| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women

Date	30 August 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Schwimmhalle, Olympiapark, München
Participants	69 from 16 countries

It was eight years since any nation other than the United States had set a world record in this event. But East Germany (GDR) was improving rapidly as a swimming power, at least among the women. The 100 freestyle champion, Sandy Neilson, who had one that gold the day before, led off the final for the USA and put them ahead, but on the second leg, the GDR’s Andrea Eife almost pulled even with Jenny Kemp. After the third leg, the race was a dead-heat, with the anchor swimmers Shirley Babashoff and Kornelia Ender. They would become great rivals, but most of that was in Montréal four years hence. On the final leg, Babashoff had a slight lead going out but almost missed the wall on her turn and Ender took the lead coming home, only to see Babashoff rally and edge her out for the gold medal for the Americans, who finished in a world record 3:55.19.

The biggest shock of the final was the performance of the Australian women, who finished far back in last. No Aussie woman broke a minute for her split, even anchorwoman Shane Gould. So far behind, she appeared to treat it as a warm-up swim for her 400 final, which took place an hour later, and posted a pedestrian 1:01.00.

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	–	United States	USA	3:58.93 (1 h2)	3:55.19 (1)	Gold
	1072	Sandy Neilson		–	–
	–	Jenny Kemp		–	–
	1055	Jane Barkman		–	–
	1054	Shirley Babashoff		–	–
	–	Kim Peyton		–	–
	1078	Lynn Skrifvars		–	–
	1067	Ann Marshall		–	–
2	–	East Germany	GDR	3:58.11 (1 h1)	3:55.55 (2)	Silver
	808	Gabriele Wetzko		–	–
	789	Andrea Eife		–	–
	803	Elke Sehmisch		–	–
	790	Kornelia Ender		–	–
	788	Sylvia Eichner		–	–
3	–	West Germany	FRG	4:01.63 (2 h2)	3:57.93 (3)	Bronze
	836	Jutta Weber		–	–
	828	Heidi Reineck		–	–
	814	Gudrun Beckmann		–	–
	834	Angela Steinbach		–	–
4	–	Hungary	HUN	4:04.29 (4 h2)	4:00.39 (4)
	–	Andrea Gyarmati		–	–
	863	Judit Turóczy		–	–
	864	Edit Kovács		–	–
	865	Magdolna Patóh		–	–
5	–	Netherlands	NED	4:02.70 (2 h1)	4:01.49 (5)
	844	Enith Brigitha		–	–
	856	Anke Rijnders		–	–
	–	Hansje Bunschoten		–	–
	848	Josien Elzerman		–	–
	854	Atie Radersma DNS		–	–
	857	Annette Segaar DNS		–	–
6	–	Sweden	SWE	4:03.99 (3 h2)	4:02.69 (6)
	1019	Anita Zarnowiecki		–	–
	1010	Eva Andersson		–	–
	1015	Diana Olsson		–	–
	–	Irwi Johansson		–	–
7	–	Canada	CAN	4:05.95 (4 h1)	4:03.83 (7)
	694	Wendy Cook		–	–
	713	Judy Wright		–	–
	708	Mary Beth Rondeau		–	–
	693	Leslie Cliff		–	–
8	–	Australia	AUS	4:05.44 (3 h1)	4:04.82 (8)
	665	Debbie Palmer		–	–
	655	Leanne Francis		–	–
	–	Sharon Booth		–	–
	–	Shane Gould		–	–
	654	Debra Cain		–	–
9	–	Soviet Union	URS	4:07.55 (5 h1)	–
	1045	Tatyana Zolotnitskaya		–	–
	1042	Yelena Timoshenko		–	–
	1032	Nadezhda Matyukhina		–	–
	1044	Irina Ustimenko		–	–
	1035	Olga Petrusyova DNS		–	–
10	–	Japan	JPN	4:08.34 (5 h2)	–
	–	Yoshimi Nishigawa		–	–
	914	Shigeko Kawanishi		–	–
	–	Eiko Goshi		–	–
	–	Yukari Takemoto		–	–
11	–	France	FRA	4:08.82 (6 h1)	–
	–	Claude Mandonnaud		–	–
	750	Chantal Schertz		–	–
	749	Christine Petit		–	–
	744	Guylaine Berger		–	–
12	–	Great Britain	GBR	4:09.51 (6 h2)	–
	777	Diana Sutherland		–	–
	775	Judith Sirs		–	–
	764	Susan Edmondson		–	–
	–	Lesley Allardice		–	–
	777	Diane Walker DNS		–	–
13	–	Italy	ITA	4:10.70 (7 h2)	–
	893	Laura Podestà		–	–
	891	Patrizia Lanfredini		–	–
	890	Laura Gorgerino		–	–
	894	Federica Stabilini		–	–
14	–	Switzerland	SUI	4:10.73 (8 h2)	–
	1004	Margrit Thomet		–	–
	999	Irène Debrunner		–	–
	1000	Christiane Flamand		–	–
	1001	Françoise Monod		–	–
15	–	Mexico	MEX	4:14.95 (7 h1)	–
	943	María Teresa Ramírez		–	–
	936	Virginia Anchestegui		–	–
	945	Laura Vaca		–	–
	–	Marcia Arriaga		–	–
16	–	Ireland	IRL	4:26.34 (8 h1)	–
	880	Ann O'Connor		–	–
	878	Christine Fulcher		–	–
	879	Brenda McGrory		–	–
	881	Aisling O'Leary		–	–

Round One

Date	30 August 1972 — 10:00
Format	Fastest 8 advanced to the final round.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time
1	East Germany	GDR	3:58.11	Q=WR
2	United States	USA	3:58.93	Q
3	West Germany	FRG	4:01.63	Q
4	Netherlands	NED	4:02.70	Q
5	Sweden	SWE	4:03.99	Q
6	Hungary	HUN	4:04.29	Q
7	Australia	AUS	4:05.44	Q
8	Canada	CAN	4:05.95	Q
9	Soviet Union	URS	4:07.55
10	Japan	JPN	4:08.34
11	France	FRA	4:08.82
12	Great Britain	GBR	4:09.51
13	Italy	ITA	4:10.70
14	Switzerland	SUI	4:10.73
15	Mexico	MEX	4:14.95
16	Ireland	IRL	4:26.34

Heat #1

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	East Germany	GDR	3:58.11	– (–)	– (–)	Q=WR
Lead-off	Andrea Eife		–	1:00.18 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Sylvia Eichner		–	59.81 (1)	1:59.99 (1)
3rd Leg	Elke Sehmisch		–	58.58 (1)	2:58.57 (1)
Anchor	Kornelia Ender		–	59.52 (1)	– (–)
2	Netherlands	NED	4:02.70	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Enith Brigitha		–	59.37 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Anke Rijnders		–	1:01.14 (2)	2:00.51 (2)
3rd Leg	Hansje Bunschoten		–	1:00.71 (2)	3:01.22 (2)
Anchor	Josien Elzerman		–	1:01.47 (4)	– (–)
3	Australia	AUS	4:05.44	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Debbie Palmer		–	1:01.48 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Leanne Francis		–	1:01.37 (3)	2:02.85 (3)
3rd Leg	Sharon Booth		–	1:01.07 (4)	3:03.92 (3)
Anchor	Debra Cain		–	1:01.50 (5)	– (–)
4	Canada	CAN	4:05.95	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Mary Beth Rondeau		–	1:02.95 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Judy Wright		–	1:01.68 (4)	2:04.63 (6)
3rd Leg	Leslie Cliff		–	1:00.72 (3)	3:05.35 (4)
Anchor	Wendy Cook		–	1:00.58 (2)	– (–)
5	Soviet Union	URS	4:07.55	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Tatyana Zolotnitskaya		–	1:02.03 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Yelena Timoshenko		–	1:01.83 (5)	2:03.86 (4)
3rd Leg	Nadezhda Matyukhina		–	1:01.56 (5)	3:05.42 (5)
Anchor	Irina Ustimenko		–	1:02.12 (6)	– (–)
6	France	FRA	4:08.82	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Claude Mandonnaud		–	1:01.38 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Chantal Schertz		–	1:02.81 (6)	2:04.19 (5)
3rd Leg	Christine Petit		–	1:03.70 (6)	3:07.89 (6)
Anchor	Guylaine Berger		–	1:00.92 (3)	– (–)
7	Mexico	MEX	4:14.95	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	María Teresa Ramírez		–	1:01.79 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Virginia Anchestegui		–	1:03.96 (7)	2:05.75 (7)
3rd Leg	Laura Vaca		–	1:04.77 (7)	3:10.52 (7)
Anchor	Marcia Arriaga		–	1:04.42 (7)	– (–)
8	Ireland	IRL	4:26.34	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Ann O'Connor		–	1:06.15 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Christine Fulcher		–	1:05.53 (8)	2:11.68 (8)
3rd Leg	Brenda McGrory		–	1:08.05 (8)	3:19.73 (8)
Anchor	Aisling O'Leary		–	1:06.59 (8)	– (–)

Heat #2

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	3:58.93	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Kim Peyton		–	1:00.12 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Lynn Skrifvars		–	1:00.60 (1)	2:00.72 (1)
3rd Leg	Jane Barkman		–	59.39 (1)	3:00.11 (1)
Anchor	Ann Marshall		–	58.81 (1)	– (–)
2	West Germany	FRG	4:01.63	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Gudrun Beckmann		–	1:01.63 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Jutta Weber		–	1:00.62 (2)	2:02.25 (3)
3rd Leg	Angela Steinbach		–	59.96 (2)	3:02.21 (2)
Anchor	Heidi Reineck		–	59.40 (2)	– (–)
3	Sweden	SWE	4:03.99	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Anita Zarnowiecki		–	1:01.08 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Eva Andersson		–	1:00.97 (3)	2:02.05 (2)
3rd Leg	Diana Olsson		–	1:00.40 (3)	3:02.45 (3)
Anchor	Irwi Johansson		–	1:01.53 (5)	– (–)
4	Hungary	HUN	4:04.29	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	Andrea Gyarmati		–	1:00.77 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Judit Turóczy		–	1:01.55 (4)	2:02.32 (4)
3rd Leg	Edit Kovács		–	1:01.82 (5)	3:04.14 (4)
Anchor	Magdolna Patóh		–	1:00.13 (3)	– (–)
5	Japan	JPN	4:08.34	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Yoshimi Nishigawa		–	1:01.34 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Shigeko Kawanishi		–	1:01.64 (5)	2:02.98 (5)
3rd Leg	Eiko Goshi		–	1:01.88 (6)	3:04.86 (5)
Anchor	Yukari Takemoto		–	1:03.46 (8)	– (–)
6	Great Britain	GBR	4:09.51	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Diana Sutherland		–	1:03.36 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Judith Sirs		–	1:03.17 (8)	2:06.53 (8)
3rd Leg	Susan Edmondson		–	1:01.74 (4)	3:08.27 (7)
Anchor	Lesley Allardice		–	1:01.23 (4)	– (–)
7	Italy	ITA	4:10.70	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Laura Podestà		–	1:02.44 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Patrizia Lanfredini		–	1:02.62 (6)	2:05.06 (6)
3rd Leg	Laura Gorgerino		–	1:03.07 (7)	3:08.13 (6)
Anchor	Federica Stabilini		–	1:02.56 (7)	– (–)
8	Switzerland	SUI	4:10.73	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	Margrit Thomet		–	1:03.25 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Irène Debrunner		–	1:02.68 (7)	2:05.93 (7)
3rd Leg	Christiane Flamand		–	1:03.10 (8)	3:09.03 (8)
Anchor	Françoise Monod		–	1:01.68 (6)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	30 August 1972 — 17:40

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Split	Exchange
1	5	United States	USA	3:55.19	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-off	–	Sandy Neilson		–	58.98 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Jenny Kemp		–	58.99 (2)	1:57.97 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Jane Barkman		–	59.03 (1)	2:57.00 (1)
Anchor	–	Shirley Babashoff		–	58.18 (1)	– (–)
2	4	East Germany	GDR	3:55.55	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Gabriele Wetzko		–	59.23 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Andrea Eife		–	58.96 (1)	1:58.19 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Elke Sehmisch		–	59.08 (2)	2:57.27 (2)
Anchor	–	Kornelia Ender		–	58.27 (2)	– (–)
3	3	West Germany	FRG	3:57.93	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Jutta Weber		–	59.84 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Heidi Reineck		–	59.02 (3)	1:58.86 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Gudrun Beckmann		–	59.99 (4)	2:58.85 (3)
Anchor	–	Angela Steinbach		–	59.07 (4)	– (–)
4	7	Hungary	HUN	4:00.39	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Andrea Gyarmati		–	59.32 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Judit Turóczy		–	1:00.88 (6)	2:00.20 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Edit Kovács		–	1:01.12 (7)	3:01.32 (5)
Anchor	–	Magdolna Patóh		–	59.06 (3)	– (–)
5	6	Netherlands	NED	4:01.49	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Enith Brigitha		–	59.46 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Anke Rijnders		–	1:00.85 (5)	2:00.31 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Hansje Bunschoten		–	59.93 (3)	3:00.24 (4)
Anchor	–	Josien Elzerman		–	1:01.24 (8)	– (–)
6	2	Sweden	SWE	4:02.69	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Anita Zarnowiecki		–	1:01.16 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Eva Andersson		–	1:00.25 (4)	2:01.41 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Diana Olsson		–	1:00.30 (5)	3:01.71 (6)
Anchor	–	Irwi Johansson		–	1:00.97 (6)	– (–)
7	8	Canada	CAN	4:03.83	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Wendy Cook		–	1:00.98 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Judy Wright		–	1:01.06 (7)	2:02.04 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Mary Beth Rondeau		–	1:01.37 (8)	3:03.41 (7)
Anchor	–	Leslie Cliff		–	1:00.41 (5)	– (–)
8	1	Australia	AUS	4:04.82	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Debbie Palmer		–	1:02.02 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Leanne Francis		–	1:01.09 (8)	2:03.11 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Sharon Booth		–	1:00.70 (6)	3:03.81 (8)
Anchor	–	Shane Gould		–	1:01.00 (7)	– (–)