| | Event type

400 metres, Women

Date	2 – 7 September 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiastadion, Olympiapark, München
Participants	49 from 29 countries

Monika Zehrt (GDR) had equaled the world record of 51.0 in July and was favored. The other world record holder was Jamaica’s Marilyn Neufville but she was injured and did not compete. The 1971 Europeans had been won by Helga Seidler of East Germany. Zehrt and Seidler both made it to the final easily. The final was led by Hungary’s Györygi Balogh but she faded badly and would finish last. Zehrt took the lead at 200 metres and was never headed, holding off Rita Wilden of the FRG who took the silver medal. Seidler finished fourth, trailing the United States’ Kathy Hammond.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	QF	SF	Final
1	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	52.49 (1 h3)	52.33 (2 h2)	51.47 (1 h2)	51.08 (1)	Gold	OR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.97 (2 h1)	51.91 (2 h3)	51.76 (2 h2)	51.21 (2)	Silver
3	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	53.45 (1 h2)	52.44 (4 h3)	51.92 (4 h1)	51.64 (3)	Bronze
4	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	52.79 (2 h5)	51.97 (2 h1)	51.68 (1 h1)	51.86 (4)
5	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	52.05 (3 h1)	52.93 (3 h4)	51.91 (4 h2)	51.96 (5)
6	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.94 (1 h1)	51.96 (1 h1)	51.90 (3 h2)	51.99 (6)
7	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.99 (2 h6)	52.33 (1 h4)	51.73 (2 h1)	52.19 (7)
8	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	52.75 (2 h4)	51.71 (1 h3)	51.90 (3 h1)	52.39 (8)
5 h1 r3/4	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	53.25 (3 h6)	52.02 (3 h3)	52.15 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r3/4	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	52.38 (1 h5)	52.13 (1 h2)	51.93 (5 h2)	–
6 h1 r3/4	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.85 (2 h3)	52.53 (2 h4)	52.23 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r3/4	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.69 (1 h4)	52.96 (4 h4)	52.18 (6 h2)	–
7 h1 r3/4	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.85 (4 h1)	52.68 (3 h2)	52.91 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r3/4	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	53.20 (3 h4)	52.30 (3 h1)	52.29 (7 h2)	–
8 h2 r3/4	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	53.16 (3 h3)	52.45 (4 h1)	53.02 (8 h2)	–
AC h1 r3/4	160	Christel Frese	FRG	52.89 (1 h6)	53.01 (4 h2)	– (DNF h1)	–
5 h1 r2/4	17	Karoline Käfer	AUT	53.60 (5 h1)	52.82 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r2/4	86	Colette Besson	FRA	53.41 (3 h5)	53.39 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r2/4	281	Danuta Piecyk	POL	53.08 (3 h7)	52.62 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r2/4	95	Verona Bernard	GBR	53.31 (4 h7)	53.29 (5 h4)	–	–
6 h1 r2/4	112	Janette Roscoe	GBR	53.67 (2 h2)	53.01 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h2 r2/4	77	Marika Eklund	FIN	53.81 (3 h2)	53.50 (6 h2)	–	–
6 h3 r2/4	258	Penny Hunt	NZL	52.82 (2 h7)	52.66 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r2/4	11	Allison Ross-Edwards	AUS	53.48 (4 h5)	53.60 (6 h4)	–	–
7 h1 r2/4	174	Anette Rückes	FRG	53.92 (5 h7)	53.22 (7 h1)	–	–
7 h2 r2/4	235	Tekla Chemabwai	KEN	53.38 (4 h3)	53.54 (7 h2)	–	–
7 h3 r2/4	360	Olga Syrovatskaya	URS	53.62 (4 h6)	53.42 (7 h3)	–	–
7 h4 r2/4	316	Karin Lundgren	SWE	53.70 (4 h4)	53.87 (7 h4)	–	–
8 h2 r2/4	338	Nataliya Pechonkina-Chistyakova	URS	53.81 (4 h2)	54.58 (8 h2)	–	–
8 h3 r2/4	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	53.98 (5 h5)	53.78 (8 h3)	–	–
8 h4 r2/4	272	Krystyna Kacperczyk	POL	53.85 (5 h2)	54.39 (8 h4)	–	–
1 h7 r1/4	72	Carmen Trustée	CUB	52.80 (1 h7)	– (DNS h1)	–	–
5 h3 r1/4	371	Debra Edwards	USA	54.43 (5 h3)	–	–	–
5 h4 r1/4	286	Bożena Zientarska	POL	54.20 (5 h4)	–	–	–
5 h6 r1/4	114	Janet Simpson	GBR	54.13 (5 h6)	–	–	–
6 h1 r1/4	63	Asunción Acosta	CUB	54.52 (6 h1)	–	–	–
6 h2 r1/4	239	Junaidah Aman	MAS	57.36 (6 h2)	–	–	–
6 h3 r1/4	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	54.46 (6 h3)	–	–	–
6 h4 r1/4	231	Ruth Williams	JAM	55.72 (6 h4)	–	–	–
6 h5 r1/4	200	Irén Orosz-Árva	HUN	54.83 (6 h5)	–	–	–
6 h6 r1/4	55	Joyce Sadowick	CAN	54.59 (6 h6)	–	–	–
6 h7 r1/4	308	Vreni Leiser	SUI	54.65 (6 h7)	–	–	–
7 h1 r1/4	23	Barbara Bishop	BAR	56.35 (7 h1)	–	–	–
7 h3 r1/4	364	Josefa Vicent	URU	55.33 (7 h3)	–	–	–
7 h4 r1/4	264	Aida Mantawel	PHI	57.91 (7 h4)	–	–	–
7 h5 r1/4	238	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	1:05.18 (7 h5)	–	–	–
7 h6 r1/4	61	Elsy Rivas	COL	56.33 (7 h6)	–	–	–
7 h7 r1/4	408	Grace Muneene	ZAM	57.71 (7 h7)	–	–	–
8 h6 r1/4	206	Kamaljit Sandhu	IND	57.74 (8 h6)	–	–	–
DNS	14	Christiane Casapicola	AUT	– (DNS h2)	–	–	–

Round One

Date	2 September 1972 — 15:30
Format	Top four in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.94	QOR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.97	Q
3	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	52.05	Q
4	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	52.38	Q
5	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	52.49	Q
6	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.69	Q
7	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	52.75	Q
8	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	52.79	Q
9	72	Carmen Trustée	CUB	52.80	Q
10	258	Penny Hunt	NZL	52.82	Q
=11	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.85	Q
=11	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.85	Q
13	160	Christel Frese	FRG	52.89	Q
14	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.99	Q
15	281	Danuta Piecyk	POL	53.08	Q
16	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	53.16	Q
17	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	53.20	Q
18	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	53.25	Q
19	95	Verona Bernard	GBR	53.31	Q
20	235	Tekla Chemabwai	KEN	53.38	Q
21	86	Colette Besson	FRA	53.41	Q
22	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	53.45	Q
23	11	Allison Ross-Edwards	AUS	53.48	Q
24	17	Karoline Käfer	AUT	53.60	q
25	360	Olga Syrovatskaya	URS	53.62	Q
26	112	Janette Roscoe	GBR	53.67	Q
27	316	Karin Lundgren	SWE	53.70	Q
28	77	Marika Eklund	FIN	53.81	Q
29	338	Nataliya Pechonkina-Chistyakova	URS	53.81	Q
30	272	Krystyna Kacperczyk	POL	53.85	q
31	174	Anette Rückes	FRG	53.92	q
32	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	53.98	q
33	114	Janet Simpson	GBR	54.13
34	286	Bożena Zientarska	POL	54.20
35	371	Debra Edwards	USA	54.43
36	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	54.46
37	63	Asunción Acosta	CUB	54.52
38	55	Joyce Sadowick	CAN	54.59
39	308	Vreni Leiser	SUI	54.65
40	200	Irén Orosz-Árva	HUN	54.83
41	364	Josefa Vicent	URU	55.33
42	231	Ruth Williams	JAM	55.72
43	61	Elsy Rivas	COL	56.33
44	23	Barbara Bishop	BAR	56.35
45	239	Junaidah Aman	MAS	57.36
46	408	Grace Muneene	ZAM	57.71
47	206	Kamaljit Sandhu	IND	57.74
48	264	Aida Mantawel	PHI	57.91
49	238	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	1:05.18
DNS	14	Christiane Casapicola	AUT	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.94	QOR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.97	Q
3	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	52.05	Q
4	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.85	Q
5	17	Karoline Käfer	AUT	53.60	q
6	63	Asunción Acosta	CUB	54.52
7	23	Barbara Bishop	BAR	56.35

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	53.45	Q
2	112	Janette Roscoe	GBR	53.67	Q
3	77	Marika Eklund	FIN	53.81	Q
4	338	Nataliya Pechonkina-Chistyakova	URS	53.81	Q
5	272	Krystyna Kacperczyk	POL	53.85	q
6	239	Junaidah Aman	MAS	57.36
DNS	14	Christiane Casapicola	AUT	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	52.49	Q
2	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.85	Q
3	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	53.16	Q
4	235	Tekla Chemabwai	KEN	53.38	Q
5	371	Debra Edwards	USA	54.43
6	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	54.46
7	364	Josefa Vicent	URU	55.33

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.69	Q
2	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	52.75	Q
3	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	53.20	Q
4	316	Karin Lundgren	SWE	53.70	Q
5	286	Bożena Zientarska	POL	54.20
6	231	Ruth Williams	JAM	55.72
7	264	Aida Mantawel	PHI	57.91

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	52.38	Q
2	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	52.79	Q
3	86	Colette Besson	FRA	53.41	Q
4	11	Allison Ross-Edwards	AUS	53.48	Q
5	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	53.98	q
6	200	Irén Orosz-Árva	HUN	54.83
7	238	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	1:05.18

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	160	Christel Frese	FRG	52.89	Q
2	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.99	Q
3	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	53.25	Q
4	360	Olga Syrovatskaya	URS	53.62	Q
5	114	Janet Simpson	GBR	54.13
6	55	Joyce Sadowick	CAN	54.59
7	61	Elsy Rivas	COL	56.33
8	206	Kamaljit Sandhu	IND	57.74

Heat #7

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	72	Carmen Trustée	CUB	52.80	Q
2	258	Penny Hunt	NZL	52.82	Q
3	281	Danuta Piecyk	POL	53.08	Q
4	95	Verona Bernard	GBR	53.31	Q
5	174	Anette Rückes	FRG	53.92	q
6	308	Vreni Leiser	SUI	54.65
7	408	Grace Muneene	ZAM	57.71

Quarter-Finals

Date	3 September 1972 — 15:00
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	51.71	QOR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.91	Q
3	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.96	Q
4	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	51.97	Q
5	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	52.02	Q
6	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	52.13	Q
7	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	52.30	Q
=8	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	52.33	Q
=8	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.33	Q
10	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	52.44	Q
11	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	52.45	Q
12	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.53	Q
13	281	Danuta Piecyk	POL	52.62
14	258	Penny Hunt	NZL	52.66
15	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.68	Q
16	17	Karoline Käfer	AUT	52.82
17	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	52.93	Q
18	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.96	Q
=19	112	Janette Roscoe	GBR	53.01
=19	160	Christel Frese	FRG	53.01	Q
21	174	Anette Rückes	FRG	53.22
22	95	Verona Bernard	GBR	53.29
23	86	Colette Besson	FRA	53.39
24	360	Olga Syrovatskaya	URS	53.42
25	77	Marika Eklund	FIN	53.50
26	235	Tekla Chemabwai	KEN	53.54
27	11	Allison Ross-Edwards	AUS	53.60
28	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	53.78
29	316	Karin Lundgren	SWE	53.87
30	272	Krystyna Kacperczyk	POL	54.39
31	338	Nataliya Pechonkina-Chistyakova	URS	54.58
DNS	72	Carmen Trustée	CUB	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.96	Q
2	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	51.97	Q
3	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	52.30	Q
4	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	52.45	Q
5	17	Karoline Käfer	AUT	52.82
6	112	Janette Roscoe	GBR	53.01
7	174	Anette Rückes	FRG	53.22
DNS	72	Carmen Trustée	CUB	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	52.13	Q
2	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	52.33	Q
3	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.68	Q
4	160	Christel Frese	FRG	53.01	Q
5	86	Colette Besson	FRA	53.39
6	77	Marika Eklund	FIN	53.50
7	235	Tekla Chemabwai	KEN	53.54
8	338	Nataliya Pechonkina-Chistyakova	URS	54.58

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	51.71	QOR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.91	Q
3	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	52.02	Q
4	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	52.44	Q
5	281	Danuta Piecyk	POL	52.62
6	258	Penny Hunt	NZL	52.66
7	360	Olga Syrovatskaya	URS	53.42
8	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	53.78

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.33	Q
2	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.53	Q
3	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	52.93	Q
4	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.96	Q
5	95	Verona Bernard	GBR	53.29
6	11	Allison Ross-Edwards	AUS	53.60
7	316	Karin Lundgren	SWE	53.87
8	272	Krystyna Kacperczyk	POL	54.39

Semi-Finals

Date	4 September 1972 — 17:15
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	51.47	QOR
2	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	51.68	QOR
3	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	51.73	Q
4	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.76	Q
=5	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	51.90	Q
=5	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.90	Q
7	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	51.91	Q
8	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	51.92	Q
9	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	51.93
10	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	52.15
11	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.18
12	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.23
13	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	52.29
14	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.91
15	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	53.02
DNF	160	Christel Frese	FRG	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	51.68	QOR
2	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	51.73	Q
3	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	51.90	Q
4	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	51.92	Q
5	69	Aurelia Pentón	CUB	52.15
6	81	Mona-Lisa Strandvall	FIN	52.23
7	332	Judith Ayaa	UGA	52.91
DNF	160	Christel Frese	FRG	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	51.47	QOR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.76	Q
3	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.90	Q
4	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	51.91	Q
5	229	Yvonne Saunders	JAM	51.93
6	89	Nicole Duclos	FRA	52.18
7	347	Nadezhda Kolesnikova	URS	52.29
8	190	Trudy Ruth	NED	53.02

Final Round

Date	7 September 1972 — 18:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	153	Monika Zehrt	GDR	51.08	OR
2	181	Rita Wilden	FRG	51.21
3	380	Kathy Hammond	USA	51.64
4	146	Helga Seidler	GDR	51.86
5	372	Mable Fergerson	USA	51.96
6	10	Charlene Rendina	AUS	51.99
7	133	Dagmar Käsling	GDR	52.19
8	192	Györgyi Balogh-Szomov	HUN	52.39