swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Swimming

|games = 1972 Summer

|image = Swimming pictogram black (1972 Summer Olympics style).svg

|image_size = 150px

|caption = Swimming pictogram

|venue = Olympia Schwimmhalle

|dates = 28 August – 4 September 1972

|num_events = 29

|competitors = 532

|nations = 52

|prev = 1968

|next = 1976

}}

The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany. 29 events in swimming were contested. There were a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/SWI/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417040446/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/SWI/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Swimming at the 1972 Munich Summer Games |access-date=3 October 2016 |work=Sports Reference}}{{Cite web |title=Olympedia – Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics |url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/18/sports/SWM |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=www.olympedia.org}}

Perhaps the most spectacular athletic events were in swimming.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} 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".[http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1972]

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.stateofswimming.com/happy-65th-to-shane-gould-still-the-only-swim-sorority-champ-to-claim-five-solo-medals-in-the-olympic-pool-at-one-games/ |title=Happy 65th To Shane Gould, Still The Only Swim Sorority Champ To Claim Five Solo Medals In The Olympic Pool At One Games |access-date=21 August 2016 |work=State of Swimming}} 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):

Freestyle: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m (women), 1500 m (men)
Backstroke: 100 m, 200 m
Breaststroke: 100 m, 200 m
Butterfly: 100 m, 200 m
Individual Medley: 200 m, 400 m
Relays: 4 × 100 m free, 4 × 200 m free (men); 4 × 100 m medley

Participating nations

532 swimmers from 52 nations competed.

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

{{flagIOC|ARG|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|AUS|1972 Summer|24}}
{{flagIOC|AUT|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|BEL|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|BRA|1972 Summer|12}}
{{flagIOC|BUL|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|CAM|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|CAN|1972 Summer|38}}
{{flagIOC|TPE|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|COL|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|TCH|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|DEN|1972 Summer|6}}
{{flagIOC|GDR|1972 Summer|37}}
{{flagIOC|ECU|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|EGY|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|ESA|1972 Summer|7}}
{{flagIOC|FIN|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|FRA|1972 Summer|18}}
{{flagIOC|GBR|1972 Summer|36}}
{{flagIOC|GRE|1972 Summer|5}}
{{flagIOC|HKG|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|HUN|1972 Summer|16}}
{{flagIOC|ISL|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|IRL|1972 Summer|7}}
{{flagIOC|ISR|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|ITA|1972 Summer|24}}
{{flagIOC|JAM|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|JPN|1972 Summer|15}}
{{flagIOC|KUW|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|LIB|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|MAS|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|MEX|1972 Summer|22}}
{{flagIOC|NED|1972 Summer|19}}
{{flagIOC|NZL|1972 Summer|6}}
{{flagIOC|NOR|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|PER|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|PHI|1972 Summer|7}}
{{flagIOC|POL|1972 Summer|5}}
{{flagIOC|ROU|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|SIN|1972 Summer|3}}
{{flagIOC|KOR|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|URS|1972 Summer|26}}
{{flagIOC|ESP|1972 Summer|9}}
{{flagIOC|SWE|1972 Summer|15}}
{{flagIOC|SUI|1972 Summer|10}}
{{flagIOC|TTO|1972 Summer|1}}
{{flagIOC|TUR|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|USA|1972 Summer|51}}
{{flagIOC|URU|1972 Summer|2}}
{{flagIOC|VEN|1972 Summer|4}}
{{flagIOC|FRG|1972 Summer|44}}
{{flagIOC|YUG|1972 Summer|5}}

}}

Medal table

{{Medals table

| caption =

| host =

| flag_template = flagIOCteam

| event = 1972 Summer

| team =

| gold_USA = 17 | silver_USA = 14 | bronze_USA = 12

| gold_AUS = 6 | silver_AUS = 2 | bronze_AUS = 2

| gold_GDR = 2 | silver_GDR = 5 | bronze_GDR = 2

| gold_JPN = 2 | silver_JPN = 0 | bronze_JPN = 1

| gold_SWE = 2 | silver_SWE = 0 | bronze_SWE = 0

| gold_URS = 0 | silver_URS = 2 | bronze_URS = 3

| gold_CAN = 0 | silver_CAN = 2 | bronze_CAN = 2

| gold_FRG = 0 | silver_FRG = 1 | bronze_FRG = 3

| gold_ITA = 0 | silver_ITA = 1 | bronze_ITA = 2

| gold_HUN = 0 | silver_HUN = 1 | bronze_HUN = 2

| gold_GBR = 0 | silver_GBR = 1 | bronze_GBR = 0

}}

Results

= Men's events =

100 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mark Spitz|USA|1972 Summer}}

51.22 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Jerry Heidenreich|USA|1972 Summer}}

51.65

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Vladimir Bure|URS|1972 Summer}}

51.77

200 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mark Spitz|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:52.78 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Steve Genter|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:53.73

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Werner Lampe|FRG|1972 Summer}}

1:53.99

400 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Brad Cooper|AUS|1972 Summer}}

4:00.27 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Steve Genter|USA|1972 Summer}}

4:01.94

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Tom McBreen|USA|1972 Summer}}

4:02.64

1500 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mike Burton|USA|1972 Summer}}

15:52.58 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Graham Windeatt|AUS|1972 Summer}}

15:58.48

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Doug Northway|USA|1972 Summer}}

16:09.25

100 m backstroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre backstroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Roland Matthes|GDR|1972 Summer}}

56.58 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mike Stamm|USA|1972 Summer}}

57.70

| {{flagIOCmedalist|John Murphy|USA|1972 Summer}}

58.35

200 m backstroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre backstroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Roland Matthes|GDR|1972 Summer}}

2:02.82 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mike Stamm|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:04.09

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mitch Ivey|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:04.33

100 m breaststroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre breaststroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Nobutaka Taguchi|JPN|1972 Summer}}

1:04.94 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Tom Bruce|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:05.43

| {{flagIOCmedalist|John Hencken|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:05.61

200 m breaststroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre breaststroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|John Hencken|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:21.55 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|David Wilkie|GBR|1972 Summer}}

2:23.67

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Nobutaka Taguchi|JPN|1972 Summer}}

2:23.88

100 m butterfly
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre butterfly}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mark Spitz|USA|1972 Summer}}

54.27 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Bruce Robertson|CAN|1972 Summer}}

55.56

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Jerry Heidenreich|USA|1972 Summer}}

55.74

200 m butterfly
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre butterfly}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mark Spitz|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:00.70 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Gary Hall, Sr.|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:02.86

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Robin Backhaus|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:03.23

200 m individual medley
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre individual medley}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Gunnar Larsson|SWE|1972 Summer}}

2:07.17 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Tim McKee|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:08.37

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Steve Furniss|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:08.45

400 m individual medley
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre individual medley}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Gunnar Larsson|SWE|1972 Summer}}

4:31.98 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Tim McKee|USA|1972 Summer}}

4:31.98 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|András Hargitay|HUN|1972 Summer}}

4:32.70

valign="top"

| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay}}

| {{flagIOCteam|USA|1972 Summer}}
David Edgar
John Murphy
Jerry Heidenreich
Mark Spitz

3:26.42 (WR)

| {{flagIOCteam|URS|1972 Summer}}
Vladimir Bure
Viktor Mazanov
Viktor Aboimov
Igor Grivennikov

3:29.72

| {{flagIOCteam|GDR|1972 Summer}}
Roland Matthes
Wilfried Hartung
Peter Bruch
Lutz Unger

3:32.42

valign="top"

|4 × 200 m freestyle relay
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay}}

| {{flagIOCteam|USA|1972 Summer}}
John Kinsella
Fred Tyler
Steve Genter
Mark Spitz

7:35.78 (WR)

| {{flagIOCteam|FRG|1972 Summer}}
Klaus Steinbach
Werner Lampe
Hans Vosseler
Hans Fassnacht

7:41.69

| {{flagIOCteam|URS|1972 Summer}}
Igor Grivennikov
Viktor Mazanov
Georgi Kulikov
Vladimir Bure

7:45.76

valign="top"

| 4 × 100 m medley relay
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay}}

| {{flagIOCteam|USA|1972 Summer}}
Mike Stamm
Tom Bruce
Mark Spitz
Jerry Heidenreich

3:48.16 (WR)

| {{flagIOCteam|GDR|1972 Summer}}
Roland Matthes
Klaus Katzur
Hartmut Flöckner
Lutz Unger

3:52.26

| {{flagIOCteam|CAN|1972 Summer}}
Erik Fish
William Mahony
Bruce Robertson
Robert Kasting

3:53.26

= Women's events =

100 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Sandy Neilson|USA|1972 Summer}}

58.59 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shirley Babashoff|USA|1972 Summer}}

59.02

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shane Gould|AUS|1972 Summer}}

59.06

200 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shane Gould|AUS|1972 Summer}}

2:03.56 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shirley Babashoff|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:04.33

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Keena Rothhammer|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:04.92

400 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shane Gould|AUS|1972 Summer}}

4:19.04 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Novella Calligaris|ITA|1972 Summer}}

4:22.44

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Gudrun Wegner|GDR|1972 Summer}}

4:23.11

800 m freestyle
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metre freestyle}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Keena Rothhammer|USA|1972 Summer}}

8:53.68 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shane Gould|AUS|1972 Summer}}

8:56.39

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Novella Calligaris|ITA|1972 Summer}}

8:57.46

100 m backstroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre backstroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Melissa Belote|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:05.78 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Andrea Gyarmati|HUN|1972 Summer}}

1:06.26

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Susie Atwood|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:06.34

200 m backstroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre backstroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Melissa Belote|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:19.19 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Susie Atwood|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:20.38

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Donna Gurr|CAN|1972 Summer}}

2:23.22

100 m breaststroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre breaststroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Cathy Carr|USA|1972 Summer}}

1:13.58 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Galina Prozumenshchikova|URS|1972 Summer}}

1:14.99

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Beverley Whitfield|AUS|1972 Summer}}

1:15.73

200 m breaststroke
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre breaststroke}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Beverley Whitfield|AUS|1972 Summer}}

2:41.05 (OR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Dana Schoenfield|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:42.05

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Galina Prozumenshchikova|URS|1972 Summer}}

2:42.36

100 m butterfly
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre butterfly}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Mayumi Aoki|JPN|1972 Summer}}

1:03.34 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Roswitha Beier|GDR|1972 Summer}}

1:03.61

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Andrea Gyarmati|HUN|1972 Summer}}

1:03.73

200 m butterfly
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre butterfly}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Karen Moe|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:15.57 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Lynn Colella|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:16.34

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Ellie Daniel|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:16.74

200 m individual medley
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre individual medley}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Shane Gould|AUS|1972 Summer}}

2:23.07 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Kornelia Ender|GDR|1972 Summer}}

2:23.59

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Lynn Vidali|USA|1972 Summer}}

2:24.06

400 m individual medley
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre individual medley}}

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Gail Neall|AUS|1972 Summer}}

5:02.97 (WR)

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Leslie Cliff|CAN|1972 Summer}}

5:03.57

| {{flagIOCmedalist|Novella Calligaris|ITA|1972 Summer}}

5:03.99

valign="top"

| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay}}

| {{flagIOCteam|USA|1972 Summer}}
Shirley Babashoff
Jane Barkman
Jenny Kemp
Sandy Neilson

3:55.19 (WR)

| {{flagIOCteam|GDR|1972 Summer}}
Andrea Eife
Kornelia Ender
Elke Sehmisch
Gabriele Wetzko

3:55.55

| {{flagIOCteam|FRG|1972 Summer}}
Gudrun Beckmann
Heidemarie Reineck
Angela Steinbach
Jutta Weber

3:57.93

valign="top"

| 4 × 100 m medley relay
{{DetailsLink|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay}}

| {{flagIOCteam|USA|1972 Summer}}
Melissa Belote
Cathy Carr
Deena Deardurff
Sandy Neilson

4:20.75 (WR)

| {{flagIOCteam|GDR|1972 Summer}}
Christine Herbst
Renate Vogel
Roswitha Beier
Kornelia Ender

4:24.91

| {{flagIOCteam|FRG|1972 Summer}}
Gudrun Beckmann
Vreni Eberle
Silke Pielen
Heidemarie Reineck

4:26.46

Gallery of the medalists

Some of the Olympic medalists in Munich:

File:Mark Spitz.jpg|Mark Spitz, winner of the 100-metre freestyle, 200-metre freestyle, 100-metre butterfly, 200-metre butterfly, 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay, 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay, and 4 × 100-metre medley relay.

File:Mike Burton (swimmer).jpg|Mike Burton, winner of the 1500-metre freestyle.

File:Gunnar Larsson 1970.jpg|Gunnar Larsson, winner of the 200-metre individual medley and 400-metre individual medley.

File:Shane Gould.jpg|Shane Gould, winner of the 200-metre freestyle, 400-metre freestyle, and 200-metre individual medley.

File:John Hencken c1974.jpg|John Hencken, winner of the 200-metre breaststroke.

File:Brad Cooper 1972.jpg|Brad Cooper, winner of the 400-metre freestyle.

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0411-0003-001, Roland Matthes.jpg|Roland Matthes, winner of the 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre backstroke.

File:Cathy Carr 1972.jpg|Cathy Carr, winner of the 100-metre breaststroke and 4 × 100-metre medley relay.

File:Melissa Belote 1974.jpg|Melissa Belote, winner of the 100-metre backstroke, 200-metre backstroke, and 4 × 100-metre medley relay.

References

Category:Events at the 1972 Summer Olympics

1972

Category:1972 in swimming