The United States competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 400 competitors, 316 men and 84 women, took part in 185 events in 21 sports.

Medalists

The United States finished second in the final medal rankings, with 33 gold and 94 total medals. The following U.S. competitors won medals at the games. In the discipline sections below, the medalists' names are bolded. Athletes who participated in the heats only.

Archery

In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, the United States entered three men and three women. They took home both of the gold medals as well as a pair of 5th-place finishes.

Athletics

On the victory podium after the conclusion of the men's 400 meters final, gold medalist Vince Matthews and silver medalist Wayne Collett talked to each other and failed to stand at attention during the medal ceremony. On the advice of Avery Brundage, the International Olympic Committee banned them from further competition. Since the third American competitor, world record holder John Smith, had pulled a hamstring while leading 80 meters into the final and had been ruled unfit to run, the United States were left unable to field a 4 x 400 relay team, and were thus forced to scratch from the event where they would have been heavily favored.

Basketball

Boxing

Reggie Jones was controversially eliminated in the second round of the light middleweight division (– 71 kg) by Valeri Tregubov of the Soviet Union, nine years his senior, in a fight he was generally accepted to have won.

Canoeing

Slalom

Sprint

Key: QF - Qualified to medal final; SF - Qualified to semifinal; R - Qualified to repechage

Cycling

Fifteen cyclists represented the United States in 1972.

Road

Track

Diving

Equestrian

Fencing

19 fencers represented the United States in 1972.

Football

Gymnastics

Handball

The United States, which had lost all three of its games in the first Olympic handball tournament, fared no better in the first round of the second tournament. The Americans lost to Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Japan to finish last place in the division, sending them to the thirteenth- to sixteenth-place consolation round. There, they finally got their first handball win over Spain before being defeated by Denmark. Summary Men's Team Competition:

Judo

Modern pentathlon

Three pentathletes represented the United States in 1972.

Rowing

Qualification legend: FA = Final A (medal); FB = Final B (non-medal); SF = Semifinal; R = Repechage

Sailing

Shooting

Fourteen shooters represented the United States in 1972. Lones Wigger and John Writer won golds and Lanny Bassham and Vic Auer won silver medals.

Swimming

Key Men Women

Water polo

Summary Team Roster

Weightlifting

Wrestling

Key:

Water skiing (demonstration sport)

Men's slalom: Men's Figure skiing: Men's Jump: Women's slalom: Women's Figure skiing: Women's Jump: