Australia competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Australian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games. 168 competitors, 139 men and 29 women, took part in 110 events in 20 sports.
Shane Gould — Swimming, Women's 200m Individual MedleyShane Gould — Swimming, Women's 200m FreestyleShane Gould — Swimming, Women's 400m FreestyleBeverley Whitfield — Swimming, Women's 200m BreaststrokeGail Neall — Swimming, Women's 400m Individual MedleyBradford Cooper — Swimming, Men's 400m FreestyleJohn Anderson and David Forbes — Sailing, Men's Star Team CompetitionThomas Anderson, John Cuneo and John Shaw — Sailing, Men's Dragon Team CompetitionRaelene Boyle — Athletics, Women's 100mRaelene Boyle — Athletics, Women's 200mJohn Nicholson — Cycling, Men's 1.000m Sprint (Scratch)Danny Clark — Cycling, Men's 1.000m Time TrialClyde Sefton — Cycling, Men's Individual Road RaceShane Gould — Swimming, Women's 800m FreestyleGraham Windeatt — Swimming, Men's 1.500m FreestyleShane Gould — Swimming, Women's 100m FreestyleBeverley Whitfield — Swimming, Women's 100m BreaststrokeIn the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, Australia entered two men and one woman. Their highest placing competitors were Terene Donovan and Graeme Telford, who both placed 9th place in their respective competitions.
Women's Individual Competition:
Terene Donovan - 2356 points (→ 9th place)Men's Individual Competition:
Graeme Telford - 2423 points (→ 9th place)Terence Reilly - 2387 points (→ 15th place)Men's 800 metres
Graeme RoothamHeat — 1:48.2 (→ did not advance)Men's 1.500 metres
Chris FisherHeat — 3:42.5Semifinals — 3:42.0 (→ did not advance)Men's 5.000 metres
Tony BensonHeat — 13:42.8 (→ did not advance)Kerry O'BrienHeat — did not start (→ did not advance)Men's 3.000m Steeplechase
Kerry O'BrienQualifying Heat — did not finish (→ did not advance)Men's High Jump
Lawrie PeckhamQualifying Round — 2.15mFinal — 2.10m (→ 18th place)Men's Team CompetitionPreliminary Round (Group A):Lost to Spain (74-79)Lost to United States (55-81)Lost to Czechoslovakia (68-69)Defeated Japan (92-76)Lost to Cuba (70-84)Defeated Brazil (75-69)Defeated Egypt (89-66)Classification Matches:9th/12th place: Defeated West Germany (70-69)9th/10th place: Defeated Poland (91-83) → 9th placeTeam Roster:Glenn MarslandIan WatsonRichard DukeBill WyattEddie PalubinskasBrian KerlePeter ByrnePerry CrosswhiteRay TomlinsonKen JamesTom BenderToli KoltuniewiczHead Coach: Lindsay GazeMen's Light Middleweight (– 71 kg)
Alan JenkinsonFirst Round — ByeSecond Round — Defeated Michel Belliard (FRA), 4:1Third Round — Lost to Mohamed Majeri (TUN), 0:5Ten cyclists represented Australia in 1972.
Individual road raceClyde Sefton — Silver MedalDavid Jose — 29th placeJohn Trevorrow — 32nd placeDonald Allan — 58th placeTeam time trialDonald AllanGraeme JoseClyde SeftonJohn TrevorrowSprintJohn Nicholson1000m time trialDaniel ClarkFinal — 1:06.87 (→ Silver Medal)Individual pursuitJohn BylsmaTeam pursuitSteele BishopDanny ClarkRemo SansonettiPhilip SawyerMen's 3m Springboard:
Donald Wagstaff — 344.13 points (→ 13th place)Kenneth Grove — 302.91 points (→ 29th place)Men's 10m Platform:
Donald Wagstaff — 435.84 points (→ 11th place)Kenneth Grove — 254.73 points (→ 32nd place)Women's 10m Platform:
Glenise Anne Jones — 157.20 points (→ 26th place)Four fencers, two men and two women, represented Australia in 1972.
Men's foilErnest SimonGreg BenkoWomen's foilMarion ExelbyChristine McDougallMen's Team CompetitionPreliminary Round (Group B)Drew with New Zealand (0-0)Defeated Kenya (3-1)Lost to India (1-3)Defeated Mexico (10-0)Drew with Great Britain (1-1)Defeated Poland (1-0)Lost to the Netherlands (2-3)Semi Final RoundDefeated Malaysia (2-1)Classification Match5th/6th place: Defeated Great Britain (2-1) after extra time → 5th placeTeam RosterRobert AndrewGreg BrowningRic CharlesworthPaul DearingBrian GlencrossRobert HaighWayne HammondJames MasonTerry McAskellPatrick NilanDesmond PiperGraeme ReidRonald RileyDonald SmartRonald WilsonTwo male pentathletes represented Australia in 1972.
Men's Individual Competition:
Robert Barrie — 4600 points (→ 32nd place)Peter Macken — 4449 points (→ 41st place)Four male shooters represented Australia in 1972.
25 m pistolAlexander Taransky50 m rifle, proneDonald BrookRussell DoveTrapSperry MarshallMen's 100m Freestyle
Michael WendenHeat — 52.34sSemifinals — 53.32sFinal — 52.41s (→ 5th place)Greg RogersHeat — 53.98sSemifinals — 54.26s (→ did not advance)Neil RogersHeat — 55.32s (→ did not advance)Men's 200m Freestyle
Michael WendenHeat — 1:56.66Final — 1:54.40 (→ 4th place)Graham WhiteHeat — 1:58.60 (→ did not advance)Robert NayHeat — 1:57.69 (→ did not advance)Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
Neil Rogers, Graham White, Bruce Featherston and Greg RogersHeat — 3:40.47 (→ did not advance)Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay
Graham Windeatt, Bruce Featherstone, Michael Wenden, and Graham WhiteHeat — 7:49.03Michael Wenden, Graham Windeatt, Robert Nay, and Bradford CooperFinal — 7:48.66 (→ 5th place)Men's 200m Butterfly
James Norman FindlayHeat — 2:08.36 ( 4th Place)Men's 200m Individual Medley
James Norman FindlayHeat — 2:20.08 ( 6th Place) 
