| | Event type
200 metres Breaststroke, Men
| Date | 2 September 1972 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Schwimmhalle, Olympiapark, München |
| Participants | 41 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.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 561 | John Hencken |  USA | 2:24.88 (1 h6) | 2:21.55 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 189 | David Wilkie |  GBR | 2:24.54 (1 h3) | 2:23.67 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 343 | Nobutaka Taguchi |  JPN | 2:23.45 (1 h2) | 2:23.88 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 552 | Rick Colella | USA | 2:25.40 (1 h4) | 2:24.28 (4) | |||
| 5 | – | Felipe Muñoz |  MEX | 2:25.99 (2 h2) | 2:26.44 (5) | |||
| 6 | 234 | Walter Kusch |  FRG | 2:26.43 (2 h3) | 2:26.55 (6) | |||
| 7 | 525 | Igor Cherdakov |  URS | 2:26.21 (1 h5) | 2:27.15 (7) | |||
| 8 | 203 | Klaus Katzur |  GDR | 2:26.32 (1 h1) | 2:27.44 (8) | |||
| =9 | 83 | Bill Mahony |  CAN | 2:26.71 (2 h1) | – | |||
| =9 | 534 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 2:26.71 (2 h6) | – | |||
| 11 | 563 | Brian Job | USA | 2:26.91 (2 h5) | – | |||
| 12 | 12 | Paul Jarvie |  AUS | 2:27.83 (3 h6) | – | |||
| 13 | 530 | Vladimir Kosinsky | URS | 2:28.00 (2 h4) | – | |||
| 14 | 133 | Pedro Balcells |  ESP | 2:29.29 (3 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | 159 | Roger-Philippe Menu |  FRA | 2:30.05 (3 h1) | – | |||
| 16 | – | Robert Stoddart | CAN | 2:30.08 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 17 | – | Steffen Kriechbaum |  AUT | 2:30.09 (3 h3) | – | |||
| 18 | 49 | José Sylvio Fiolo |  BRA | 2:30.21 (3 h5) | – | |||
| 19 | 62 | Angel Chakarov |  BUL | 2:30.27 (3 h4) | – | |||
| 20 | 182 | Malcolm O'Connell | GBR | 2:31.21 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 21 | 488 | Jean-Pierre Dubey |  SUI | 2:31.56 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 22 | 310 | Guðjón Guðmundsson |  ISL | 2:32.40 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 23 | 202 | Rainer Hradetzky | GDR | 2:32.48 (4 h5) | – | |||
| 24 | 228 | Andreas Hellmann | FRG | 2:32.60 (4 h4) | – | |||
| 25 | 387 | Gustavo Salcedo | MEX | 2:32.81 (6 h3) | – | |||
| =26 | 299 | Liam Ball |  IRL | 2:33.47 (5 h4) | – | |||
| =26 | 88 | Mike Whitaker | CAN | 2:33.47 (4 h6) | – | |||
| 28 | 428 | Amman Jalmaani |  PHI | 2:33.54 (5 h5) | – | |||
| 29 | 178 | Nigel Johnson | GBR | 2:34.37 (6 h4) | – | |||
| 30 | 440 | Cezary Śmiglak |  POL | 2:34.51 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 31 | 353 | Sokhon Yi |  CAM | 2:34.77 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 32 | 323 | Michele Di Pietro |  ITA | 2:36.49 (6 h5) | – | |||
| 33 | – | Rudi Vingerhoets |  BEL | 2:36.89 (5 h6) | – | |||
| 34 | 223 | Gregor Betz | FRG | 2:36.96 (6 h6) | – | |||
| 35 | 416 | Alfredo Hunger |  PER | 2:37.20 (7 h6) | – | |||
| 36 | 292 | János Tóth |  HUN | 2:37.40 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 37 | 110 | Karl Christian Koch |  DEN | 2:38.47 (7 h4) | – | |||
| 38 | – | Faruk Morkal |  TUR | 2:43.69 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 39 | – | Piero Ferracuti |  ESA | 2:45.73 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 40 | – | Alejandro Cabrera | ESA | 2:56.60 (8 h6) | – | |||
| – | Osvaldo Boretto |  ARG | [2:31.84] (DQ h3) | – | ||||
| 258 | Theodoros Koutoumanis |  GRE | – (DNS h1) | – | ||||
| 579 | Antonio Aguerrevere |  VEN | – (DNS h5) | – | ||||
| 458 | Bob Hatherly |  RHO | – | – |
Round One
| Date | 2 September 1972 — 11:10 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
Heat #1
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Klaus Katzur | GDR | 2:26.32 | 32.75 (1) | 1:10.26 (1) | 1:48.51 (1) | 37.51 (1) | 38.25 (2) | 37.81 (2) | ||
| 2 | Bill Mahony | CAN | 2:26.71 | 33.40 (3) | 1:11.41 (3) | 1:48.97 (2) | 38.01 (2) | 37.56 (1) | 37.74 (1) | ||
| 3 | Roger-Philippe Menu | FRA | 2:30.05 | 33.14 (2) | 1:11.30 (2) | 1:50.37 (3) | 38.16 (3) | 39.07 (3) | 39.68 (4) | ||
| 4 | Guðjón Guðmundsson | ISL | 2:32.40 | 34.52 (5) | 1:13.35 (4) | 1:52.85 (4) | 38.83 (4) | 39.50 (4) | 39.55 (3) | ||
| 5 | Sokhon Yi | CAM | 2:34.77 | 34.13 (4) | 1:13.68 (5) | 1:53.54 (5) | 39.55 (5) | 39.86 (5) | 41.23 (5) | ||
| 6 | János Tóth | HUN | 2:37.40 | 34.74 (6) | 1:14.51 (6) | 1:56.11 (6) | 39.77 (6) | 41.60 (6) | 41.29 (6) | ||
| Theodoros Koutoumanis | GRE | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #2
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 2:23.45 | 33.23 (1) | 1:09.59 (1) | 1:46.57 (1) | 36.36 (1) | 36.98 (1) | 36.88 (1) | ||
| 2 | Felipe Muñoz | MEX | 2:25.99 | 34.52 (4) | 1:12.04 (2) | 1:49.06 (2) | 37.52 (2) | 37.02 (2) | 36.93 (2) | ||
| 3 | Pedro Balcells | ESP | 2:29.29 | 34.79 (5) | 1:13.58 (5) | 1:51.14 (4) | 38.79 (4) | 37.56 (3) | 38.15 (3) | ||
| 4 | Robert Stoddart | CAN | 2:30.08 | 34.25 (3) | 1:12.12 (3) | 1:50.42 (3) | 37.87 (3) | 38.30 (4) | 39.66 (4) | ||
| 5 | Cezary Śmiglak | POL | 2:34.51 | 34.03 (2) | 1:13.42 (4) | 1:52.95 (5) | 39.39 (5) | 39.53 (5) | 41.56 (5) | ||
| 6 | Faruk Morkal | TUR | 2:43.69 | 37.18 (7) | 1:18.90 (7) | 2:01.52 (6) | 41.72 (6) | 42.62 (6) | 42.17 (6) | ||
| 7 | Piero Ferracuti | ESA | 2:45.73 | 36.14 (6) | 1:18.54 (6) | 2:03.02 (7) | 42.40 (7) | 44.48 (7) | 42.71 (7) |
Heat #3
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Wilkie | GBR | 2:24.54 | 33.92 (3) | 1:12.10 (2) | 1:47.87 (1) | 38.18 (2) | 35.77 (1) | 36.67 (1) | ||
| 2 | Walter Kusch | FRG | 2:26.43 | 34.11 (4) | 1:12.52 (3) | 1:49.41 (2) | 38.41 (3) | 36.89 (2) | 37.02 (2) | ||
| 3 | Steffen Kriechbaum | AUT | 2:30.09 | 32.99 (1) | 1:11.76 (1) | 1:49.84 (3) | 38.77 (5) | 38.08 (3) | 40.25 (7) | ||
| 4 | Malcolm O'Connell | GBR | 2:31.21 | 33.41 (2) | 1:12.73 (5) | 1:51.40 (4) | 39.32 (7) | 38.67 (4) | 39.81 (5) | ||
| 5 | Jean-Pierre Dubey | SUI | 2:31.56 | 34.51 (6) | 1:12.60 (4) | 1:52.00 (5) | 38.09 (1) | 39.40 (6) | 39.56 (4) | ||
| 6 | Gustavo Salcedo | MEX | 2:32.81 | 34.45 (5) | 1:13.48 (7) | 1:52.75 (6) | 39.03 (6) | 39.27 (5) | 40.06 (6) | ||
| Osvaldo Boretto | ARG | [2:31.84] | [34.60] ([7]) | [1:13.18] ([6]) | [1:53.56] ([7]) | [38.58 (4)] | [40.38 (7)] | [38.28 (3)] |
Heat #4
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rick Colella | USA | 2:25.40 | 33.79 (3) | 1:11.27 (1) | 1:47.74 (1) | 37.48 (2) | 36.47 (1) | 37.66 (1) | ||
| 2 | Vladimir Kosinsky | URS | 2:28.00 | 33.77 (2) | 1:11.47 (2) | 1:49.15 (2) | 37.70 (3) | 37.68 (2) | 38.85 (2) | ||
| 3 | Angel Chakarov | BUL | 2:30.27 | 34.87 (5) | 1:12.34 (4) | 1:51.18 (3) | 37.47 (1) | 38.84 (3) | 39.09 (3) | ||
| 4 | Andreas Hellmann | FRG | 2:32.60 | 33.61 (1) | 1:12.66 (5) | 1:51.83 (4) | 39.05 (6) | 39.17 (5) | 40.77 (5) | ||
| 5 | Liam Ball | IRL | 2:33.47 | 35.62 (7) | 1:14.13 (6) | 1:53.21 (6) | 38.51 (5) | 39.08 (4) | 40.26 (4) | ||
| 6 | Nigel Johnson | GBR | 2:34.37 | 34.47 (4) | 1:12.30 (3) | 1:52.11 (5) | 37.83 (4) | 39.81 (6) | 42.26 (6) | ||
| 7 | Karl Christian Koch | DEN | 2:38.47 | 35.30 (6) | 1:15.44 (7) | 1:55.95 (7) | 40.14 (7) | 40.51 (7) | 42.52 (7) |
Heat #5
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Igor Cherdakov | URS | 2:26.21 | 33.04 (1) | 1:11.21 (2) | 1:48.38 (1) | 38.17 (3) | 37.17 (1) | 37.83 (1) | ||
| 2 | Brian Job | USA | 2:26.91 | 33.98 (3) | 1:11.54 (3) | 1:48.80 (2) | 37.56 (1) | 37.26 (2) | 38.11 (2) | ||
| 3 | José Sylvio Fiolo | BRA | 2:30.21 | 33.54 (2) | 1:11.20 (1) | 1:50.10 (3) | 37.66 (2) | 38.90 (3) | 40.11 (5) | ||
| 4 | Rainer Hradetzky | GDR | 2:32.48 | 34.32 (4) | 1:13.40 (4) | 1:52.50 (4) | 39.08 (4) | 39.10 (4) | 39.98 (4) | ||
| 5 | Amman Jalmaani | PHI | 2:33.54 | 34.43 (5) | 1:13.70 (5) | 1:53.60 (5) | 39.27 (5) | 39.90 (5) | 39.94 (3) | ||
| 6 | Michele Di Pietro | ITA | 2:36.49 | 35.00 (6) | 1:14.33 (6) | 1:55.55 (6) | 39.33 (6) | 41.22 (6) | 40.94 (6) | ||
| Antonio Aguerrevere | VEN | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #6
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Hencken | USA | 2:24.88 | 32.52 (1) | 1:09.63 (1) | 1:47.08 (1) | 37.11 (2) | 37.45 (2) | 37.80 (1) | ||
| 2 | Nikolay Pankin | URS | 2:26.71 | 33.38 (2) | 1:10.45 (2) | 1:47.95 (2) | 37.07 (1) | 37.50 (3) | 38.76 (2) | ||
| 3 | Paul Jarvie | AUS | 2:27.83 | 33.94 (3) | 1:11.68 (3) | 1:48.55 (3) | 37.74 (3) | 36.87 (1) | 39.28 (3) | ||
| 4 | Mike Whitaker | CAN | 2:33.47 | 33.96 (4) | 1:13.49 (4) | 1:53.34 (4) | 39.53 (4) | 39.85 (4) | 40.13 (4) | ||
| 5 | Rudi Vingerhoets | BEL | 2:36.89 | 35.07 (7) | 1:14.61 (6) | 1:55.58 (6) | 39.54 (5) | 40.97 (6) | 41.31 (5) | ||
| 6 | Gregor Betz | FRG | 2:36.96 | 34.42 (5) | 1:14.19 (5) | 1:54.92 (5) | 39.77 (6) | 40.73 (5) | 42.04 (7) | ||
| 7 | Alfredo Hunger | PER | 2:37.20 | 34.53 (6) | 1:14.63 (7) | 1:55.77 (7) | 40.10 (7) | 41.14 (7) | 41.43 (6) | ||
| 8 | Alejandro Cabrera | ESA | 2:56.60 | 38.52 (8) | 1:22.53 (8) | 2:09.34 (8) | 44.01 (8) | 46.81 (8) | 47.26 (8) |
Final Round
| Date | 2 September 1972 — 18:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 50 m | 100 m | 150 m | 50-100 m Time (Rank) | 100-150 m Time (Rank) | 150-200 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | John Hencken | USA | 2:21.55 | 31.55 (1) | 1:08.34 (1) | 1:45.35 (1) | 36.79 (1) | 37.01 (4) | 36.20 (1) | ||
| 2 | – | David Wilkie | GBR | 2:23.67 | 33.45 (5) | 1:11.37 (6) | 1:47.41 (3) | 37.92 (7) | 36.04 (1) | 36.26 (2) | ||
| 3 | – | Nobutaka Taguchi | JPN | 2:23.88 | 32.93 (3) | 1:10.87 (5) | 1:47.61 (4) | 37.94 (8) | 36.74 (2) | 36.27 (3) | ||
| 4 | – | Rick Colella | USA | 2:24.28 | 33.49 (6) | 1:10.31 (2) | 1:47.17 (2) | 36.82 (2) | 36.86 (3) | 37.11 (5) | ||
| 5 | – | Felipe Muñoz | MEX | 2:26.44 | 34.09 (8) | 1:11.72 (8) | 1:49.73 (8) | 37.63 (4) | 38.01 (6) | 36.71 (4) | ||
| 6 | – | Walter Kusch | FRG | 2:26.55 | 33.65 (7) | 1:11.41 (7) | 1:49.41 (7) | 37.76 (5) | 38.00 (5) | 37.14 (6) | ||
| 7 | – | Igor Cherdakov | URS | 2:27.15 | 33.28 (4) | 1:10.38 (3) | 1:48.49 (5) | 37.10 (3) | 38.11 (7) | 38.66 (8) | ||
| 8 | – | Klaus Katzur | GDR | 2:27.44 | 32.91 (2) | 1:10.68 (4) | 1:49.21 (6) | 37.77 (6) | 38.53 (8) | 38.23 (7) |