|
| Event type

200 metres Breaststroke, Men

Date 2 September 1972
StatusOlympic
LocationSchwimmhalle, Olympiapark, München
Participants41 from 28 countries

Three days before this race, American John Hencken had won a bronze in the 100 breaststroke behind Japan’s Nobutaka Taguchi. Hencken had set the world record of 2:22.79 at the US Trials in Chicago in August. Not expected to challenge was Britain’s David Wilkie, but he made the final, as Taguchi led the qualifying with 2:23.45. One surprise in the heats was the failure of Brian Job of the United States, former world record holder, to get through.

In the final Hencken led from the start, trailed by his teammate Rick Colella through 150 metres, although Hencken was well ahead. Hencken won easily, posting a world record of 2:21.55. He was over two seconds ahead of Wilkie at the finish, who came on strong for the silver medal, with Taguchi taking bronze, as Colella flagged badly on the final lap. Over the next few years, Hencken and Wilkie would challenge each other as the best breaststrokers in the world. At Montréal in 1976 the Munich result would be reversed with Wilkie winning, Hencken taking silver.

PosSwimmerNOCR1Final
1John HenckenUSA2:24.88 (1 h6)2:21.55 (1)Gold
2David WilkieGBR2:24.54 (1 h3)2:23.67 (2)Silver
3Nobutaka TaguchiJPN2:23.45 (1 h2)2:23.88 (3)Bronze
4Rick ColellaUSA2:25.40 (1 h4)2:24.28 (4)
5Felipe MuñozMEX2:25.99 (2 h2)2:26.44 (5)
6Walter KuschFRG2:26.43 (2 h3)2:26.55 (6)
7Igor CherdakovURS2:26.21 (1 h5)2:27.15 (7)
8Klaus KatzurGDR2:26.32 (1 h1)2:27.44 (8)
=9Bill MahonyCAN2:26.71 (2 h1)
=9Nikolay PankinURS2:26.71 (2 h6)
11Brian JobUSA2:26.91 (2 h5)
12Paul JarvieAUS2:27.83 (3 h6)
13Vladimir KosinskyURS2:28.00 (2 h4)
14Pedro BalcellsESP2:29.29 (3 h2)
15Roger-Philippe MenuFRA2:30.05 (3 h1)
16Robert StoddartCAN2:30.08 (4 h2)
17Steffen KriechbaumAUT2:30.09 (3 h3)
18José Sylvio FioloBRA2:30.21 (3 h5)
19Angel ChakarovBUL2:30.27 (3 h4)
20Malcolm O'ConnellGBR2:31.21 (4 h3)
21Jean-Pierre DubeySUI2:31.56 (5 h3)
22Guðjón GuðmundssonISL2:32.40 (4 h1)
23Rainer HradetzkyGDR2:32.48 (4 h5)
24Andreas HellmannFRG2:32.60 (4 h4)
25Gustavo SalcedoMEX2:32.81 (6 h3)
=26Liam BallIRL2:33.47 (5 h4)
=26Mike WhitakerCAN2:33.47 (4 h6)
28Amman JalmaaniPHI2:33.54 (5 h5)
29Nigel JohnsonGBR2:34.37 (6 h4)
30Cezary ŚmiglakPOL2:34.51 (5 h2)
31Sokhon YiCAM2:34.77 (5 h1)
32Michele Di PietroITA2:36.49 (6 h5)
33Rudi VingerhoetsBEL2:36.89 (5 h6)
34Gregor BetzFRG2:36.96 (6 h6)
35Alfredo HungerPER2:37.20 (7 h6)
36János TóthHUN2:37.40 (6 h1)
37Karl Christian KochDEN2:38.47 (7 h4)
38Faruk MorkalTUR2:43.69 (6 h2)
39Piero FerracutiESA2:45.73 (7 h2)
40Alejandro CabreraESA2:56.60 (8 h6)
DQOsvaldo BorettoARG[2:31.84] (DQ h3)
DNSTheodoros KoutoumanisGRE– (DNS h1)
DNSAntonio AguerrevereVEN– (DNS h5)
DNSBob HatherlyRHO

Round One (2 September 1972 — 11:10)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1Klaus KatzurGDR2:26.32QOR
2Bill MahonyCAN2:26.71
3Roger-Philippe MenuFRA2:30.05
4Guðjón GuðmundssonISL2:32.40
5Sokhon YiCAM2:34.77
6János TóthHUN2:37.40
DNSTheodoros KoutoumanisGRE

Heat Two

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1Nobutaka TaguchiJPN2:23.45QOR
2Felipe MuñozMEX2:25.99Q
3Pedro BalcellsESP2:29.29
4Robert StoddartCAN2:30.08
5Cezary ŚmiglakPOL2:34.51
6Faruk MorkalTUR2:43.69
7Piero FerracutiESA2:45.73

Heat Three

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1David WilkieGBR2:24.54Q
2Walter KuschFRG2:26.43Q
3Steffen KriechbaumAUT2:30.09
4Malcolm O'ConnellGBR2:31.21
5Jean-Pierre DubeySUI2:31.56
6Gustavo SalcedoMEX2:32.81
DQOsvaldo BorettoARG[2:31.84]

Heat Four

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1Rick ColellaUSA2:25.40Q
2Vladimir KosinskyURS2:28.00
3Angel ChakarovBUL2:30.27
4Andreas HellmannFRG2:32.60
5Liam BallIRL2:33.47
6Nigel JohnsonGBR2:34.37
7Karl Christian KochDEN2:38.47

Heat Five

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1Igor CherdakovURS2:26.21Q
2Brian JobUSA2:26.91
3José Sylvio FioloBRA2:30.21
4Rainer HradetzkyGDR2:32.48
5Amman JalmaaniPHI2:33.54
6Michele Di PietroITA2:36.49
DNSAntonio AguerrevereVEN

Heat Six

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
1John HenckenUSA2:24.88Q
2Nikolay PankinURS2:26.71
3Paul JarvieAUS2:27.83
4Mike WhitakerCAN2:33.47
5Rudi VingerhoetsBEL2:36.89
6Gregor BetzFRG2:36.96
7Alfredo HungerPER2:37.20
8Alejandro CabreraESA2:56.60

Final (2 September 1972 — 18:30)

PosLaneSwimmerNOCTime
13John HenckenUSA2:21.55WR
25David WilkieGBR2:23.67
34Nobutaka TaguchiJPN2:23.88
46Rick ColellaUSA2:24.28
52Felipe MuñozMEX2:26.44
68Walter KuschFRG2:26.55
77Igor CherdakovURS2:27.15
81Klaus KatzurGDR2:27.44