| | Event type

800 metres, Women

Date	31 August – 3 September 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiastadion, Olympiapark, München
Participants	38 from 26 countries

In 1971 at the West German Championships, Hildegard Falck ran 1:58.5 to break the world record and become the first woman to officially better two minutes. (North Korea’s Dan Shin-Geum had run under two minutes twice in 1963-64, but since North Korea was not a member of the IAAF, the records were never ratified.) The 1971 European Champion had been Vera Nikolić, who had inexplicably stepped off the track in her 1968 Olympic semi-final. In round one, Bulgaria’s Svetla Zlateva ran 1:58.93 to break the Olympic record. In the final, Zlateva led for the first 600 metres, when Falck saw a small opening and went thru as the runners entered the turn. She moved into third place and overtook Zlateva and Nikolić on the curve. But Falck barely hung on, as Soviet Lithuanian Nijolė Sabaitė had the fastest finish and was less a metre down at the line.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	159	Hildegard Falck	FRG	2:01.52 (1 h1)	2:01.41 (1 h2)	1:58.55 (1)	Gold	OR
2	358	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	2:01.50 (1 h3)	2:00.90 (1 h1)	1:58.65 (2)	Silver
3	132	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	2:03.15 (2 h5)	2:01.21 (2 h1)	1:59.19 (3)	Bronze
4	48	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	1:58.93 (1 h2)	2:01.66 (2 h2)	1:59.72 (4)
5	404	Vera Nikolić	YUG	1:59.62 (2 h2)	2:01.49 (4 h1)	1:59.98 (5)
6	298	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:01.42 (1 h4)	2:01.85 (3 h2)	2:00.04 (6)
7	116	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:03.64 (3 h5)	2:02.36 (4 h2)	2:00.15 (7)
8	52	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:01.57 (2 h3)	2:01.37 (3 h1)	2:00.17 (8)
5 h1 r2/3	175	Sylvia Schenk	FRG	2:02.22 (3 h2)	2:01.50 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r2/3	386	Madeline Manning	USA	2:02.63 (2 h1)	2:02.39 (5 h2)	–
6 h1 r2/3	76	Annelise Damm Olesen	DEN	2:01.77 (2 h4)	2:04.19 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r2/3	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	2:01.82 (3 h3)	2:02.44 (6 h2)	–
7 h1 r2/3	8	Cheryl Peasley	AUS	2:03.11 (3 h1)	2:04.56 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r2/3	157	Gisela Ellenberger	FRG	2:01.92 (4 h3)	2:02.97 (7 h2)	–
8 h2 r2/3	353	Nina Morgunova	URS	2:02.64 (1 h5)	2:04.93 (8 h2)	–
3 h4 r1/3	198	Magdolna Kulcsár	HUN	2:02.35 (3 h4)	– (DNS h1)	–
4 h1 r1/3	208	Mary Tracey	IRL	2:04.18 (4 h1)	–	–
4 h2 r1/3	283	Elżbieta Skowrońska	POL	2:03.26 (4 h2)	–	–
4 h4 r1/3	100	Pat Cropper	GBR	2:03.55 (4 h4)	–	–
4 h5 r1/3	257	Sue Haden	NZL	2:04.86 (4 h5)	–	–
5 h1 r1/3	90	Martine Duvivier	FRA	2:04.87 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r1/3	7	Jenny Orr	AUS	2:04.46 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r1/3	142	Maritta Politz	GDR	2:02.40 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r1/3	30	Vasilena Amzina	BUL	2:05.95 (5 h4)	–	–
5 h5 r1/3	236	Chereno Maiyo	KEN	2:04.86 (5 h5)	–	–
6 h1 r1/3	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	2:05.24 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h2 r1/3	395	Cheryl Toussaint	USA	2:08.90 (6 h2)	–	–
6 h3 r1/3	98	Margaret Coomber	GBR	2:02.99 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r1/3	28	Marleen Verheuen	BEL	2:09.13 (6 h4)	–	–
6 h5 r1/3	383	Wendy Koenig	USA	2:08.71 (6 h5)	–	–
7 h1 r1/3	310	Elisabeth Neuenschwander	SUI	2:06.89 (7 h1)	–	–
7 h2 r1/3	209	Claire Walsh	IRL	2:08.98 (7 h2)	–	–
7 h3 r1/3	243	Emesia Chizunga	MAW	2:19.22 (7 h3)	–	–
7 h4 r1/3	357	Raissa Ruus	URS	2:11.18 (7 h4)	–	–
7 h5 r1/3	242	Malika Hadky	MAR	2:12.46 (7 h5)	–	–
8 h2 r1/3	25	Heather Gooding	BAR	2:19.69 (8 h2)	–	–
8 h4 r1/3	288	Lee Chiu-Hsia	TPE	2:11.81 (8 h4)	–	–
AC h3 r1/3	322	Malak El-Nasser	SYR	– (DNF h3)	–	–
DNS	238	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	– (DNS h1)	–	–

Round One

Date	31 August 1972 — 16:45
Format	Top 3 in each heat and next fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	48	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	1:58.93	QOR
2	404	Vera Nikolić	YUG	1:59.62	Q
3	298	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:01.42	Q
4	358	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	2:01.50	Q
5	159	Hildegard Falck	FRG	2:01.52	Q
6	52	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:01.57	Q
7	76	Annelise Damm Olesen	DEN	2:01.77	Q
8	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	2:01.82	Q
9	157	Gisela Ellenberger	FRG	2:01.92	q
10	175	Sylvia Schenk	FRG	2:02.22	Q
11	198	Magdolna Kulcsár	HUN	2:02.35	Q
12	142	Maritta Politz	GDR	2:02.40
13	386	Madeline Manning	USA	2:02.63	Q
14	353	Nina Morgunova	URS	2:02.64	Q
15	98	Margaret Coomber	GBR	2:02.99
16	8	Cheryl Peasley	AUS	2:03.11	Q
17	132	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	2:03.15	Q
18	283	Elżbieta Skowrońska	POL	2:03.26
19	100	Pat Cropper	GBR	2:03.55
20	116	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:03.64	Q
21	208	Mary Tracey	IRL	2:04.18
22	7	Jenny Orr	AUS	2:04.46
23	257	Sue Haden	NZL	2:04.86
24	236	Chereno Maiyo	KEN	2:04.86
25	90	Martine Duvivier	FRA	2:04.87
26	213	Donata Govoni	ITA	2:05.24
27	30	Vasilena Amzina	BUL	2:05.95
28	310	Elisabeth Neuenschwander	SUI	2:06.89
29	383	Wendy Koenig	USA	2:08.71
30	395	Cheryl Toussaint	USA	2:08.90
31	209	Claire Walsh	IRL	2:08.98
32	28	Marleen Verheuen	BEL	2:09.13
33	357	Raissa Ruus	URS	2:11.18
34	288	Lee Chiu-Hsia	TPE	2:11.81
35	242	Malika Hadky	MAR	2:12.46
36	243	Emesia Chizunga	MAW	2:19.22
37	25	Heather Gooding	BAR	2:19.69
DNF	322	Malak El-Nasser	SYR	–
DNS	238	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	6	Hildegard Falck	FRG	2:01.52	Q
2	7	Madeline Manning	USA	2:02.63	Q
3	8	Cheryl Peasley	AUS	2:03.11	Q
4	3	Mary Tracey	IRL	2:04.18
5	2	Martine Duvivier	FRA	2:04.87
6	1	Donata Govoni	ITA	2:05.24
7	4	Elisabeth Neuenschwander	SUI	2:06.89
DNS	5	Arda Kalpakian	LBN	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		59.2

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	7	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	1:58.93	QOR
2	6	Vera Nikolić	YUG	1:59.62	Q
3	1	Sylvia Schenk	FRG	2:02.22	Q
4	2	Elżbieta Skowrońska	POL	2:03.26
5	8	Jenny Orr	AUS	2:04.46
6	4	Cheryl Toussaint	USA	2:08.90
7	3	Claire Walsh	IRL	2:08.98
8	5	Heather Gooding	BAR	2:19.69

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		56.6

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	4	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	2:01.50	Q
2	5	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:01.57	Q
3	7	Maria Sykora	AUT	2:01.82	Q
4	1	Gisela Ellenberger	FRG	2:01.92	q
5	3	Maritta Politz	GDR	2:02.40
6	2	Margaret Coomber	GBR	2:02.99
7	6	Emesia Chizunga	MAW	2:19.22
DNF	8	Malak El-Nasser	SYR	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		58.8

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	5	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:01.42	Q
2	3	Annelise Damm Olesen	DEN	2:01.77	Q
3	4	Magdolna Kulcsár	HUN	2:02.35	Q
4	8	Pat Cropper	GBR	2:03.55
5	2	Vasilena Amzina	BUL	2:05.95
6	7	Marleen Verheuen	BEL	2:09.13
7	1	Raissa Ruus	URS	2:11.18
8	6	Lee Chiu-Hsia	TPE	2:11.81

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		59.3

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	6	Nina Morgunova	URS	2:02.64	Q
2	7	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	2:03.15	Q
3	1	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:03.64	Q
4	4	Sue Haden	NZL	2:04.86
5	5	Chereno Maiyo	KEN	2:04.86
6	3	Wendy Koenig	USA	2:08.71
7	2	Malika Hadky	MAR	2:12.46

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		58.4

Semi-Finals

Date	1 September 1972 — 17:40
Format	Top 4 in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	358	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	2:00.90	Q
2	132	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	2:01.21	Q
3	52	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:01.37	Q
4	159	Hildegard Falck	FRG	2:01.41	Q
5	404	Vera Nikolić	YUG	2:01.49	Q
6	175	Sylvia Schenk	FRG	2:01.50
7	48	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	2:01.66	Q
8	298	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:01.85	Q
9	116	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:02.36	Q
10	386	Madeline Manning	USA	2:02.39
11	21	Maria Sykora	AUT	2:02.44
12	157	Gisela Ellenberger	FRG	2:02.97
13	76	Annelise Damm Olesen	DEN	2:04.19
14	8	Cheryl Peasley	AUS	2:04.56
15	353	Nina Morgunova	URS	2:04.93
DNS	198	Magdolna Kulcsár	HUN	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	2:00.90	Q
2	7	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	2:01.21	Q
3	4	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:01.37	Q
4	1	Vera Nikolić	YUG	2:01.49	Q
5	2	Sylvia Schenk	FRG	2:01.50
6	5	Annelise Damm Olesen	DEN	2:04.19
7	8	Cheryl Peasley	AUS	2:04.56
DNS	6	Magdolna Kulcsár	HUN	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		59.2

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3	Hildegard Falck	FRG	2:01.41	Q
2	2	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	2:01.66	Q
3	5	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:01.85	Q
4	8	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:02.36	Q
5	4	Madeline Manning	USA	2:02.39
6	1	Maria Sykora	AUT	2:02.44
7	6	Gisela Ellenberger	FRG	2:02.97
8	7	Nina Morgunova	URS	2:04.93

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		59.6

Final Round

Date	3 September 1972 — 18:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	1	Hildegard Falck	FRG	1:58.55	OR
2	5	Nijolė Sabaitė	URS	1:58.65
3	6	Gunhild Hoffmeister	GDR	1:59.19
4	2	Svetla Zlateva	BUL	1:59.72
5	8	Vera Nikolić	YUG	1:59.98
6	3	Ileana Silai	ROU	2:00.04
7	4	Rosemary Stirling	GBR	2:00.15
8	7	Abby Hoffman	CAN	2:00.17

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	–		58.3