New Zealand competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. For the first time at the Olympics, God Defend New Zealand was played instead of God Save the King/Queen. The New Zealand Olympic Committee was represented by 89 competitors, 82 men and 7 women, who took part in 63 events in 14 sports.
In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, New Zealand entered one man in the competition.
Men's:
Robin Sampson — 2115 points (53rd place)
Men's 100 metres
Lawrie d'Arcy
Heat — 10.77 (→ did not advance)
Men's 200 metres
Bevan Smith
Heat — 21.17
Second round — 21.04 (→ did not advance)
Men's 1500 metres
Rod Dixon
Heat — 3:40.0
Semifinals — 3:37.9
Final — 3:37.5 (→ Bronze Medal)
Tony Polhill
Heat — 3:42.3
Semifinals — 3:41.8
Final — 3:41.8 (→ 9th place)
Men's 5000 m:
Dick Quax
Heat — 14:35.2 (→ did not advance)
Dick Tayler
Heat — 13:56,2 (→ did not advance)
Gavin Thorley
Heat — 14:11,6 (→ did not advance)
Men's 10000 m:
Gavin Thorley — did not finish
Men's 400 m hurdles:
Roger Johnson
Heat — 50.48 (→ did not advance)
Men's marathon:
Jack Foster — 2:16:56.2 (→ 8th place)
Dave McKenzie — 2:22:19.2 (→ 22nd place)
Terry Manners — 2:25:29.2 (→ 34th place)
Men's shot put:
Les Mills
Qualifying Round — 18.38 m (→ did not advance)
Men's discus throw:
Les Mills
Qualifying Round — 59.22 m
Final — 55.86 m (→ 14th place)
Robin Tait
Qualifying Round — 55.88 m (→ did not advance)
Women's 100 metres
Brenda Matthews
Heat — 11.77 (→ did not advance)
Women's 400 metres
Penny Hunt
Heat — 52.82
Second Round — 52.66 (→ did not advance)
Women's 800 m:
Sue Haden
Heat — 2:04.9 (→ did not advance)
Women's 100 m hurdles:
Brenda Matthews
Heat — 13.81 (→ did not advance)
Men's featherweight:
Pat Ryan
1/16-Final — lost to Kazuo Kobayashi of Japan (1 - 4)
Men's welterweight:
Jeff Rackley
1/16-Final — defeated Günther Meier of West Germany (0 - 5)
Men's kayak singles:
Donald Cooper
Preliminary Heats — 4:12.45
Repechages — 4:02.48
Semifinal — 4:01.97
Men's kayak pairs:
Donald Cooper and Tom Dooney
Preliminary Heats — 3:56.48
Repechages — 3:45.65
Eight cyclists represented New Zealand in 1972.
Individual road race
Bruce Biddle — 4:15:04 (3rd place)
Paul Brydon — 4:17:03 (→ 50th place)
Vern Hanaray — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Robert Oliver — did not finish (→ no ranking)
1000m time trial
Harry Kent
Final — 1:09.10 (→ 16th place)
Team pursuit
Paul Brydon, John Dean, Neil Lyster and Blair Stockwell — - 4:35.11 (→ 14th place)
Alternative member: Brent Pascoe
Men's team competition
Terry Sale — (compulsory exercises:42.20, optional exercises:49.85)
Women's team competition
Dianne Foote — (compulsory exercises:33.30, optional exercises:33.55)
Preliminary round (Group B)
Drew with Australia (0-0)
Defeated Mexico (7-0)
Defeated Great Britain (2-1)
Lost to the Netherlands (0-2)
Drew with Poland (3-3)
Drew with Kenya (2-2)
Lost to India (2-3)
Classification match
9th/10th place: Defeated Belgium (2-1) → 9th place
Team roster
Jeff Archibald
Jan Borren
Arthur Borren
John Christensen
Greg Dayman
Chris Ineson
Ross McPherson (gk)
Barry Maister
Selwyn Maister
Trevor Manning (gk)
Arthur Parkin
Ramesh Patel
Alan J. Patterson
Kevin Rigby
Ted Salmon
Warwick Wright
Head coach: Ross Gillespie
Men's middleweight:
Garrick Littlewood
Pool A — defeated Adam Adamczyk of Poland
Pool A — lost to Alex Henri Bijkerk of Australia
1972 was the last year that only men competed at the Olympic rowing events. New Zealand entered boats in four of the seven events.
Men's Finn:
Bret De Thier - 109.7 (→ 10th place)
Men's Flying Dutchman:
Jock Bilger and Murray Ross - 79.0 (→ 9th place)
Men's Dragon:
Noel Everett, Fraser Beer, and Ron Watson - 51.0 (→ 5th place)
Men's Soling:
Con Linton, Steve Marten, and Jack Scholes - 113.0 (→ 21st place)
Alternative member: Jonty Farmer, Jack Hansen, Geoff Smals, Bryan Treleaven
Four male shooters represented New Zealand in 1972.
25 m pistol
Bruce McMillan - 582 points (→ 28th place)
50 m rifle, prone
Mike Watt - 593 points (→ 29th place)
Ian Ballinger - 591 points (→ 46th place)
50 m running target
Graeme McIntyre - 523 points (→ 26th place)
Men's 100 m freestyle
Colin Herring
Heat — 54.41 (→ did not advance)
Men's 200 m freestyle
Colin Herring
Heat — 2:00.29 (→ did not advance)
Men's 400 m freestyle:
Mark Treffers
Heat — 4:14.10 (→ did not advance)
Men's 1500 m freestyle:
Mark Treffers
Heat — 16:23.86
Final — 16:18.84 (→ 6th place)
Men's 200 m individual medley:
John McConnochie
Heat — 2:15.04 (→ did not advance)
Men's 400 m individual medley:
John McConnochie
Heat — 4:49.89 (→ did not advance)
Women's 100 m freestyle:
Heather Coombridge
Heat — 1:02.95 (→ did not advance)
Women's 200 m freestyle:
Heather Coombridge
Heat — 2:14.78 (→ did not advance)
Women's 400 m freestyle:
Jaynie Parkhouse
Heat — 4:40.24 (→ did not advance)
Women's 800 m freestyle:
Jaynie Parkhouse
Heat — 9:34.65 (→ did not advance)
Women's 100 m backstroke:
Susan Hunter
Heat — 1:10.06 (→ did not advance)
Women's 200 m backstroke:
Susan Hunter
Heat — 2:28.28 (→ did not advance)
Women's 200 m individual medley:
Susan Hunter
Heat — 2:30.29 (→ did not advance)
Women's 400 m individual medley:
Susan Hunter
Heat — 5:14.47 (→ did not advance)
Men's middleweight:
Tony Ebert- 410.0 kg (→ 17th place)
Men's light heavyweight:
Brian Marsden - 445.0 kg (→ 12th place)
Men's heavyweight:
John Bolton - gave up
Men's freestyle (–82 kg):
David Aspin
- Round 1 - lost to Harishchandra of India (4 - 4, 7:08)
- Round 2 - lost to Ali Hagilou of Iran (1 - 3)
