| | Event type

400 metres Individual Medley, Women

Date	31 August 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Schwimmhalle, Olympiapark, München
Participants	38 from 24 countries

The world record was still held by Claudia Kolb, the 1968 gold medalist who had won this event in 1968. The 1970 European Champion was East Germany’s Evelyn Stolze, and she made the final, but there was no clear favorite. The final saw Australia’s unheralded Gail Neall, silver medalist from the 1970 Commonwealth Games, take the lead on the butterfly opener. She maintained that lead for 7 laps until Canada’s Leslie Cliff, the 1971 Pan American champion, took over briefly. But Neall fought back and won the gold medal in world record time, with 5:02.97. Cliff held on for silver over Italy’s Novella Calligaris, as all three medalists finished inside Kolb’s previous world mark. Stolze placed fifth, behind American Jenny Bartz.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	664	Gail Neall	AUS	5:11.89 (1 h1)	5:02.97 (1)	Gold
2	693	Leslie Cliff	CAN	5:08.64 (1 h5)	5:03.57 (2)	Silver
3	888	Novella Calligaris	ITA	5:11.16 (2 h3)	5:03.99 (3)	Bronze
4	–	Jenny Bartz	USA	5:07.31 (2 h4)	5:05.56 (4)
5	804	Evelyn Stolze	GDR	5:06.96 (1 h4)	5:06.80 (5)
6	1071	Mary Montgomery	USA	5:13.62 (2 h5)	5:09.98 (6)
7	1079	Lynn Vidali	USA	5:09.67 (1 h3)	5:13.06 (7)
8	1033	Nina Petrova	URS	5:13.42 (3 h4)	5:15.68 (8)
9	960	Susan Hunter	NZL	5:14.47 (2 h1)	–
10	792	Angela Franke	GDR	5:14.81 (3 h5)	–
11	853	Hennie Penterman	NED	5:14.99 (1 h2)	–
12	1019	Anita Zarnowiecki	SWE	5:15.05 (4 h5)	–
13	801	Marlis Pohl	GDR	5:15.38 (2 h2)	–
14	1028	Jaroslava Slavíčková	TCH	5:18.53 (3 h1)	–
15	774	Susan Richardson	GBR	5:19.53 (5 h5)	–
16	–	Birutė Užkuraitytė	URS	5:20.05 (4 h1)	–
17	702	Jennifer McHugh	CAN	5:20.25 (3 h2)	–
18	–	Yukari Takemoto	JPN	5:20.89 (4 h4)	–
19	–	Debbie Bengtson	CAN	5:21.62 (4 h2)	–
20	–	Helga Niemann	FRG	5:21.97 (5 h1)	–
21	851	Gerda Lassooij	NED	5:22.09 (3 h3)	–
22	–	Eva Sigg	FIN	5:22.92 (5 h2)	–
23	852	Wijda Mazereeuw	NED	5:24.00 (5 h4)	–
24	662	Karen Moras	AUS	5:24.13 (6 h2)	–
25	773	Shelagh Ratcliffe	GBR	5:24.27 (6 h1)	–
26	685	Maria Isabel Guerra	BRA	5:24.43 (4 h3)	–
27	945	Laura Vaca	MEX	5:24.63 (6 h4)	–
28	952	Trine Krogh	NOR	5:25.08 (5 h3)	–
29	1002	Susanne Niesner	SUI	5:25.23 (6 h5)	–
30	727	Kirsten Campbell	DEN	5:25.97 (7 h2)	–
31	777	Diane Walker	GBR	5:28.82 (6 h3)	–
32	1087	Gisela Cerezo	VEN	5:29.56 (7 h5)	–
33	938	Rosa Ballesteros	MEX	5:31.06 (8 h5)	–
34	816	Helmi Boxberger	FRG	5:32.31 (7 h1)	–
35	–	Eleni Avlonitou	GRE	5:32.49 (7 h3)	–
36	–	Béatrice Mottoulle	BEL	5:35.38 (8 h3)	–
37	720	Roselina Ángel	COL	5:35.44 (7 h4)	–
38	651	Silvia Borgini	ARG	5:44.22 (8 h1)	–
DNS	927	Mireille Bassoul	LBN	– (DNS h2)	–
DNS	977	Hsu Yue-Yun	TPE	– (DNS h4)	–

Round One

Date	31 August 1972 — 10:50
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	Evelyn Stolze	GDR	5:06.96	QOR
2	Jenny Bartz	USA	5:07.31	Q
3	Leslie Cliff	CAN	5:08.64	Q
4	Lynn Vidali	USA	5:09.67	Q
5	Novella Calligaris	ITA	5:11.16	Q
6	Gail Neall	AUS	5:11.89	Q
7	Nina Petrova	URS	5:13.42	Q
8	Mary Montgomery	USA	5:13.62	Q
9	Susan Hunter	NZL	5:14.47
10	Angela Franke	GDR	5:14.81
11	Hennie Penterman	NED	5:14.99
12	Anita Zarnowiecki	SWE	5:15.05
13	Marlis Pohl	GDR	5:15.38
14	Jaroslava Slavíčková	TCH	5:18.53
15	Susan Richardson	GBR	5:19.53
16	Birutė Užkuraitytė	URS	5:20.05
17	Jennifer McHugh	CAN	5:20.25
18	Yukari Takemoto	JPN	5:20.89
19	Debbie Bengtson	CAN	5:21.62
20	Helga Niemann	FRG	5:21.97
21	Gerda Lassooij	NED	5:22.09
22	Eva Sigg	FIN	5:22.92
23	Wijda Mazereeuw	NED	5:24.00
24	Karen Moras	AUS	5:24.13
25	Shelagh Ratcliffe	GBR	5:24.27
26	Maria Isabel Guerra	BRA	5:24.43
27	Laura Vaca	MEX	5:24.63
28	Trine Krogh	NOR	5:25.08
29	Susanne Niesner	SUI	5:25.23
30	Kirsten Campbell	DEN	5:25.97
31	Diane Walker	GBR	5:28.82
32	Gisela Cerezo	VEN	5:29.56
33	Rosa Ballesteros	MEX	5:31.06
34	Helmi Boxberger	FRG	5:32.31
35	Eleni Avlonitou	GRE	5:32.49
36	Béatrice Mottoulle	BEL	5:35.38
37	Roselina Ángel	COL	5:35.44
38	Silvia Borgini	ARG	5:44.22
DNS	Mireille Bassoul	LBN	–
DNS	Hsu Yue-Yun	TPE	–

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	Gail Neall	AUS	5:11.89	1:09.89 (1)	2:28.96 (2)	4:01.88 (1)	1:19.07 (2)	1:32.92 (3)	1:10.01 (1)	Q
2	Susan Hunter	NZL	5:14.47	1:11.44 (2)	2:27.87 (1)	4:03.73 (2)	1:16.43 (1)	1:35.86 (6)	1:10.74 (2)
3	Jaroslava Slavíčková	TCH	5:18.53	1:12.98 (4)	2:35.30 (4)	4:06.12 (4)	1:22.32 (4)	1:30.82 (1)	1:12.41 (5)
4	Birutė Užkuraitytė	URS	5:20.05	1:13.76 (7)	2:36.43 (5)	4:08.57 (5)	1:22.67 (5)	1:32.14 (2)	1:11.48 (3)
5	Helga Niemann	FRG	5:21.97	1:11.99 (3)	2:32.49 (3)	4:05.65 (3)	1:20.50 (3)	1:33.16 (4)	1:16.32 (7)
6	Shelagh Ratcliffe	GBR	5:24.27	1:13.15 (5)	2:37.43 (6)	4:12.14 (6)	1:24.28 (6)	1:34.71 (5)	1:12.13 (4)
7	Helmi Boxberger	FRG	5:32.31	1:13.68 (6)	2:38.58 (7)	4:15.80 (7)	1:24.90 (7)	1:37.22 (7)	1:16.51 (8)
8	Silvia Borgini	ARG	5:44.22	1:18.61 (8)	2:49.80 (8)	4:29.51 (8)	1:31.19 (8)	1:39.71 (8)	1:14.71 (6)

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	Hennie Penterman	NED	5:14.99	1:11.78 (3)	2:34.80 (4)	4:04.31 (2)	1:23.02 (4)	1:29.51 (1)	1:10.68 (1)
2	Marlis Pohl	GDR	5:15.38	1:10.35 (1)	2:31.50 (1)	4:02.42 (1)	1:21.15 (2)	1:30.92 (2)	1:12.96 (5)
3	Jennifer McHugh	CAN	5:20.25	1:10.54 (2)	2:33.62 (2)	4:08.98 (4)	1:23.08 (5)	1:35.36 (6)	1:11.27 (2)
4	Debbie Bengtson	CAN	5:21.62	1:14.11 (7)	2:35.05 (5)	4:08.85 (3)	1:20.94 (1)	1:33.80 (4)	1:12.77 (4)
5	Eva Sigg	FIN	5:22.92	1:11.85 (4)	2:35.47 (6)	4:09.73 (5)	1:23.62 (6)	1:34.26 (5)	1:13.19 (6)
6	Karen Moras	AUS	5:24.13	1:13.38 (5)	2:34.63 (3)	4:12.39 (7)	1:21.25 (3)	1:37.76 (7)	1:11.74 (3)
7	Kirsten Campbell	DEN	5:25.97	1:13.68 (6)	2:37.90 (7)	4:10.91 (6)	1:24.22 (7)	1:33.01 (3)	1:15.06 (7)
DNS	Mireille Bassoul	LBN	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

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	Lynn Vidali	USA	5:09.67	1:08.33 (1)	2:28.47 (1)	4:00.51 (1)	1:20.14 (2)	1:32.04 (2)	1:09.16 (2)	Q
2	Novella Calligaris	ITA	5:11.16	1:11.24 (3)	2:31.18 (2)	4:03.01 (2)	1:19.94 (1)	1:31.83 (1)	1:08.15 (1)	Q
3	Gerda Lassooij	NED	5:22.09	1:10.94 (2)	2:32.46 (3)	4:07.97 (3)	1:21.52 (4)	1:35.51 (5)	1:14.12 (6)
4	Maria Isabel Guerra	BRA	5:24.43	1:11.98 (4)	2:33.18 (4)	4:12.85 (4)	1:21.20 (3)	1:39.67 (8)	1:11.58 (5)
5	Trine Krogh	NOR	5:25.08	1:13.74 (5)	2:38.12 (5)	4:13.74 (6)	1:24.38 (5)	1:35.62 (6)	1:11.34 (4)
6	Diane Walker	GBR	5:28.82	1:14.31 (6)	2:40.22 (6)	4:13.48 (5)	1:25.91 (6)	1:33.26 (4)	1:15.34 (7)
7	Eleni Avlonitou	GRE	5:32.49	1:16.52 (7)	2:44.32 (8)	4:21.46 (8)	1:27.80 (8)	1:37.14 (7)	1:11.03 (3)
8	Béatrice Mottoulle	BEL	5:35.38	1:16.56 (8)	2:44.16 (7)	4:17.19 (7)	1:27.60 (7)	1:33.03 (3)	1:18.19 (8)

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	Evelyn Stolze	GDR	5:06.96	1:09.48 (1)	2:28.28 (1)	3:57.98 (1)	1:18.80 (1)	1:29.70 (3)	1:08.98 (1)	QOR
2	Jenny Bartz	USA	5:07.31	1:09.71 (2)	2:29.11 (2)	3:58.09 (2)	1:19.40 (2)	1:28.98 (2)	1:09.22 (2)	Q
3	Nina Petrova	URS	5:13.42	1:12.01 (5)	2:32.54 (4)	4:00.71 (3)	1:20.53 (3)	1:28.17 (1)	1:12.71 (3)	Q
4	Yukari Takemoto	JPN	5:20.89	1:11.02 (3)	2:31.86 (3)	4:04.71 (4)	1:20.84 (4)	1:32.85 (4)	1:16.18 (7)
5	Wijda Mazereeuw	NED	5:24.00	1:11.47 (4)	2:34.64 (5)	4:08.35 (5)	1:23.17 (6)	1:33.71 (5)	1:15.65 (6)
6	Laura Vaca	MEX	5:24.63	1:14.41 (7)	2:37.08 (6)	4:11.14 (6)	1:22.67 (5)	1:34.06 (6)	1:13.49 (5)
7	Roselina Ángel	COL	5:35.44	1:13.87 (6)	2:41.28 (7)	4:22.02 (7)	1:27.41 (7)	1:40.74 (7)	1:13.42 (4)
DNS	Hsu Yue-Yun	TPE	–	– (–)	– (–)	– (–)	–	–	–

Heat #5

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	Leslie Cliff	CAN	5:08.64	1:10.26 (3)	2:28.51 (1)	3:58.67 (1)	1:18.25 (1)	1:30.16 (2)	1:09.97 (3)	Q
2	Mary Montgomery	USA	5:13.62	1:12.12 (6)	2:31.11 (2)	4:04.81 (3)	1:18.99 (2)	1:33.70 (6)	1:08.81 (1)	Q
3	Angela Franke	GDR	5:14.81	1:10.13 (2)	2:32.86 (4)	4:04.36 (2)	1:22.73 (6)	1:31.50 (3)	1:10.45 (4)
4	Anita Zarnowiecki	SWE	5:15.05	1:12.06 (5)	2:32.79 (3)	4:05.22 (5)	1:20.73 (3)	1:32.43 (5)	1:09.83 (2)
5	Susan Richardson	GBR	5:19.53	1:09.72 (1)	2:33.02 (5)	4:04.82 (4)	1:23.30 (7)	1:31.80 (4)	1:14.71 (6)
6	Susanne Niesner	SUI	5:25.23	1:11.15 (4)	2:33.38 (6)	4:11.64 (6)	1:22.23 (5)	1:38.26 (8)	1:13.59 (5)
7	Gisela Cerezo	VEN	5:29.56	1:13.43 (7)	2:49.62 (8)	4:14.49 (7)	1:36.19 (8)	1:24.87 (1)	1:15.07 (7)
8	Rosa Ballesteros	MEX	5:31.06	1:16.67 (8)	2:38.75 (7)	4:15.68 (8)	1:22.08 (4)	1:36.93 (7)	1:15.38 (8)

Final Round

Date	31 August 1972 — 18:00

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	–	Gail Neall	AUS	5:02.97	1:08.64 (1)	2:25.33 (1)	3:55.51 (1)	1:16.69 (2)	1:30.18 (5)	1:07.46 (4)	WR
2	–	Leslie Cliff	CAN	5:03.57	1:19.28 (8)	2:27.99 (4)	3:56.72 (2)	1:08.71 (1)	1:28.73 (2)	1:06.85 (2)
3	–	Novella Calligaris	ITA	5:03.99	1:09.64 (4)	2:27.19 (2)	3:57.63 (4)	1:17.55 (4)	1:30.44 (6)	1:06.36 (1)
4	–	Jenny Bartz	USA	5:05.56	1:08.88 (2)	2:28.65 (5)	3:57.17 (3)	1:19.77 (6)	1:28.52 (1)	1:08.39 (6)
5	–	Evelyn Stolze	GDR	5:06.80	1:09.99 (5)	2:29.41 (7)	3:59.41 (5)	1:19.42 (5)	1:30.00 (3)	1:07.39 (3)
6	–	Mary Montgomery	USA	5:09.98	1:10.41 (6)	2:27.61 (3)	4:02.30 (7)	1:17.20 (3)	1:34.69 (8)	1:07.68 (5)
7	–	Lynn Vidali	USA	5:13.06	1:08.90 (3)	2:29.18 (6)	4:01.75 (6)	1:20.28 (7)	1:32.57 (7)	1:11.31 (7)
8	–	Nina Petrova	URS	5:15.68	1:12.60 (7)	2:33.26 (8)	4:03.32 (8)	1:20.66 (8)	1:30.06 (4)	1:12.36 (8)