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 ...

competed at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

. 290 competitors, 252 men and 38 women, took part in 150 events in 22 sports.

Medalists

Gold

* Wladyslaw Komar - Athletics, Men's Shot Put * Jan Szczepański - Boxing, Men's Flyweight *

Witold Woyda Witold Woyda (10 May 1939 – 5 May 2008) was a Polish fencer who won four Olympic medals in the foil between 1964 and 1972, including two gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He was named the Polish Sportspersonality of the Year for ...

- Fencing, Men's Foil Individual *

Marek Dąbrowski Marek Roman Dąbrowski (born 28 November 1949) is a retired Polish foil Foil may refer to: Materials * Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine * Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative ...

Jerzy Kaczmarek Jerzy Kaczmarek (born 8 January 1948) is a Polish fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1 ...

Lech Koziejowski Lech Koziejowski (born 3 April 1949) is a Polish fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 19 ...

, Witold Woyda, and

Arkadiusz Godel Arkadiusz Godel (born 4 February 1952) is a Polish former fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as ...

- Fencing, Men's Foil Team * Anczok, Ćmikiewicz, Deyna, Gadocha, Gorgoń, Gut, Jarosik, Kmiecik, Kostka, Kraska,

Lato Lato ( grc, Λατώ, Latṓ) was an ancient city of Crete, the ruins of which are located approximately 3 km from the village of Kritsa. History The Dorian city-state was built in a defensible position overlooking Mirabello Bay betwee ...

, Lubański,

Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 p ...

, Maszczyk, Ostafiński, Szeja, Szołtysik, Szymanowski, and Szymczak - Football, Men's Team Competition * Józef Zapędzki - Shooting, 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (60 shots) * Zygmunt Smalcerz - Weightlifting, Men's Flyweight

Silver

Irena Szydłowska Irena Szydłowska (28 January 1928 in Lwów, Poland – 14 August 1983 in Warsaw, Poland) is an archer from Poland. She competed for Poland in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the individual event where she finished ...

- Archery, Women's Individual Competition * Wiesław Rudkowski - Boxing, Men's Light Middleweight * Lucjan Lis,

Edward Barcik Edward Barcik (born 31 May 1950) is a retired Polish cyclist. He had his best achievements in the 100 km team time trial, namely a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 1971 UCI Road World Championships. Indivi ...

, Stanisław Szozda, and

Ryszard Szurkowski Ryszard Jan Szurkowski (12 January 1946 – 1 February 2021) was a Polish road bicycle racer, widely regarded as a legend of the sport in Poland. Career He was a silver medalist in the team trial at the Cycling at the 1972 Summer Olympics, 1972 ...

　- Cycling, Men's Road Team Time Trial * Antoni Zajkowski - Judo, Men's Half-Middleweight *

Norbert Ozimek Norbert Wojciech Ozimek (born 24 January 1945 in Warsaw) is a Polish former weightlifter who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics and in the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympi ...

- Weightlifting, Men's Light-Heavyweight

Bronze

Irena Szewińska Irena Szewińska (née Kirszenstein; Polish pronunciation: ; 24 May 1946 – 29 June 2018) was a Polish sprinter who was one of the world's foremost athletes for nearly two decades, in multiple events. She is the only athlete in history, m ...

- Athletics, Women's 200m *

Ryszard Katus Ryszard Katus (born March 29, 1947) is a Polish athlete, who competed mainly in the men's decathlon event during his career. Katus was born in Boska Wola. He competed for Poland at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany, where he wo ...

- Athletics, Men's Decathlon * Leszek Błażyński - Boxing, Men's Flyweight *

Janusz Gortat Janusz Kazimierz Gortat (born November 5, 1948) is a retired boxer from Poland, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1972. In both tournaments he won the bronze medal in the light heavywei ...

- Boxing, Men's Light Heavyweight * Władysław Szuszkiewicz and Rafal Maciej Piszcz - Canoe, Men's Kayak Flatwater K-2 1.000m * Andrzej Bek, and

Benedykt Kocot Benedykt Kocot (born 11 April 1954) is a Polish cyclist. He won the Olympic bronze medal in the Tandem at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the Germ ...

- Cycling Track, Men's 2.000m Tandem * Zbigniew Kaczmarek - Weightlifting, Men's Lightweight * Kazimierz Lipień - Wrestling Greco-Roman, Men's Featherweight * Czesław Kwieciński - Wrestling Greco-Roman, Men's Light-Heavyweight

Archery

In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, Poland entered one man and three women. They took home a silver medal in the women's competition. ;Men ;Women

Athletics

;Men ;Track & road events ;Field events ;Combined events –

Decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in Athletics (sport), athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek language, Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ...

;Women ;Track & road events ;Field events

Basketball

Preliminary round

Group B

Classification brackets

9th–12th place *Team roster - 10th place * Ryszard Bialowas * Janusz Ceglinski * Eugeniusz Durejko *

Jan Dolczewski Jan Dolczewski (born 11 July 1948) is a Polish former basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as M ...

* Andrzej Kasprzak *

Grzegorz Korcz Grzegorz Korcz (born 9 October 1946) is a Polish former basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1968 Summer Olympics, and the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Oly ...

* Waldemar Kozak * Piotr Langosz * Mieczyslaw Łopatka *

Franciszek Niemiec Franciszek Niemiec (born 3 March 1950) is a Polish former basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known ...

* Andrzej Pasiorowski *

Andrzej Seweryn Andrzej Teodor Seweryn (born 25 April 1946) is a Polish actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to b ...

Head coach

Boxing

;Men

Canoeing

Slalom

Sprint

;Men ;Women

Cycling

Twelve cyclists represented Poland in 1972.

Road

Track

;1000m time trial ;Men's Sprint ;Pursuit ;Men's Tandem

Diving

;Men ;Women

Equestrian

Eventing

Show jumping

Fencing

20 fencers, 15 men and 5 women, represented Poland in 1972.

Men

Women

Football

First round

Group D

---- ----

Second round

Group 2

---- ----

Gold medal match

Gold medal *

Zygmunt Anczok Zygmunt Józef Anczok (born 14 March 1946 in Lubliniec) is a former Poland, Polish Association football, footballer who played as a left-sided defender, who was an Olympic champion for Poland national football team, Poland in the 1972 Summ ...

Lesław Ćmikiewicz Lesław Ćmikiewicz (born 25 August 1948 in Wrocław) is a retired Polish football player and manager. He played for Polish clubs including Śląsk Wrocław and Legia Warsaw. He also played for the New York Arrows and Chicago Horizon in the M ...

Kazimierz Deyna Kazimierz Deyna (; 23 October 1947 – 1 September 1989) was a Polish professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder in the playmaker role and was one of the most highly regarded players of his generation, due to his excellent vis ...

Robert Gadocha Robert Gadocha (born 10 January 1946 in Kraków) is a retired Polish soccer player, most notable for playing for Legia Warsaw. Gadocha, who started his career in Garbarnia Kraków. later also played for FC Nantes, and briefly in the United S ...

Jerzy Gorgoń Jerzy Paweł Gorgoń (born 18 July 1949 in Zabrze) is a Polish former football player who is remembered for his participation in the 1972 Summer Olympics. He was a 6'4" tall central defender, who became well known in 1967 while playing for Górn ...

Zbigniew Gut Zbigniew Gut (; 17 April 1949 – 27 March 2010) was a Polish football defender who played for the Poland national team in the 1974 FIFA World Cup and the 1972 Summer Olympics. The football club he was with for the longest part of his career ...

* Andrzej Jarosik *

Kazimierz Kmiecik Kazimierz Kmiecik (born 19 September 1951 in Węgrzce Wielkie) is a Polish former international football player who played most of his career for Wisła Kraków, where he played 304 league matches and scored 153 goals. This makes him the best go ...

Hubert Kostka Hubert Jerzy Kostka (born 27 May 1940 in Ratibor) is a retired Polish football goalkeeper. Kostka participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where Poland won the men's football tournament. Kostka is not only a successful player, he al ...

Jerzy Kraska Jerzy Adam Kraska (born 24 December 1951, in Płock) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a defender. On the national level he played for Poland national team (13 matches) and was a participant at the 1972 Summer Olympics ...

Grzegorz Lato Grzegorz Bolesław Lato (Polish pronunciation: ; born 8 April 1950) is a Polish former professional football player and manager who played as a winger. He was a member of Poland's golden generation of football players who rose to fame in the 1 ...

Włodzimierz Lubański Włodzimierz 'Włodek' Leonard Lubański (Polish pronunciation: ; born 28 February 1947 in Gliwice-Sośnica) is a former Polish football striker, the second all-time highest goal scorer for the Polish national team. For his national team, ...

Joachim Marx Joachim Jerzy Marx (born 31 August 1944) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Besides Poland, he has played in France. On the national level, he played for Poland national team (23 matches/10 goals) and was ...

Zygmunt Maszczyk Zygmunt Paweł Maszczyk (born 3 May 1945, in Siemianowice Śląskie) is a retired Polish football player. He played mostly for Ruch Chorzów. He played for the Poland national team (36 matches/0 goals) and was a participant at the 1974 FIFA ...

Marian Ostafiński Marian Wiesław Ostafiński (born 8 December 1946 in Przemyśl) is a Polish former footballer who played as a defender. At international level he made 11 appearances for the Poland national team and was a participant at the 1972 Summer Oly ...

Marian Szeja Marian Henryk Szeja (20 August 1941 – 25 February 2015) was a Polish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He was the substitute player for the Poland national team at the 1972 Summer Olympics where Poland won gold medal. Szeja d ...

Zygfryd Szołtysik Zygrfryd Ludwik Szołtysik (born October 24, 1942, in the village Sucha Góra near what is present Radzionków) is a Polish former football (midfielder) playing most of his career in Górnik Zabrze. He carried the nickname 'Zyga' or 'Mały', c ...

Antoni Szymanowski Antoni Jan Szymanowski (born 13 January 1951 in Tomaszów Mazowiecki) is a former Polish football right-back, and a member of the Poland national football team in two FIFA World Cups: 1974 and 1978. During those tournaments his club was Wis� ...

* Ryszard Szymczak Head coach *

Kazimierz Górski Kazimierz Klaudiusz Górski (2 March 1921 – 23 May 2006) was a coach of Poland national football team and honorary president of the Polish Football Association. He was also a football player, capped once for Poland. Playing career He was bor ...

Gymnastics

Artistic

;Men ;Individual finals ;Women

Handball

Poland tied

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and defeated

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

but lost to the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

in the first round to finish in third place in the division. This put the team into the ninth- to twelfth-place consolation round, where they defeated

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

to set up a match with

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

for ninth and tenth places. Poland lost this match.

Preliminary round

Group A

* Sweden tied Poland, 13-13 * Poland def. Denmark, 11-8 * Soviet Union def. Poland, 17-11

Classification 9-12

* Poland def. Iceland, 20-17 * Norway def. Japan, 19-17

Classification 9/10

* Norway def. Poland, 23-20

10th place * Zdzisław Antczak *

Zbigniew Dybol Zbigniew Dybol (born 22 February 1947) is a former Polish handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: Mü ...

* Franciszek Gąsior * Jan Gmyrek * Bogdan Kowalczyk *

Zygfryd Kuchta Zygfryd Kuchta (born 5 January 1944 in Diepholz, Germany) is a former Polish handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Eco ...

Andrzej Lech Andrzej Jan Lech (born 15 May 1946 in Gdynia) is a former Polish handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (germa ...

* Jerzy Melcer * Helmut Pniocinski * Wladyslaw Popielarski * Hendryk Rozmiarek * Andrzej Sokołowski * Engelbert Szolc * Andrzej Szymczak * Wlodzimierz Wachowicz * Robert Zawada Head coach * Janusz Czerwiński

Hockey

;Men's team competition

Preliminary round

Group B

August 27, 1972 * Kenya – Poland 0-1 (0-1) August 28, 1972 * Netherlands – Poland 4-2 (3-0) August 30, 1972 * Poland – Mexico 3-0 (1-0) August 31, 1972 * India – Poland 2-2 (1-0) September 2, 1972 * New Zealand – Poland 3-3 (1-2) September 3, 1972 * Australia – Poland 1-0 (1-0) September 4, 1972 * Poland – Great Britain 1-2 (1-1)

Men's Classification Matches

September 8, 1972 * 11th/12th place: France – Poland 4-7 (2-1) after extra time

12th place * Jerzy Choroba * Aleksander Ciazynski * Boleslaw Czainski * Jerzy Czajka * Henryk Grotowski * Stanisław Iskrzynski *

Zbigniew Juszczak Zbigniew Juszczak (born 24 October 1975, in Żnin) is a Polish former field hockey player who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ' ...

* Stanisław Kasprzyk * Stanisław Kazmierczak * Marek Krus * Zbigniew Loj * Wlodzimierz Matuszynski * Stefan Otulakowski * Ryszard Twardowski * Stanisław Wegnerski * Aleksander Wrona * Józef Wybieralski * Witold Ziaja Head coach *

Judo

;Men

Modern pentathlon

Three male pentathletes represented Poland in 1972. Alternate Member: *

Krzysztof Trybusiewicz Krzysztof Trybusiewicz (born 30 January 1949) is a Polish modern pentathlon, modern pentathlete. He competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics. References

1949 births Living people Polish male modern pentathletes Olympic modern pentathletes for ...

Rowing

;Men

Sailing

;Open

Shooting

Thirteen shooters, 12 men and one woman, represented Poland in 1972. Józef Zapędzki won gold in the 25 m rapid fire pistol. ;Open

Swimming

;Men

Volleyball

Preliminary round

;Pool A

9th–10th places

9th place match

Weightlifting

;Men

Wrestling

;Men's freestyle ;Men's Greco-Roman

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poland At The 1972 Summer Olympics Nations at the 1972 Summer Olympics

1972 in Polish sport