The women's

javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the ...

field event at the 1972 Olympic Games took place on August 31 & September 1. On 11 June 1972 Ewa Gryziecka from

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

broke the

world record with a throw of 62.70m only to have

Ruth Fuchs Ruth Fuchs ( Gamm, later Hellmann, born 14 December 1946 in Egeln, Saxony-Anhalt) is a German politician and former athlete. Fuchs, representing East Germany, was the winner of the women's javelin at the 1972 (Munich) and 1976 (Montreal) Olymp ...

break that record on the same day with a throw of 65.06m. In 1972 Fuchs was the strong favorite heading in the Olympics.

Kate Schmidt Kathryn Joan "Kate" Schmidt (born December 29, 1953) is an American former world record holder in the javelin throw. A native of California, graduate of Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, and alumnus of UCLA, she won bronze medals at the 1972 ...

took the early lead on the first throw, but this was soon passed by the favorite on the second throw. She ended up topping her own mark two more time in rounds four and five. Fuchs would go one and set the new javelin world record in 1973, 1974 and 1976.

Results

All throwers reaching and the top 12 including ties, advanced to the finals. Throwers in blue qualified by reaching the qualifying distance. Throwers listed in green qualified by being in the top 12. All distances are listed in metres.

Qualifying

Final

Key: OR = Olympic record; p = pass; x = fault; NM = no mark

References

External links

Official report
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Women's javelin throw Women's javelin throw Javelin throw at the Olympics 1972 in women's athletics Women's events at the 1972 Summer Olympics