Winter|4}}
- {{flagIOC|TCH|1972 Winter|5}}
- {{flagIOC|URS|1972 Winter|4}}
- {{flagIOC|USA|1972 Winter|4}}
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Events at the 1972 Winter Olympics}}
{{Biathlon at the Winter Olympics}}