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Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| 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.
Perhaps the most spectacular athletic events were in swimming. 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".
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. 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.
- ARG
- AUS
- AUT
- BEL
- BRA
- BUL
- CAM
- CAN
- TPE
- COL
- TCH
- DEN
- GDR
- ECU
- EGY
- ESA
- FIN
- FRA
- GBR
- GRE
- HKG
- HUN
- ISL
- IRL
- ISR
- ITA
- JAM
- JPN
- KUW
- LIB
- MAS
- MEX
- NED
- NZL
- NOR
- PER
- PHI
- POL
- ROU
- SIN
- KOR
- URS
- ESP
- SWE
- SUI
- TTO
- TUR
- USA
- URU
- VEN
- FRG
- YUG
Medal table
Results
Men's events
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | ||
|---|---|---|
| USA | ||
| Mike Stamm | ||
| Tom Bruce | ||
| Mark Spitz | ||
| Jerry Heidenreich | 3:48.16 (WR) | GDR |
| Roland Matthes | ||
| Klaus Katzur | ||
| Hartmut Flöckner | ||
| Lutz Unger | ||
| 3:52.26 | CAN | |
| Erik Fish | ||
| William Mahony | ||
| Bruce Robertson | ||
| Robert Kasting | 3:53.26 |
Women's events
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | ||
|---|---|---|
| USA | ||
| Melissa Belote | ||
| Cathy Carr | ||
| Deena Deardurff | ||
| Sandy Neilson | 4:20.75 (WR) | GDR |
| Christine Herbst | ||
| Renate Vogel | ||
| Roswitha Beier | ||
| Kornelia Ender | ||
| 4:24.91 | FRG | |
| 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
References
- "Swimming at the 1972 Munich Summer Games". Sports Reference.
- "Olympedia – Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics".
- [http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1972]
- "Happy 65th To Shane Gould, Still The Only Swim Sorority Champ To Claim Five Solo Medals In The Olympic Pool At One Games". State of Swimming.
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