| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Relay, Men

Date	9 – 10 September 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiastadion, Olympiapark, München
Participants	112 from 27 countries
Olympic Record	38.2 WR / Charlie Greene • Mel Pender • Ronnie Ray Smith • Jim Hines USA / 20 October 1968 / Details

Valery Borzov had won the 100 and 200 metres and led a top Soviet squad that also had fast-starter Aleksandr Kornelyuk to run the opening leg. The Americans had been stung in the 100 metres by the disqualification of Eddie Hart and Rey Robinson when they showed up late for their quarter-final heats, having used an incorrect schedule to determine when they were to run next. Robinson was not chosen for the relay as 200 silver medalist Larry Black was picked for his turn-running ability. In the final, he opened up and there was little to choose between him and Kornelyuk at the first exchange. Robert Taylor and Gerald Tinker then gave the US a big lead by the time the baton got to Hart for the anchor leg. Borzov was four metres down and possibly gained a little on Hart but the US won easily with a world record time of 38.19.

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	–	United States	USA	38.96 (1 h4)	38.54 (1 h1)	38.19 (1)	Gold	WR
		Larry Black • Robert Taylor • Gerald Tinker • Eddie Hart • Larry Burton (DNS) • Rey Robinson (DNS)
2	–	Soviet Union	URS	39.15 (1 h1)	39.00 (2 h2)	38.50 (2)	Silver
		Aleksandr Kornelyuk • Vladimir Lovetsky • Juris Silovs • Valery Borzov • Vladimir Atamas (DNS) • Viktor Myasnikov (DNS)
3	–	West Germany	FRG	39.17 (2 h1)	38.86 (2 h1)	38.79 (3)	Bronze
		Jobst Hirscht • Karlheinz Klotz • Gerhard Wucherer • Klaus Ehl • Klaus Bieler (DNS) • Manfred Ommer (DNS)
4	–	Czechoslovakia	TCH	39.31 (2 h2)	39.01 (4 h1)	38.82 (4)
		Jaroslav Matoušek • Juraj Demeč • Jiří Kynos • Luděk Bohman • Ladislav Kříž (DNS) • Petr Utekal (DNS)
5	–	East Germany	GDR	39.17 (3 h1)	39.06 (3 h2)	38.90 (5)
		Manfred Kokot • Bernd Borth • Hans-Jürgen Bombach • Siegfried Schenke • Harald Eggers (DNS) • Hans-Joachim Zenk (DNS)
6	–	Poland	POL	39.11 (1 h3)	38.90 (3 h1)	39.03 (6)
		Stanisław Wagner • Tadeusz Cuch • Jerzy Czerbniak • Zenon Nowosz • Ryszard Tulkis (DNS)
7	–	France	FRA	39.01 (1 h2)	39.00 (1 h2)	39.14 (7)
		Patrick Bourbeillon • Jean-Pierre Grès • Gérard Fenouil • Bruno Cherrier • René Metz • André Byrame (DNS)
8	–	Italy	ITA	39.29 (2 h4)	39.21 (4 h2)	39.14 (8)
		Vincenzo Guerini • Ennio Preatoni • Luigi Benedetti • Pietro Mennea • Pasqualino Abeti (DNS) • Franco Ossola (DNS)
5 h1 r2/3	–	Cuba	CUB	39.65 (4 h3)	39.04 (5 h1)	–
		José Triana • Juan Morales • Hermes Ramírez • Pablo Montes • Pablo Bandomo (DNS) • Alejandro Casañas (DNS)
5 h2 r2/3	–	Finland	FIN	39.54 (3 h3)	39.30 (5 h2)	–
		Antti Rajamäki • Raimo Vilén • Erik Gustafsson • Markku Juhola • Juhani Jaakkola (DNS) • Markku Perttula (DNS)
6 h1 r2/3	–	Nigeria	NGR	39.66 (3 h2)	39.73 (6 h1)	–
		Kola Abdulai • Rex Bazunu • James Olakunle • Timon Oyebami • Benedict Majekodunmi • Robert Ojo (DNS)
6 h2 r2/3	–	Great Britain	GBR	39.63 (3 h4)	39.47 (6 h2)	–
		Les Piggot • Don Halliday • Dave Dear • Brian Green • Berwyn Price • Roger Walters (DNS)
7 h1 r2/3	–	Ghana	GHA	39.46 (2 h3)	39.99 (7 h1)	–
		Ohene Karikari • James Addy • Sandy Osei-Agyemang • George Daniels • Mike Ahey (DNS)
7 h2 r2/3	–	Venezuela	VEN	39.74 (4 h2)	39.74 (7 h2)	–
		Humberto Galea • Félix Mata • Alberto Marchán • Jesús Rico • Orlando Cubillán (DNS) • Eric Phillips (DNS)
8 h2 r2/3	–	Congo	CGO	39.86 (4 h4)	39.97 (8 h2)	–
		Antoine Nkounkou • Louis Nkanza • Jean-Pierre Basségéla • Théophile Nkounkou
AC h1 r2/3	–	Austria	AUT	40.49 (4 h1)	– (DQ h1)	–
		Georg Regner • Axel Nepraunik • Günther Würfel • Helmut Lang • Gert Nöster
5 h1 r1/3	–	Puerto Rico	PUR	41.34 (5 h1)	–	–
		Luis Alers • Guillermo González • Pedro Ferrer • Jorge Vizcarrondo • Arnaldo Bristol (DNS)
5 h2 r1/3	–	Côte d'Ivoire	CIV	39.81 (5 h2)	–	–
		Kouakou Komenan • Amadou Méité • Kouami N'Dri • Gaoussou Koné • Koffi Attoungbre (DNS) • Kouassi Gnamien (DNS)
5 h3 r1/3	–	Senegal	SEN	40.95 (5 h3)	–	–
		Malang Mané • Christian Dorosario • Momar N'Dao • Barka Sy • Bassirou Doumbia (DNS)
5 h4 r1/3	–	The Bahamas	BAH	40.48 (5 h4)	–	–
		Danny Smith • Harry Lockhart • Walter Callander • Mike Sands • Kevin Johnson (DNS)
6 h1 r1/3	–	Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	KSA	43.35 (6 h1)	–	–
		Mohamed Jaman Al-Dosari • Mansour Al-Juaid • Bilal Said Al-Azma • Said Khalil Al-Dosari • Marzouk Al-Faisal (DNS)
6 h2 r1/3	–	Madagascar	MAD	40.58 (6 h2)	–	–
		Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa • Alfred Rabenja • André Ralainasolo • Henri Rafaralahy • Augustin Miadana (DNS) • Jean-Aimé Randrianalijaona (DNS)
6 h3 r1/3	–	Thailand	THA	41.04 (6 h3)	–	–
		Somsak Boontud • Surapong Ariyamongkol • Panus Ariyamongkol • Anat Ratanapol • Kanoksakdi Chatasanond (DNS)
6 h4 r1/3	–	United Republic of Tanzania	TAN	41.07 (6 h4)	–	–
		Obedi Mwanga • Norman Chihota • Claver Kamanya • Hamad Ndee • Tumanne Chobanga (DNS)
7 h2 r1/3	–	Republic of China	TPE	41.78 (7 h2)	–	–
		Lee Chung-Ping • Su Wen-Ho • Chen Chin-Long • Chen Ming-Chi
AC h4 r1/3	–	Spain	ESP	– (DNF h4)	–	–
		José Luis Sánchez • Manuel Carballo • Francisco García • Luis Sarría • Pedro Carda (DNS)
AC h4 r1/3	–	Ethiopia	ETH	– (DNF h4)	–	–
		Sisaye Feleke • Solomon Belaye • Kebede Bedasso • Egzi Gebre-Gebre • Fekadu Arega (DNS)
DNS	–	Jamaica	JAM	–	–	–
		Horace Levy • Mike Fray • Lennox Miller • Don Quarrie • Carl Lawson • Errol Stewart
DNS	–	Kuwait	KUW	–	–	–
		Malik Sultan • Abdul Aziz Abdul Kareem • Mohamed Saad • Younis Abdallah
DNS	–	Liberia	LBR	–	–	–
		Thomas Howe • Thomas N'Ma • Dominic Saidu • Andrew Sartee • Dennis Freeman
DNS	–	Pakistan	PAK	–	–	–
		Norman Brinkworth • Nusrat Iqbal Sahi • Muhammad Siddique • Muhammad Younis • Muhammad Ahmed Bashir
DNS	–	Trinidad and Tobago	TTO	–	–	–
		Bertram Lovell • Ainsley Armstrong • Hasely Crawford • Rudy Reid • Charles Joseph • Edwin Roberts

Round One

Date	9 September 1972 — 14:30
Format	Top 4 in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	United States	USA	38.96	Q
2	France	FRA	39.01	Q
3	Poland	POL	39.11	Q
4	Soviet Union	URS	39.15	Q
5	West Germany	FRG	39.17	Q
6	East Germany	GDR	39.17	Q
7	Italy	ITA	39.29	Q
8	Czechoslovakia	TCH	39.31	Q
9	Ghana	GHA	39.46	Q
10	Finland	FIN	39.54	Q
11	Great Britain	GBR	39.63	Q
12	Cuba	CUB	39.65	Q
13	Nigeria	NGR	39.66	Q
14	Venezuela	VEN	39.74	Q
15	Côte d'Ivoire	CIV	39.81
16	Congo	CGO	39.86	Q
17	The Bahamas	BAH	40.48
18	Austria	AUT	40.49	Q
19	Madagascar	MAD	40.58
20	Senegal	SEN	40.95
21	Thailand	THA	41.04
22	United Republic of Tanzania	TAN	41.07
23	Puerto Rico	PUR	41.34
24	Republic of China	TPE	41.78
25	Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	KSA	43.35
DNF	Ethiopia	ETH	–
DNF	Spain	ESP	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	7	Soviet Union	URS	39.15	Q
Lead-Off	941	Aleksandr Kornelyuk		–
2nd Leg	945	Vladimir Lovetsky		–
3rd Leg	957	Juris Silovs		–
Anchor	932	Valery Borzov		–
2	3	West Germany	FRG	39.17	Q
Lead-Off	369	Jobst Hirscht		–
2nd Leg	375	Karlheinz Klotz		–
3rd Leg	413	Gerhard Wucherer		–
Anchor	363	Klaus Ehl		–
3	4	East Germany	GDR	39.17	Q
Lead-Off	335	Manfred Kokot		–
2nd Leg	321	Bernd Borth		–
3rd Leg	320	Hans-Jürgen Bombach		–
Anchor	344	Siegfried Schenke		–
4	6	Austria	AUT	40.49	Q
Lead-Off	39	Georg Regner		–
2nd Leg	37	Axel Nepraunik		–
3rd Leg	38	Gert Nöster		–
Anchor	36	Helmut Lang		–
5	1	Puerto Rico	PUR	41.34
Lead-Off	761	Luis Alers		–
2nd Leg	766	Guillermo González		–
3rd Leg	765	Pedro Ferrer		–
Anchor	769	Jorge Vizcarrondo		–
6	8	Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	KSA	43.35
Lead-Off	20	Mohamed Jaman Al-Dosari		–
2nd Leg	16	Mansour Al-Juaid		–
3rd Leg	23	Bilal Said Al-Azma		–
Anchor	14	Said Khalil Al-Dosari		–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	4	France	FRA	39.01	Q
Lead-Off	232	Patrick Bourbeillon		–
2nd Leg	250	Jean-Pierre Grès		–
3rd Leg	247	Gérard Fenouil		–
Anchor	256	René Metz		–
2	5	Czechoslovakia	TCH	39.31	Q
Lead-Off	878	Jaroslav Matoušek		–
2nd Leg	872	Juraj Demeč		–
3rd Leg	877	Jiří Kynos		–
Anchor	866	Luděk Bohman		–
3	7	Nigeria	NGR	39.66	Q
Lead-Off	661	Rex Bazunu		–
2nd Leg	670	James Olakunle		–
3rd Leg	665	Benedict Majekodunmi		–
Anchor	658	Kola Abdulai		–
4	1	Venezuela	VEN	39.74	Q
Lead-Off	1037	Humberto Galea		–
2nd Leg	1041	Félix Mata		–
3rd Leg	1040	Alberto Marchán		–
Anchor	1045	Jesús Rico		–
5	6	Côte d'Ivoire	CIV	39.81
Lead-Off	118	Kouakou Komenan		–
2nd Leg	115	Amadou Méité		–
3rd Leg	120	Kouami N'Dri		–
Anchor	119	Gaoussou Koné		–
6	2	Madagascar	MAD	40.58
Lead-Off	613	Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa		–
2nd Leg	608	Alfred Rabenja		–
3rd Leg	610	André Ralainasolo		–
Anchor	609	Henri Rafaralahy		–
7	3	Republic of China	TPE	41.78
Lead-Off	772	Lee Chung-Ping		–
2nd Leg	773	Su Wen-Ho		–
3rd Leg	770	Chen Chin-Long		–
Anchor	771	Chen Ming-Chi		–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	7	Poland	POL	39.11	Q
Lead-Off	746	Stanisław Wagner		–
2nd Leg	712	Tadeusz Cuch		–
3rd Leg	714	Jerzy Czerbniak		–
Anchor	734	Zenon Nowosz		–
2	2	Ghana	GHA	39.46	Q
Lead-Off	422	Ohene Karikari		–
2nd Leg	415	James Addy		–
3rd Leg	423	Sandy Osei-Agyemang		–
Anchor	419	George Daniels		–
3	1	Finland	FIN	39.54	Q
Lead-Off	217	Antti Rajamäki		–
2nd Leg	227	Raimo Vilén		–
3rd Leg	202	Erik Gustafsson		–
Anchor	204	Markku Juhola		–
4	8	Cuba	CUB	39.65	Q
Lead-Off	144	José Triana		–
2nd Leg	141	Juan Morales		–
3rd Leg	143	Hermes Ramírez		–
Anchor	140	Pablo Montes		–
5	4	Senegal	SEN	40.95
Lead-Off	795	Malang Mané		–
2nd Leg	791	Christian Dorosario		–
3rd Leg	797	Momar N'Dao		–
Anchor	800	Barka Sy		–
6	3	Thailand	THA	41.04
Lead-Off	887	Somsak Boontud		–
2nd Leg	886	Surapong Ariyamongkol		–
3rd Leg	885	Panus Ariyamongkol		–
Anchor	889	Anat Ratanapol		–

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3	United States	USA	38.96	Q
Lead-Off	973	Larry Black		–
2nd Leg	1023	Robert Taylor		–
3rd Leg	1024	Gerald Tinker		–
Anchor	988	Eddie Hart		–
2	4	Italy	ITA	39.29	Q
Lead-Off	524	Vincenzo Guerini		–
2nd Leg	532	Ennio Preatoni		–
3rd Leg	505	Luigi Benedetti		–
Anchor	528	Pietro Mennea		–
3	7	Great Britain	GBR	39.63	Q
Lead-Off	305	Berwyn Price		–
2nd Leg	287	Don Halliday		–
3rd Leg	282	Dave Dear		–
Anchor	286	Brian Green		–
4	5	Congo	CGO	39.86	Q
Lead-Off	1068	Antoine Nkounkou		–
2nd Leg	1069	Louis Nkanza		–
3rd Leg	1063	Jean-Pierre Basségéla		–
Anchor	1066	Théophile Nkounkou		–
5	1	The Bahamas	BAH	40.48
Lead-Off	50	Danny Smith		–
2nd Leg	47	Harry Lockhart		–
3rd Leg	45	Walter Callander		–
Anchor	49	Mike Sands		–
6	8	United Republic of Tanzania	TAN	41.07
Lead-Off	862	Obedi Mwanga		–
2nd Leg	859	Norman Chihota		–
3rd Leg	861	Claver Kamanya		–
Anchor	863	Hamad Ndee		–
DNF	2	Ethiopia	ETH	–
Lead-Off	183	Sisaye Feleke		–
2nd Leg	177	Solomon Belaye		–
3rd Leg	176	Kebede Bedasso		–
Anchor	185	Egzi Gebre-Gebre		–
DNF	6	Spain	ESP	–
Lead-Off	171	José Luis Sánchez		–
2nd Leg	162	Manuel Carballo		–
3rd Leg	167	Francisco García		–
Anchor	172	Luis Sarría		–

Semi-Finals

Date	9 September 1972 — 17:40
Format	Top 4 in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	United States	USA	38.54	Q
2	West Germany	FRG	38.86	Q
3	Poland	POL	38.90	Q
4	France	FRA	39.00	Q
5	Soviet Union	URS	39.00	Q
6	Czechoslovakia	TCH	39.01	Q
7	Cuba	CUB	39.04
8	East Germany	GDR	39.06	Q
9	Italy	ITA	39.21	Q
10	Finland	FIN	39.30
11	Great Britain	GBR	39.47
12	Nigeria	NGR	39.73
13	Venezuela	VEN	39.74
14	Congo	CGO	39.97
15	Ghana	GHA	39.99
DQ	Austria	AUT	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3	United States	USA	38.54	Q
Lead-Off	973	Larry Black		–
2nd Leg	1023	Robert Taylor		–
3rd Leg	1024	Gerald Tinker		–
Anchor	988	Eddie Hart		–
2	5	West Germany	FRG	38.86	Q
Lead-Off	369	Jobst Hirscht		–
2nd Leg	375	Karlheinz Klotz		–
3rd Leg	413	Gerhard Wucherer		–
Anchor	363	Klaus Ehl		–
3	8	Poland	POL	38.90	Q
Lead-Off	746	Stanisław Wagner		–
2nd Leg	712	Tadeusz Cuch		–
3rd Leg	714	Jerzy Czerbniak		–
Anchor	734	Zenon Nowosz		–
4	2	Czechoslovakia	TCH	39.01	Q
Lead-Off	878	Jaroslav Matoušek		–
2nd Leg	872	Juraj Demeč		–
3rd Leg	877	Jiří Kynos		–
Anchor	866	Luděk Bohman		–
5	6	Cuba	CUB	39.04
Lead-Off	144	José Triana		–
2nd Leg	141	Juan Morales		–
3rd Leg	143	Hermes Ramírez		–
Anchor	140	Pablo Montes		–
6	4	Nigeria	NGR	39.73
Lead-Off	658	Kola Abdulai		–
2nd Leg	661	Rex Bazunu		–
3rd Leg	670	James Olakunle		–
Anchor	672	Timon Oyebami		–
7	1	Ghana	GHA	39.99
Lead-Off	422	Ohene Karikari		–
2nd Leg	415	James Addy		–
3rd Leg	423	Sandy Osei-Agyemang		–
Anchor	419	George Daniels		–
DQ	7	Austria	AUT	–
Lead-Off	39	Georg Regner		–
2nd Leg	37	Axel Nepraunik		–
3rd Leg	42	Günther Würfel		–
Anchor	36	Helmut Lang		–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	1	France	FRA	39.00	Q
Lead-Off	232	Patrick Bourbeillon		–
2nd Leg	250	Jean-Pierre Grès		–
3rd Leg	247	Gérard Fenouil		–
Anchor	239	Bruno Cherrier		–
2	5	Soviet Union	URS	39.00	Q
Lead-Off	941	Aleksandr Kornelyuk		–
2nd Leg	945	Vladimir Lovetsky		–
3rd Leg	957	Juris Silovs		–
Anchor	932	Valery Borzov		–
3	3	East Germany	GDR	39.06	Q
Lead-Off	335	Manfred Kokot		–
2nd Leg	321	Bernd Borth		–
3rd Leg	320	Hans-Jürgen Bombach		–
Anchor	344	Siegfried Schenke		–
4	8	Italy	ITA	39.21	Q
Lead-Off	524	Vincenzo Guerini		–
2nd Leg	532	Ennio Preatoni		–
3rd Leg	505	Luigi Benedetti		–
Anchor	528	Pietro Mennea		–
5	2	Finland	FIN	39.30
Lead-Off	217	Antti Rajamäki		–
2nd Leg	227	Raimo Vilén		–
3rd Leg	202	Erik Gustafsson		–
Anchor	204	Markku Juhola		–
6	7	Great Britain	GBR	39.47
Lead-Off	304	Les Piggot		–
2nd Leg	287	Don Halliday		–
3rd Leg	282	Dave Dear		–
Anchor	286	Brian Green		–
7	4	Venezuela	VEN	39.74
Lead-Off	1037	Humberto Galea		–
2nd Leg	1041	Félix Mata		–
3rd Leg	1040	Alberto Marchán		–
Anchor	1045	Jesús Rico		–
8	6	Congo	CGO	39.97
Lead-Off	1068	Antoine Nkounkou		–
2nd Leg	1069	Louis Nkanza		–
3rd Leg	1063	Jean-Pierre Basségéla		–
Anchor	1066	Théophile Nkounkou		–

Final Round

Date	10 September 1972 — 16:10

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Split	Exchange
1	1	United States	USA	38.19	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-Off	973	Larry Black		–	10.3 (=1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	1023	Robert Taylor		–	9.3 (–)	19.6 (1)
3rd Leg	1024	Gerald Tinker		–	9.4 (–)	29.0 (1)
Anchor	988	Eddie Hart		–	9.25 (–)	– (–)
2	4	Soviet Union	URS	38.50	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	941	Aleksandr Kornelyuk		–	10.3 (=1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	945	Vladimir Lovetsky		–	9.5 (–)	19.8 (2)
3rd Leg	957	Juris Silovs		–	9.6 (–)	29.4 (2)
Anchor	932	Valery Borzov		–	9.21 (–)	– (–)
3	7	West Germany	FRG	38.79	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	369	Jobst Hirscht		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	375	Karlheinz Klotz		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	413	Gerhard Wucherer		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	363	Klaus Ehl		–	– (–)	– (–)
4	8	Czechoslovakia	TCH	38.82	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	878	Jaroslav Matoušek		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	872	Juraj Demeč		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	877	Jiří Kynos		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	866	Luděk Bohman		–	– (–)	– (–)
5	6	East Germany	GDR	38.90	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	335	Manfred Kokot		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	321	Bernd Borth		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	320	Hans-Jürgen Bombach		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	344	Siegfried Schenke		–	– (–)	– (–)
6	5	Poland	POL	39.03	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	746	Stanisław Wagner		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	712	Tadeusz Cuch		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	714	Jerzy Czerbniak		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	734	Zenon Nowosz		–	– (–)	– (–)
7	3	France	FRA	39.14	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	232	Patrick Bourbeillon		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	250	Jean-Pierre Grès		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	247	Gérard Fenouil		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	239	Bruno Cherrier		–	– (–)	– (–)
8	2	Italy	ITA	39.14	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	524	Vincenzo Guerini		–	– (–)	– (–)
2nd Leg	532	Ennio Preatoni		–	– (–)	– (–)
3rd Leg	505	Luigi Benedetti		–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	528	Pietro Mennea		–	9.20 (–)	– (–)