title: Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics
text: The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany, 29 events in swimming were contested.  There was a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing.
  
  Perhaps the most spectacular athletic events were in swimming. Mark Spitz had a remarkable run, competing in seven events, winning seven Olympic titles and setting seven world records. In 2008, Michael Phelps matched Spitz's feat of setting seven world records in a single Olympics. According to the official Olympic website, "He took part in the 4 × 200 m one hour after his final in the 100 m butterfly. As for the 200 m freestyle gold, it was his third medal in three days" .
  
  On the women's side of the competition, Shane Gould of Australia won five medals. She won the 200 m and 400 m freestyle as well as the 200 m individual medley, each with a new world-record time. In addition, she won the silver and the bronze in the 800 m and 100 m freestyle, respectively. In 2022, Gould remains the only woman in history to have claimed five medals in solo events in swimming at a single Olympic Games. Another 15-years-old, American Sandy Neilson, won three gold medals.
  
  The Olympic record was broken at least once in all 29 events. In 20 of those events, a new world record was set.
  
  Events 
  The following events were contested (all pool events were long course, and distances are in metres unless otherwise stated):
  
  Freestyle: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m (women), 1500 m (men)
  Backstroke: 100 m, 200 m
  Breaststroke: 100 m, 200 m
  Butterfly: 100 m, 200 m
  Individual Medley: 200 m, 400 m
  Relays: 4 × 100 m free, 4 × 200 m free (men); 4 × 100 m medley
  
  Participating nations 
  532 swimmers from 52 nations competed.
  
  Medal table
  
  Results
  
  Men's events
  
  Women's events
  
  Gallery of the medalists 
  Some of the Olympic medalists in Munich:
  
  References 
  
   
  1972 Summer Olympics events
  1972
  1972 in swimming