| | Event type

Balance Beam, Women

Date	27 – 31 August 1972 — 20:00
Status	Olympic
Location	Sporthalle, Olympiapark, München
Participants	118 from 23 countries

The format was similar to 1964 and 1968, with the best six gymnasts in the team all-around advancing to the apparatus final, with the final apparatus score made up of 50% of the all-around total and a final optional program. Soviet Tamara Lazakovich led after the team qualifying but was bested in the final by her teammate, Olga Korbut, who won the gold medal. Korbut would return and win the silver medal in this event at Montréal. American Cathy Rigby had won a silver medal in this event at the 1970 World Championships and was thought to have a chance to become the first American woman to win an individual Olympic medal, but Rigby placed only sixth in qualifying, and failed to make the final based on a tiebreaker.

Pos	Competitor(s)	NOC	Points
1	Olga Korbut	URS	19.400	Gold
2	Tamara Lazakovich	URS	19.375	Silver
3	Karin Janz	GDR	18.975	Bronze
4	Mónika Császár	HUN	18.925
5	Lyudmila Turishcheva	URS	18.800
6	Erika Zuchold	GDR	18.700
=6 r1/1	Cathy Rigby	USA	–
8 r1/1	Lyubov Burda	URS	–
9 r1/1	Krisztina Medveczky	HUN	–
=10 r1/1	Elvira Saadi	URS	–
=10 r1/1	Ilona Békési	HUN	–
=12 r1/1	Angelika Hellmann	GDR	–
=12 r1/1	Antanina Koshal	URS	–
=14 r1/1	Kimberly Chace	USA	–
=14 r1/1	Marianna Némethová-Krajčírová	TCH	–
16 r1/1	Márta Kelemen	HUN	–
=17 r1/1	Richarda Schmeißer	GDR	–
=17 r1/1	Kayoko Saka	JPN	–
=17 r1/1	Roxanne Pierce	USA	–
=17 r1/1	Zdenka Bujnáčková	TCH	–
21 r1/1	Christine Schmitt	GDR	–
=22 r1/1	Irene Abel	GDR	–
=22 r1/1	Elena Ceampelea	ROU	–
=22 r1/1	Ans van Gerwen	NED	–
=25 r1/1	Joan Moore	USA	–
=25 r1/1	Eiko Hirashima	JPN	–
=27 r1/1	Nancy Thies	USA	–
=27 r1/1	Anikó Kéry	HUN	–
=27 r1/1	Anca Grigoraș	ROU	–
=30 r1/1	Kazue Hanyu	JPN	–
=30 r1/1	Käthi Fritschi	SUI	–
32 r1/1	Miyuki Matsuhisa	JPN	–
33 r1/1	Soňa Brázdová	TCH	–
34 r1/1	Zsuzsa Nagy	HUN	–
=35 r1/1	Angelika Kern	FRG	–
=35 r1/1	Linda Metheny	USA	–
=37 r1/1	Takako Hasegawa	JPN	–
=37 r1/1	Marcela Váchová	TCH	–
=37 r1/1	Ulrike Weyh	FRG	–
=37 r1/1	Ans Dekker	NED	–
41 r1/1	Teresa McDonnell	CAN	–
=42 r1/1	Hana Lišková	TCH	–
=42 r1/1	Uta Schorn	FRG	–
=42 r1/1	Jutta Oltersdorf	FRG	–
=42 r1/1	Nataša Bajin-Šljepica	YUG	–
=42 r1/1	Cinzia Delisi	ITA	–
=47 r1/1	Gabriella Marchi	ITA	–
=47 r1/1	Paula Ioan	ROU	–
=47 r1/1	Angela Alberti	ITA	–
=50 r1/1	Alina Goreac	ROU	–
=50 r1/1	Liselotte Marti	SUI	–
=50 r1/1	Małgorzata Barlak-Kamasińska	POL	–
53 r1/1	Danuta Fidusiewicz-Prusinowska	POL	–
=54 r1/1	Zdena Dorňáková	TCH	–
=54 r1/1	Elisabeta Turcu	ROU	–
=54 r1/1	Marcela Păunescu	ROU	–
=54 r1/1	Unni Holmen	NOR	–
=54 r1/1	Patrizia Bazzi	SUI	–
=54 r1/1	Mireille Cayre	FRA	–
=54 r1/1	Irina Hitrova	BUL	–
=54 r1/1	Margo Velema	NED	–
=62 r1/1	Jennifer Diachun	CAN	–
=62 r1/1	Andrea Niederheide	FRG	–
=64 r1/1	Véronique Tilmont	FRA	–
=64 r1/1	Toshiko Miyamoto	JPN	–
=64 r1/1	Nel van der Voort	NED	–
=67 r1/1	Pamela Hutchinson	GBR	–
=67 r1/1	Nancy McDonnell	CAN	–
=69 r1/1	Evdokiya Pandezova	BUL	–
=69 r1/1	Nevenka Puškarević	YUG	–
=69 r1/1	Maya Blagoeva	BUL	–
=72 r1/1	Elena Georgieva	BUL	–
=72 r1/1	Monica Stefani	ITA	–
=72 r1/1	Rita Peri	ITA	–
=75 r1/1	Jill Schau	NOR	–
=75 r1/1	Barbara Alred	GBR	–
=75 r1/1	Gro Sandberg	NOR	–
=75 r1/1	Ikina Morsch	NED	–
=79 r1/1	Pascale Hermant	FRA	–
=79 r1/1	Maria Grazia Mancuso	ITA	–
=79 r1/1	Slaviča Kundačina	YUG	–
=79 r1/1	Sharon Tsukamoto	CAN	–
=79 r1/1	Sidsel Ekholdt	NOR	–
=79 r1/1	Ingrid Santer	FRG	–
=85 r1/1	Catherine Daugé	FRA	–
=85 r1/1	Nadine Audin	FRA	–
=85 r1/1	Marija Težak	YUG	–
=85 r1/1	Marie Björk	SWE	–
=89 r1/1	Dorota Klencz	POL	–
=89 r1/1	Trine Andresen	NOR	–
=91 r1/1	Joanna Bartosz	POL	–
=91 r1/1	Łucja Matraszek	POL	–
93 r1/1	Elaine Willett	GBR	–
94 r1/1	Dianne Foote	NZL	–
=95 r1/1	Ana María Casas	MEX	–
=95 r1/1	Reneta Tsvetkova	BUL	–
97 r1/1	Marieta Ilieva	BUL	–
=98 r1/1	Yvonne Mugridge	GBR	–
=98 r1/1	Danuta Lubowska	POL	–
=100 r1/1	Patricia García	MEX	–
=100 r1/1	Lise Arsenault-Goertz	CAN	–
=100 r1/1	Jacqueline Sievert	SUI	–
103 r1/1	Christine Steger	SUI	–
104 r1/1	Patricia Ollinger	MEX	–
105 r1/1	Judith Steiger	SUI	–
106 r1/1	Linda Toorop	NED	–
107 r1/1	Jenny Sunderland	AUS	–
=108 r1/1	Elvire Gertosio	FRA	–
=108 r1/1	Laura Rivera	MEX	–
110 r1/1	Pam Hopkins	GBR	–
111 r1/1	Erna Havelka	YUG	–
=112 r1/1	María Antonieta Hernández	MEX	–
=112 r1/1	Avril Lennox	GBR	–
114 r1/1	Olga Bumbić	YUG	–
115 r1/1	Bente Hansen	NOR	–
116 r1/1	Susan Buchanan	CAN	–
117 r1/1	Hilda Amezaga	MEX	–
118 r1/1	Pepita Sánchez	ESP	–

Final (31 August 1972 — 20:00)

Top six on each apparatus in individual all-around advanced to apparatus finals.

Pos	Competitor(s)	NOC	Points	QP(50%)	FP
1	Olga Korbut	URS	19.400	9.500	9.90
2	Tamara Lazakovich	URS	19.375	9.575	9.80
3	Karin Janz	GDR	18.975	9.425	9.55
4	Mónika Császár	HUN	18.925	9.325	9.60
5	Lyudmila Turishcheva	URS	18.800	9.400	9.40
6	Erika Zuchold	GDR	18.700	9.300	9.40

Qualifying (27 August 1972)

Top six on each apparatus in individual all-around advanced to apparatus finals.

Pos	Competitor(s)	NOC	Points	CEP	OEP
1	Tamara Lazakovich	URS	19.15	9.40	9.75	Q
2	Olga Korbut	URS	19.00	9.25	9.75	Q
3	Karin Janz	GDR	18.85	9.35	9.50	Q
4	Lyudmila Turishcheva	URS	18.80	9.05	9.75	Q
5	Mónika Császár	HUN	18.65	9.25	9.40	Q
=6	Erika Zuchold	GDR	18.60	9.25	9.35	Q
=6	Cathy Rigby	USA	18.60	9.25	9.35
8	Lyubov Burda	URS	18.55	9.00	9.55
9	Krisztina Medveczky	HUN	18.50	9.15	9.35
=10	Elvira Saadi	URS	18.45	9.20	9.25
=10	Ilona Békési	HUN	18.45	9.15	9.30
=12	Angelika Hellmann	GDR	18.35	9.15	9.20
=12	Antanina Koshal	URS	18.35	8.95	9.40
=14	Kimberly Chace	USA	18.20	9.25	8.95
=14	Marianna Némethová-Krajčírová	TCH	18.20	9.10	9.10
16	Márta Kelemen	HUN	18.10	9.00	9.10
=17	Richarda Schmeißer	GDR	18.00	9.15	8.85
=17	Kayoko Saka	JPN	18.00	9.10	8.90
=17	Roxanne Pierce	USA	18.00	9.00	9.00
=17	Zdenka Bujnáčková	TCH	18.00	9.00	9.00
21	Christine Schmitt	GDR	17.95	8.90	9.05
=22	Irene Abel	GDR	17.90	8.90	9.00
=22	Elena Ceampelea	ROU	17.90	8.85	9.05
=22	Ans van Gerwen	NED	17.90	8.70	9.20
=25	Joan Moore	USA	17.85	9.20	8.65
=25	Eiko Hirashima	JPN	17.85	8.95	8.90
=27	Nancy Thies	USA	17.80	8.90	8.90
=27	Anikó Kéry	HUN	17.80	8.85	8.95
=27	Anca Grigoraș	ROU	17.80	8.85	8.95
=30	Kazue Hanyu	JPN	17.75	9.00	8.75
=30	Käthi Fritschi	SUI	17.75	8.85	8.90
32	Miyuki Matsuhisa	JPN	17.70	9.10	8.60
33	Soňa Brázdová	TCH	17.60	8.90	8.70
34	Zsuzsa Nagy	HUN	17.55	8.80	8.75
=35	Angelika Kern	FRG	17.50	8.65	8.85
=35	Linda Metheny	USA	17.50	8.40	9.10
=37	Takako Hasegawa	JPN	17.45	8.90	8.55
=37	Marcela Váchová	TCH	17.45	8.75	8.70
=37	Ulrike Weyh	FRG	17.45	8.55	8.90
=37	Ans Dekker	NED	17.45	8.45	9.00
41	Teresa McDonnell	CAN	17.40	8.60	8.80
=42	Hana Lišková	TCH	17.35	8.95	8.40
=42	Uta Schorn	FRG	17.35	8.90	8.45
=42	Jutta Oltersdorf	FRG	17.35	8.80	8.55
=42	Nataša Bajin-Šljepica	YUG	17.35	8.65	8.70
=42	Cinzia Delisi	ITA	17.35	8.60	8.75
=47	Gabriella Marchi	ITA	17.30	8.60	8.70
=47	Paula Ioan	ROU	17.30	8.60	8.70
=47	Angela Alberti	ITA	17.30	8.55	8.75
=50	Alina Goreac	ROU	17.25	8.95	8.30
=50	Liselotte Marti	SUI	17.25	8.70	8.55
=50	Małgorzata Barlak-Kamasińska	POL	17.25	8.60	8.65
53	Danuta Fidusiewicz-Prusinowska	POL	17.20	8.55	8.65
=54	Zdena Dorňáková	TCH	17.15	8.85	8.30
=54	Elisabeta Turcu	ROU	17.15	8.75	8.40
=54	Marcela Păunescu	ROU	17.15	8.70	8.45
=54	Unni Holmen	NOR	17.15	8.60	8.55
=54	Patrizia Bazzi	SUI	17.15	8.55	8.60
=54	Mireille Cayre	FRA	17.15	8.55	8.60
=54	Irina Hitrova	BUL	17.15	8.50	8.65
=54	Margo Velema	NED	17.15	8.50	8.65
=62	Jennifer Diachun	CAN	17.10	8.65	8.45
=62	Andrea Niederheide	FRG	17.10	8.45	8.65
=64	Véronique Tilmont	FRA	17.05	8.65	8.40
=64	Toshiko Miyamoto	JPN	17.05	8.60	8.45
=64	Nel van der Voort	NED	17.05	8.50	8.55
=67	Pamela Hutchinson	GBR	16.95	8.45	8.50
=67	Nancy McDonnell	CAN	16.95	8.45	8.50
=69	Evdokiya Pandezova	BUL	16.90	8.65	8.25
=69	Nevenka Puškarević	YUG	16.90	8.50	8.40
=69	Maya Blagoeva	BUL	16.90	8.30	8.60
=72	Elena Georgieva	BUL	16.85	8.65	8.20
=72	Monica Stefani	ITA	16.85	8.10	8.75
=72	Rita Peri	ITA	16.85	7.85	9.00
=75	Jill Schau	NOR	16.80	8.60	8.20
=75	Barbara Alred	GBR	16.80	8.50	8.30
=75	Gro Sandberg	NOR	16.80	8.40	8.40
=75	Ikina Morsch	NED	16.80	8.15	8.65
=79	Pascale Hermant	FRA	16.75	8.70	8.05
=79	Maria Grazia Mancuso	ITA	16.75	8.50	8.25
=79	Slaviča Kundačina	YUG	16.75	8.40	8.35
=79	Sharon Tsukamoto	CAN	16.75	8.40	8.35
=79	Sidsel Ekholdt	NOR	16.75	8.35	8.40
=79	Ingrid Santer	FRG	16.75	8.05	8.70
=85	Catherine Daugé	FRA	16.70	8.45	8.25
=85	Nadine Audin	FRA	16.70	8.40	8.30
=85	Marija Težak	YUG	16.70	8.30	8.40
=85	Marie Björk	SWE	16.70	8.30	8.40
=89	Dorota Klencz	POL	16.65	8.50	8.15
=89	Trine Andresen	NOR	16.65	8.35	8.30
=91	Joanna Bartosz	POL	16.60	8.35	8.25
=91	Łucja Matraszek	POL	16.60	8.25	8.35
93	Elaine Willett	GBR	16.55	8.35	8.20
94	Dianne Foote	NZL	16.50	8.40	8.10
=95	Ana María Casas	MEX	16.45	8.30	8.15
=95	Reneta Tsvetkova	BUL	16.45	8.25	8.20
97	Marieta Ilieva	BUL	16.35	8.50	7.85
=98	Yvonne Mugridge	GBR	16.30	8.10	8.20
=98	Danuta Lubowska	POL	16.30	7.75	8.55
=100	Patricia García	MEX	16.25	8.35	7.90
=100	Lise Arsenault-Goertz	CAN	16.25	7.85	8.40
=100	Jacqueline Sievert	SUI	16.25	7.80	8.45
103	Christine Steger	SUI	16.20	7.95	8.25
104	Patricia Ollinger	MEX	16.15	7.85	8.30
105	Judith Steiger	SUI	16.10	8.55	7.55
106	Linda Toorop	NED	16.00	8.65	7.35
107	Jenny Sunderland	AUS	15.95	8.10	7.85
=108	Elvire Gertosio	FRA	15.85	8.40	7.45
=108	Laura Rivera	MEX	15.85	7.70	8.15
110	Pam Hopkins	GBR	15.80	7.95	7.85
111	Erna Havelka	YUG	15.75	7.60	8.15
=112	María Antonieta Hernández	MEX	15.55	7.95	7.60
=112	Avril Lennox	GBR	15.55	7.90	7.65
114	Olga Bumbić	YUG	15.50	7.70	7.80
115	Bente Hansen	NOR	15.30	7.85	7.45
116	Susan Buchanan	CAN	15.20	7.95	7.25
117	Hilda Amezaga	MEX	15.05	7.95	7.10
118	Pepita Sánchez	ESP	14.65	8.40	6.25