| | Event type
400 metres Freestyle, Women
| Date | 30 August 1972 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Schwimmhalle, Olympiapark, München |
| Participants | 29 from 17 countries |
Shane Gould was favored, as she was in every freestyle event in Munich. She held the world record, set at a meet in Santa Clara, California in July 1971. But she had lost the 100 free final the day before, and was considered slightly vulnerable. But it was not to be, as Gould took the lead comfortably on the first lap, and simply kept pulling ahead. She eventually won by over three seconds, at least 10 metres of open water between Gould and silver medalist Novella Calligaris of Italy, which was the first ever Olympic medal for Italy by a female swimmer. Trailing in third was East German Gudrun Wegner, who held off a fast-closing Shirley Babashoff (USA).
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Shane Gould |  AUS | 4:28.46 (1 h3) | 4:19.04 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 888 | Novella Calligaris |  ITA | 4:24.14 (1 h4) | 4:22.44 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 807 | Gudrun Wegner |  GDR | 4:25.13 (3 h4) | 4:23.11 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 1054 | Shirley Babashoff |  USA | 4:31.98 (1 h2) | 4:23.59 (4) | |||
| 5 | 1081 | Jenny Wylie | USA | 4:27.53 (1 h1) | 4:24.07 (5) | |||
| 6 | 1074 | Keena Rothhammer | USA | 4:24.82 (2 h4) | 4:24.22 (6) | |||
| 7 | – | Hansje Bunschoten |  NED | 4:31.76 (2 h3) | 4:29.70 (7) | |||
| 8 | 856 | Anke Rijnders | NED | 4:29.94 (2 h1) | 4:31.51 (8) | |||
| 9 | 805 | Karin Tülling | GDR | 4:32.56 (3 h1) | – | |||
| 10 | 830 | Uta Schütz |  FRG | 4:34.67 (3 h3) | – | |||
| 11 | 662 | Karen Moras | AUS | 4:36.14 (2 h2) | – | |||
| 12 | 894 | Federica Stabilini | ITA | 4:36.32 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 13 | 708 | Mary Beth Rondeau |  CAN | 4:36.71 (3 h2) | – | |||
| 14 | 663 | Narelle Moras | AUS | 4:37.57 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 15 | 764 | Susan Edmondson |  GBR | 4:39.10 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 16 | 943 | María Teresa Ramírez |  MEX | 4:39.14 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 17 | 701 | Anne Marie McCaffrey | CAN | 4:39.92 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 18 | 721 | Olga de Ángulo |  COL | 4:40.09 (4 h4) | – | |||
| 19 | – | Jaynie Parkhouse |  NZL | 4:40.24 (5 h4) | – | |||
| 20 | 1088 | Ileana Morales |  VEN | 4:44.73 (6 h3) | – | |||
| 21 | – | June Green | GBR | 4:45.81 (6 h4) | – | |||
| 22 | 720 | Roselina Ángel | COL | 4:45.97 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 23 | – | Belinda Phillips |  JAM | 4:47.54 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 24 | 835 | Helga Wagner | FRG | 4:47.61 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 25 | 777 | Diana Sutherland | GBR | 4:47.66 (7 h3) | – | |||
| 26 | – | Eleni Avlonitou |  GRE | 4:52.10 (7 h4) | – | |||
| 27 | 728 | Kirsten Knudsen |  DEN | 4:53.76 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 28 | 977 | Hsu Yue-Yun |  TPE | 4:58.57 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 29 | 652 | Patricia López |  ARG | 4:59.68 (8 h4) | – | |||
| 803 | Elke Sehmisch | GDR | – (DNS h2) | – | ||||
| 927 | Mireille Bassoul |  LBN | – (DNS h3) | – |
Round One
| Date | 30 August 1972 — 11:35 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novella Calligaris | ITA | 4:24.14 | ||
| 2 | Keena Rothhammer | USA | 4:24.82 | ||
| 3 | Gudrun Wegner | GDR | 4:25.13 | ||
| 4 | Jenny Wylie | USA | 4:27.53 | ||
| 5 | Shane Gould | AUS | 4:28.46 | ||
| 6 | Anke Rijnders | NED | 4:29.94 | ||
| 7 | Hansje Bunschoten | NED | 4:31.76 | ||
| 8 | Shirley Babashoff | USA | 4:31.98 | ||
| 9 | Karin Tülling | GDR | 4:32.56 | ||
| 10 | Uta Schütz | FRG | 4:34.67 | ||
| 11 | Karen Moras | AUS | 4:36.14 | ||
| 12 | Federica Stabilini | ITA | 4:36.32 | ||
| 13 | Mary Beth Rondeau | CAN | 4:36.71 | ||
| 14 | Narelle Moras | AUS | 4:37.57 | ||
| 15 | Susan Edmondson | GBR | 4:39.10 | ||
| 16 | María Teresa Ramírez | MEX | 4:39.14 | ||
| 17 | Anne Marie McCaffrey | CAN | 4:39.92 | ||
| 18 | Olga de Ángulo | COL | 4:40.09 | ||
| 19 | Jaynie Parkhouse | NZL | 4:40.24 | ||
| 20 | Ileana Morales | VEN | 4:44.73 | ||
| 21 | June Green | GBR | 4:45.81 | ||
| 22 | Roselina Ángel | COL | 4:45.97 | ||
| 23 | Belinda Phillips | JAM | 4:47.54 | ||
| 24 | Helga Wagner | FRG | 4:47.61 | ||
| 25 | Diana Sutherland | GBR | 4:47.66 | ||
| 26 | Eleni Avlonitou | GRE | 4:52.10 | ||
| 27 | Kirsten Knudsen | DEN | 4:53.76 | ||
| 28 | Hsu Yue-Yun | TPE | 4:58.57 | ||
| 29 | Patricia López | ARG | 4:59.68 | ||
| Elke Sehmisch | GDR | – | |||
| Mireille Bassoul | LBN | – |
Heat #1
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jenny Wylie | USA | 4:27.53 | 1:03.84 (2) | 2:11.35 (1) | 3:19.70 (1) | 1:07.51 (1) | 1:08.35 (1) | 1:07.83 (1) | ||
| 2 | Anke Rijnders | NED | 4:29.94 | 1:03.97 (3) | 2:11.88 (3) | 3:20.84 (2) | 1:07.91 (3) | 1:08.96 (2) | 1:09.10 (2) | ||
| 3 | Karin Tülling | GDR | 4:32.56 | 1:03.74 (1) | 2:11.47 (2) | 3:21.99 (3) | 1:07.73 (2) | 1:10.52 (3) | 1:10.57 (4) | ||
| 4 | Federica Stabilini | ITA | 4:36.32 | 1:06.08 (5) | 2:15.60 (5) | 3:26.64 (4) | 1:09.52 (4) | 1:11.04 (4) | 1:09.68 (3) | ||
| 5 | María Teresa Ramírez | MEX | 4:39.14 | 1:05.09 (4) | 2:15.26 (4) | 3:27.33 (5) | 1:10.17 (5) | 1:12.07 (5) | 1:11.81 (5) | ||
| 6 | Helga Wagner | FRG | 4:47.61 | 1:07.00 (6) | 2:20.00 (6) | 3:34.76 (6) | 1:13.00 (6) | 1:14.76 (6) | 1:12.85 (6) | ||
| 7 | Kirsten Knudsen | DEN | 4:53.76 | 1:08.46 (7) | 2:22.91 (7) | 3:39.21 (7) | 1:14.45 (7) | 1:16.30 (7) | 1:14.55 (7) |
Heat #2
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shirley Babashoff | USA | 4:31.98 | 1:04.73 (1) | 2:13.79 (1) | 3:23.44 (1) | 1:09.06 (1) | 1:09.65 (1) | 1:08.54 (1) | ||
| 2 | Karen Moras | AUS | 4:36.14 | 1:05.73 (2) | 2:15.35 (2) | 3:26.45 (2) | 1:09.62 (2) | 1:11.10 (2) | 1:09.69 (3) | ||
| 3 | Mary Beth Rondeau | CAN | 4:36.71 | 1:06.43 (4) | 2:16.66 (3) | 3:27.80 (3) | 1:10.23 (3) | 1:11.14 (3) | 1:08.91 (2) | ||
| 4 | Anne Marie McCaffrey | CAN | 4:39.92 | 1:06.04 (3) | 2:17.00 (4) | 3:29.24 (4) | 1:10.96 (4) | 1:12.24 (4) | 1:10.68 (4) | ||
| 5 | Roselina Ángel | COL | 4:45.97 | 1:07.90 (6) | 2:20.61 (5) | 3:33.32 (5) | 1:12.71 (5) | 1:12.71 (5) | 1:12.65 (6) | ||
| 6 | Belinda Phillips | JAM | 4:47.54 | 1:07.47 (5) | 2:20.70 (6) | 3:35.13 (6) | 1:13.23 (6) | 1:14.43 (6) | 1:12.41 (5) | ||
| 7 | Hsu Yue-Yun | TPE | 4:58.57 | 1:08.33 (7) | 2:22.88 (7) | 3:40.52 (7) | 1:14.55 (7) | 1:17.64 (7) | 1:18.05 (7) | ||
| Elke Sehmisch | GDR | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #3
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Gould | AUS | 4:28.46 | 1:04.88 (3) | 2:12.59 (1) | 3:21.21 (1) | 1:07.71 (1) | 1:08.62 (1) | 1:07.25 (1) | ||
| 2 | Hansje Bunschoten | NED | 4:31.76 | 1:04.48 (1) | 2:12.86 (2) | 3:23.26 (2) | 1:08.38 (2) | 1:10.40 (3) | 1:08.50 (2) | ||
| 3 | Uta Schütz | FRG | 4:34.67 | 1:04.68 (2) | 2:14.35 (3) | 3:24.67 (3) | 1:09.67 (3) | 1:10.32 (2) | 1:10.00 (4) | ||
| 4 | Narelle Moras | AUS | 4:37.57 | 1:06.02 (5) | 2:16.79 (4) | 3:27.85 (4) | 1:10.77 (4) | 1:11.06 (4) | 1:09.72 (3) | ||
| 5 | Susan Edmondson | GBR | 4:39.10 | 1:05.65 (4) | 2:16.83 (5) | 3:28.15 (5) | 1:11.18 (5) | 1:11.32 (5) | 1:10.95 (5) | ||
| 6 | Ileana Morales | VEN | 4:44.73 | 1:06.87 (6) | 2:19.11 (6) | 3:32.41 (6) | 1:12.24 (6) | 1:13.30 (6) | 1:12.32 (6) | ||
| 7 | Diana Sutherland | GBR | 4:47.66 | 1:07.29 (7) | 2:20.12 (7) | 3:33.76 (7) | 1:12.83 (7) | 1:13.64 (7) | 1:13.90 (7) | ||
| Mireille Bassoul | LBN | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #4
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novella Calligaris | ITA | 4:24.14 | 1:03.87 (1) | 2:10.46 (1) | 3:18.20 (1) | 1:06.59 (1) | 1:07.74 (3) | 1:05.94 (1) | ||
| 2 | Keena Rothhammer | USA | 4:24.82 | 1:04.59 (3) | 2:11.40 (2) | 3:18.31 (2) | 1:06.81 (2) | 1:06.91 (2) | 1:06.51 (2) | ||
| 3 | Gudrun Wegner | GDR | 4:25.13 | 1:04.50 (2) | 2:11.59 (3) | 3:18.41 (3) | 1:07.09 (3) | 1:06.82 (1) | 1:06.72 (3) | ||
| 4 | Olga de Ángulo | COL | 4:40.09 | 1:06.85 (5) | 2:17.80 (4) | 3:29.59 (4) | 1:10.95 (5) | 1:11.79 (4) | 1:10.50 (4) | ||
| 5 | Jaynie Parkhouse | NZL | 4:40.24 | 1:07.12 (6) | 2:17.82 (5) | 3:29.69 (5) | 1:10.70 (4) | 1:11.87 (5) | 1:10.55 (5) | ||
| 6 | June Green | GBR | 4:45.81 | 1:06.21 (4) | 2:18.74 (6) | 3:33.17 (6) | 1:12.53 (6) | 1:14.43 (6) | 1:12.64 (6) | ||
| 7 | Eleni Avlonitou | GRE | 4:52.10 | 1:08.06 (7) | 2:22.12 (7) | 3:37.88 (7) | 1:14.06 (7) | 1:15.76 (7) | 1:14.22 (7) | ||
| 8 | Patricia López | ARG | 4:59.68 | 1:10.75 (8) | 2:27.18 (8) | 3:44.21 (8) | 1:16.43 (8) | 1:17.03 (8) | 1:15.47 (8) |
Final Round
| Date | 30 August 1972 — 18:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Shane Gould | AUS | 4:19.04 | 1:01.50 (1) | 2:07.04 (1) | 3:13.55 (1) | 1:05.54 (1) | 1:06.51 (1) | 1:05.49 (4) | ||
| 2 | – | Novella Calligaris | ITA | 4:22.44 | 1:03.64 (5) | 2:10.01 (3) | 3:17.00 (2) | 1:06.37 (2) | 1:06.99 (2) | 1:05.44 (3) | ||
| 3 | – | Gudrun Wegner | GDR | 4:23.11 | 1:03.70 (7) | 2:10.23 (4) | 3:17.70 (4) | 1:06.53 (4) | 1:07.47 (4) | 1:05.41 (2) | ||
| 4 | – | Shirley Babashoff | USA | 4:23.59 | 1:04.64 (8) | 2:12.93 (8) | 3:19.97 (6) | 1:08.29 (7) | 1:07.04 (3) | 1:03.62 (1) | ||
| 5 | – | Jenny Wylie | USA | 4:24.07 | 1:03.48 (4) | 2:10.71 (5) | 3:18.41 (5) | 1:07.23 (5) | 1:07.70 (5) | 1:05.66 (5) | ||
| 6 | – | Keena Rothhammer | USA | 4:24.22 | 1:02.57 (2) | 2:08.97 (2) | 3:17.17 (3) | 1:06.40 (3) | 1:08.20 (6) | 1:07.05 (6) | ||
| 7 | – | Hansje Bunschoten | NED | 4:29.70 | 1:03.65 (6) | 2:11.40 (6) | 3:20.93 (7) | 1:07.75 (6) | 1:09.53 (8) | 1:08.77 (7) | ||
| 8 | – | Anke Rijnders | NED | 4:31.51 | 1:03.46 (3) | 2:12.08 (7) | 3:21.28 (8) | 1:08.62 (8) | 1:09.20 (7) | 1:10.23 (8) |