| | Event type

Shot Put, Men

Date	8 – 9 September 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiastadion, Olympiapark, München
Participants	29 from 19 countries
Olympic Record	20.68 / Randy Matson USA / 13 October 1968 / Details

The USA had not lost this event since 1936, but a big challenge from the GDR throwers was expected. But Poland’s Władysław Komar opened with 21.18 (69-6), his best throw of the event and it would hold up for the gold medal. The GDR’s Hans-Peter Gies threw 21.14 (69-4¼) in the first round, which would be his best throw but it got him only fourth place. In round four, America’s George Woods moved into second with 21.17, only one centimeter out of the lead. In that round, Hartmut Briesenick (GDR) equaled his countryman with 21.14 (69-4¼) but moved into the bronze medal position based on second-best throw (21.02-21.01). In the last round Woods unleashed what looked to be his best mark. It hit Komar’s marker before landing, so it was considered to be better than that mark, but it was measured at only 21.05 (69-0¾), not an improvement. Komar later became an actor. Sixth-place finisher Brian Oldfield was the first to use a new technique, the rotational spin technique, similar to discus throwing style.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Qualifying	Final
1	724	Władysław Komar	POL	20.60 (1)	21.18 (1)	Gold	OR
2	1032	George Woods	USA	19.96 (4)	21.17 (2)	Silver
3	322	Hartmut Briesenick	GDR	20.38 (2)	21.14 (3)	Bronze
4	328	Hans-Peter Gies	GDR	19.06 (17)	21.14 (4)		OR
5	984	Al Feuerbach	USA	19.94 (=6)	21.01 (5)
6	1002	Brian Oldfield	USA	19.95 (5)	20.91 (6)
7	361	Heinfried Birlenbach	FRG	20.10 (3)	20.37 (7)
8	470	Vilmos Varjú	HUN	19.94 (=6)	20.10 (8)
9	884	Jaromír Vlk	TCH	19.61 (10)	20.09 (9)
10	867	Jaroslav Brabec	TCH	19.82 (9)	19.86 (10)
11	340	Heinz-Joachim Rothenburg	GDR	19.03 (18)	19.74 (11)
12	234	Yves Brouzet	FRA	19.87 (8)	19.61 (12)
13	393	Ralf Reichenbach	FRG	19.14 (15)	19.48 (13)
14	949	Rimantas Plungė	URS	19.18 (13)	19.30 (14)
15	628	Lahcen Samsam	MAR	19.36 (12)	19.11 (15)
16	222	Seppo Simola	FIN	19.49 (11)	19.06 (16)
17	102	Bruce Pirnie	CAN	19.18 (14)	18.90 (17)
18	365	Traugott Glöckler	FRG	19.11 (16)	18.85 (18)
19 QR	1050	Ivan Ivančić	YUG	18.95 (19)	–
20 QR	278	Geoff Capes	GBR	18.94 (20)	–
21 QR	230	Arnjolt Beer	FRA	18.74 (21)	–
22 QR	928	Aleksandr Baryshnikov	URS	18.65 (22)	–
23 QR	693	Les Mills	NZL	18.38 (23)	–
24 QR	201	Bo Grahn	FIN	18.20 (24)	–
25 QR	429	Loukas Louka	GRE	17.48 (25)	–
26 QR	478	Jugraj Singh	IND	17.15 (26)	–
27 QR	480	Phil Conway	IRL	16.69 (27)	–
28 QR	669	Christopher Okonkwo	NGR	16.51 (28)	–
29 QR	21	Hussein Al-Taib Maki	KSA	11.57 (29)	–
DNS	159	Nagui Assaad	EGY	– (DNS)	–
DNS	673	Bjørn Bang Andersen	NOR	– (DNS)	–
DNS	138	Aristides Lanier	CUB	– (DNS)	–
DNS	77	Vasil Krumov	BUL	– (DNS)	–
DNS	311	Bill Tancred	GBR	– (DNS)	–
DNS	529	Salvatore Morale	ITA	– (DNS)	–

Qualifying Round

Date	8 September 1972 — 10:00
Format	Top 12 and ties and all those reaching 19.00 metres advanced to the final round.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Distance	2nd-Best Mark Distance
1	724	Władysław Komar	POL	20.60	–	Q
2	322	Hartmut Briesenick	GDR	20.38	–	Q
3	361	Heinfried Birlenbach	FRG	20.10	–	Q
4	1032	George Woods	USA	19.96	–	Q
5	1002	Brian Oldfield	USA	19.95	–	Q
=6	984	Al Feuerbach	USA	19.94	-	Q
=6	470	Vilmos Varjú	HUN	19.94	-	Q
8	234	Yves Brouzet	FRA	19.87	–	Q
9	867	Jaroslav Brabec	TCH	19.82	–	Q
10	884	Jaromír Vlk	TCH	19.61	–	Q
11	222	Seppo Simola	FIN	19.49	–	Q
12	628	Lahcen Samsam	MAR	19.36	–	Q
13	949	Rimantas Plungė	URS	19.18	18.97	Q
14	102	Bruce Pirnie	CAN	19.18	–	Q
15	393	Ralf Reichenbach	FRG	19.14	–	Q
16	365	Traugott Glöckler	FRG	19.11	–	Q
17	328	Hans-Peter Gies	GDR	19.06	–	Q
18	340	Heinz-Joachim Rothenburg	GDR	19.03	–	Q
19	1050	Ivan Ivančić	YUG	18.95	–
20	278	Geoff Capes	GBR	18.94	–
21	230	Arnjolt Beer	FRA	18.74	–
22	928	Aleksandr Baryshnikov	URS	18.65	–
23	693	Les Mills	NZL	18.38	–
24	201	Bo Grahn	FIN	18.20	–
25	429	Loukas Louka	GRE	17.48	–
26	478	Jugraj Singh	IND	17.15	–
27	480	Phil Conway	IRL	16.69	–
28	669	Christopher Okonkwo	NGR	16.51	–
29	21	Hussein Al-Taib Maki	KSA	11.57	–
DNS	159	Nagui Assaad	EGY	–	–
DNS	673	Bjørn Bang Andersen	NOR	–	–
DNS	311	Bill Tancred	GBR	–	–
DNS	138	Aristides Lanier	CUB	–	–
DNS	77	Vasil Krumov	BUL	–	–
DNS	529	Salvatore Morale	ITA	–	–

Group A

Date	8 September 1972

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Distance	Round #1 Distance	Round #2 Distance	Round #3 Distance
1	6	Władysław Komar	POL	20.60	20.60	p	p
2	3	George Woods	USA	19.96	19.96	p	p
3	8	Al Feuerbach	USA	19.94	19.94	p	p
4	7	Yves Brouzet	FRA	19.87	19.87	p	p
5	13	Jaroslav Brabec	TCH	19.82	19.82	p	p
6	5	Seppo Simola	FIN	19.49	19.49	p	p
7	14	Ralf Reichenbach	FRG	19.14	19.14	p	p
8	4	Hans-Peter Gies	GDR	19.06	19.06	p	p
9	17	Heinz-Joachim Rothenburg	GDR	19.03	19.03	p	p
10	11	Aleksandr Baryshnikov	URS	18.65	18.45	18.41	18.65
11	2	Loukas Louka	GRE	17.48	17.47	17.48	x
12	16	Jugraj Singh	IND	17.15	x	17.15	16.69
13	9	Christopher Okonkwo	NGR	16.51	14.98	x	16.51
14	12	Hussein Al-Taib Maki	KSA	11.57	x	11.57	10.77
DNS	1	Nagui Assaad	EGY	–	–	–	–
DNS	15	Bjørn Bang Andersen	NOR	–	–	–	–
DNS	10	Bill Tancred	GBR	–	–	–	–

Group B

Date	8 September 1972

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Distance	2nd-Best Mark Distance	Round #1 Distance	Round #2 Distance	Round #3 Distance
1	12	Hartmut Briesenick	GDR	20.38	–	20.38	p	p
2	14	Heinfried Birlenbach	FRG	20.10	–	20.10	p	p
3	11	Brian Oldfield	USA	19.95	–	19.95	p	p
4	5	Vilmos Varjú	HUN	19.94	–	19.94	p	p
5	15	Jaromír Vlk	TCH	19.61	–	x	18.20	19.61
6	13	Lahcen Samsam	MAR	19.36	–	18.98	19.36	p
7	8	Rimantas Plungė	URS	19.18	18.97	18.97	19.18	p
8	4	Bruce Pirnie	CAN	19.18	-	19.18	-	-
9	16	Traugott Glöckler	FRG	19.11	–	18.15	19.11	p
10	17	Ivan Ivančić	YUG	18.95	–	18.80	18.95	x
11	1	Geoff Capes	GBR	18.94	–	18.94	18.72	18.79
12	7	Arnjolt Beer	FRA	18.74	–	18.55	18.74	18.21
13	9	Les Mills	NZL	18.38	–	17.61	18.38	x
14	10	Bo Grahn	FIN	18.20	–	x	x	18.20
15	6	Phil Conway	IRL	16.69	–	16.16	15.76	16.69
DNS	18	Aristides Lanier	CUB	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	2	Vasil Krumov	BUL	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	3	Salvatore Morale	ITA	–	–	–	–	–

Final Round

Date	9 September 1972 — 14:30

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Distance	2nd-Best Mark Distance	Round #1 Distance	Round #2 Distance	Round #3 Distance	Round #4 Distance	Round #5 Distance	Round #6 Distance
1	14	Władysław Komar	POL	21.18	–	21.18	x	20.55	20.74	20.80	x	OR
2	11	George Woods	USA	21.17	–	20.55	20.17	20.71	21.17	20.88	21.05
3	6	Hartmut Briesenick	GDR	21.14	21.02	20.97	20.91	21.02	21.14	20.61	20.54
4	13	Hans-Peter Gies	GDR	21.14	21.01	21.14	21.00	21.01	20.62	x	x	OR
5	10	Al Feuerbach	USA	21.01	–	20.90	20.29	x	20.86	21.01	20.28
6	7	Brian Oldfield	USA	20.91	–	20.85	20.60	20.87	20.54	20.91	20.13
7	18	Heinfried Birlenbach	FRG	20.37	–	20.37	x	x	19.89	x	20.13
8	9	Vilmos Varjú	HUN	20.10	–	20.10	x	x	x	19.67	19.65
9	17	Jaromír Vlk	TCH	20.09	–	19.66	20.09	x	–	–	–
10	5	Jaroslav Brabec	TCH	19.86	–	19.61	19.86	19.68	–	–	–
11	12	Heinz-Joachim Rothenburg	GDR	19.74	–	19.74	x	x	–	–	–
12	4	Yves Brouzet	FRA	19.61	–	19.42	19.61	19.49	–	–	–
13	15	Ralf Reichenbach	FRG	19.48	–	19.48	x	x	–	–	–
14	2	Rimantas Plungė	URS	19.30	–	19.30	x	x	–	–	–
15	8	Lahcen Samsam	MAR	19.11	–	19.11	x	x	–	–	–
16	16	Seppo Simola	FIN	19.06	–	18.91	19.06	x	–	–	–
17	3	Bruce Pirnie	CAN	18.90	–	18.90	x	x	–	–	–
18	1	Traugott Glöckler	FRG	18.85	–	18.85	18.47	x	–	–	–