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1972 Summer Olympics
See also: 1972 Summer Paralympics[?]
The Games of the XX Olympiad were held in 1972 in Munich, West Germany. In the bid to organise the Olympics, Detroit, Madrid and Montreal were beaten.
Summer Olympics
The Games of the XX Olympiad were held in 1972 in Munich, West Germany. In the bid to organise the Olympics, Detroit, Madrid and Montreal were beaten.
| Games of the XX Olympiad | |
| Nations participating | 121 |
| Athletes participating | 7,123 (6,065 men, 1,058 women) |
| Events | 195 in 23 sports |
| Opening ceremonies | August 26, 1972 |
| Closing ceremonies | September 11, 1972 |
| Officially opened by | Gustav Heinemann |
| Athlete's Oath | Heidi Schüller[?] |
| Judge's Oath: | Heinz Pollay[?] |
| Olympic Torch | Günther Zahn[?] |
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- Palestinian terrorists took 11 Israeli athletes hostage on September 5. After a failed rescue attempt, all athletes and most of the hostage were killed. For more, see Munich massacre.
- All Olympic events were suspended for one day after the terrorist action became known. They were continued a day later, although some athletes decided to leave Munich.
- Mark Spitz set seven World Records to win a record seven gold medals in one Olympics, bringing his total to nine.
- Lasse Virén[?] of Finland won the 5000 and 10000 m (the latter after a fall), a feat he would repeat in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Olga Korbut, a tiny Soviet gymnast, became a star after failing to win the individual all-around after a fall, but winning two gold medals in the apparatus events.
- Valeri Borzov wins both the 100 m and 200 m on the track.
- Australian swimmer Shane Gould[?] wins three gold medals and two silver.
- Handball (last held in 1936) and Archery (last held in 1920) return as Olympic sports after a long absence.
- White water canoeing[?] is held for the first time at the Olympics.
- For the first time, the Olympic Oath is also taken by a representative of the referees.
- In basketball, the United States' Olympic winning streak, which started in 1936, was ended. The final game against the Soviet Union ended in a victory for the Russians, but was surrounded by controversy.
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
- Archery[?]
- Athletics[?]
- Basketball[?]
- Boxing[?]
- Canoeing[?]
- Cycling[?]
- Diving[?]
- Equestrianism[?]
- Fencing[?]
- Football[?]
- Gymnastics[?]
- Handball[?]
- Hockey[?]
- Judo[?]
- Modern Pentathlon[?]
- Rowing[?]
- Shooting[?]
- Swimming[?]
- Volleyball[?]
- Water Polo[?]
- Weightlifting[?]
- Wrestling[?]
- Yachting[?]
| Pos | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
Internal Links
- Olympic Games
- Summer Olympic Games
- International Olympic Committee
- WikiProject Sports Olympics
- IOC country codes
External Links
- IOC Site on 1972 Summer Olympics (http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1972)
Bibliography
Summer Olympics
1896 | 1900 | 1904 | 1906 | 1908 | 1912 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012
1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1994 | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010
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