These are the official results of the Men's 400 metres

400 metres

The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...

event at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, 38 events in athletics were contested, 24 for men and 14 for women. There were a total number of 1324 participating athletes from 104 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:*...

in Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

. The competition was held on 3 & 7 of September.
On the victory podium Collett and Matthews staged a protest in which they stood with their sweatsuits open, and during the national anthem, looked around, did not stand at attention or look at the United States flag, they also talked openly with each other. The IOC banned them from further competition, this prevented the United States from having a 4 x 400 relay team.
Julius Sang became the first black African to win a sprint Olympic medal.

Heats

The top four runners in each of the nine heats (blue) and the next four fastest (green), advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		46.21
2	Charles Joseph Charles Joseph (athlete) Charles Joseph is a retired athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who specialized in the 400 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay.He attended the Seton Hall University, New Jersey, USA.-Achievements:-External links:*...		46.38
3	Mulugetta Tadesse		46.38
4	Wickramesinghe Wimaladasa		46.62
5	Bjarni Sefánsson		46.76
6	Jozo Alebić		47.01
7	Silver Ayoo		47.04
8	Nusrat Iqbal Sahi		49.57

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	David Jenkins David Jenkins (athlete) David Wilkinson Jenkins , is an American figure skater. He won the men's gold medal for figure skating during the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley...		46.15
2	Anders Faager		46.29
3	Munyoro Nyamau		46.33
4	Omar Ghizlat		46.37
5	Bruce Ijirighwo		46.59
6	Samuela Yavala		47.76
7	Théophile Nkounkou		47.86
8	Francisco Menocal		50.96

Heat three

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Georg Nückles Georg Nückles Georg Nückles is a retired West German sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.At the 1972 European Indoor Championships he won the gold medal in the 400 metres race. He also won a silver medal in the 4 x 360 metres relay, together with Peter Bernreuther, Rolf Krüsmann and Ulrich...		46.64
2	Yoshiharu Tomonaga		47.01
3	Francis Kerbiriou Francis Kerbiriou Francis Kerbiriou is a former athlete from France who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Gilles Bertould, Daniel Velasques and Jacques...		47.01
4	Sam Bugri		47.83
5	Thomas N’Ma		49.73
6	Jean-Max Faustin		52.33
-	Marcello Fiasconaro Marcello Fiasconaro Marcello Luigi Fiasconaro is an Italian-South African athlete, who in 1973 set a world record in the 800 m.-Early life:...		DNS
-	Michael Frederiksson		DNS

Heat four

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Danger is a Cuban former track athlete. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles....		45.94
2	Wayne Collett Wayne Collett Wayne Collett was an African American Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		46.00
3	Claver Kamanya		46.18
4	Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould is a French former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Daniel Velasques, Francis Kerbiriou, and Jacques Carette.He is...		46.36
5	Eric Phillips		46.74
6	Pedro Ferrer Pedro Ferrer Pedro Ferrer , was a Cuban footballer.He represented Cuba at the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France. In his only match against Sweden, Ferrer did not score a goal.-References:...		47.90
7	Nicodemus Maipampe		48.84

Heat five

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.88
2	Vince Matthews		45.94
3	Angelo Hussein		47.01
4	Robert Ojo		47.03
5	Fanahan McSweeney		47.07
6	Fernando Silva		47.67
7	Kassem Hamzé		49.20

Heat six

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Charles Asati Charles Asati Charles Asati is a former Kenyan athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics.At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Charles Asati reached to the quarterfinal of 200 m and was a member of Kenyan 4x400 m relay team, which won the surprise silver medal, with a time of 2:59.6.At...		45.16
2	Leighton Priestley		45.75
3	Fernando Acevedo Fernando Acevedo Fernando Acevedo is a retired track and field athlete from Peru, who won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres at the 1971 Pan American Games. He represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany....		45.80
4	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		45.93
5	Gary Armstrong Gary Armstrong Gary Armstrong is a former Scottish rugby union player who played scrum-half. He played for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons, The Borders and represented Scotland and the British Lions. His nickname is the Border Terrier...		46.48
6	Francisco Rojas Francisco Rojas Francisco Ulises Rojas Rojas is a Chilean football defender.He was capped 31 times for the Chilean national team between 1995 and 2005, including three games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup....		47.46
7	Brian McLaren Brian McLaren Brian D. McLaren is a prominent, controversial evangelical pastor. He was recognized as one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America" in 2005, and is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland.-Biography:Born in 1956, Brian McLaren...		47.65
-	Caspar Springer		DNF

Heat seven

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Julius Sang Julius Sang Julius Sang was a Kenyan runner. Along with teammates Robert Ouko, Charles Asati and Munyoro Nyamau he won the 4 x 400 relay race at the 1972 Summer Olympics for Kenya...		45.24
2	Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds is a former British athlete who competed mainly in the 200 metres. He had to switch to the 400 metres in the Olympic year which was also the year of his final exams at university...		46.46
3	Roger Vélasquez		46.70
4	Karl Honz Karl Honz Karl Honz is a former West German track and field athlete and Olympic participant, who ran in the 200 metres, 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay in the early 1970s. He is 1.88 m tall.Karl Honz participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich...		46.77
5	Franklin Rahming		48.30
6	Ibrahima Idrissou		48.50
7	William Msiska		48.81

Heat eight

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske, née Pfau is a former sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He represented West Germany.-Achievements:-References:...		45.27
2	John Smith John Smith (athlete) John Walton Smith is a former American athlete, who competed in the sprints events during his career. He is best known for winning the men's 400 metres event at the 1971 Pan American Games....		46.00
3	Kyriakos Onisiforou		46.94
4	Reza Entezari		47.89
5	Mohamed Mubarak		49.61
6	Mohamed Jaman Al-Dosari		49.67
-	Lucijano Sušanj		DNS

Heat nine

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Markku Kukkoaho
2	Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.He was born in Zabrze and represented the club Górnik Zabrze. He competed in 400 metres at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals both times. In the 4 x 400 metres relay he finished fifth with the...
3	Arthur Cooper Arthur Cooper Arthur Cooper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cooper played for Shelton St. Mark's and Shelton Labour Club before joining Port Vale in October 1941. He played regular football in the war leagues, but lost his place in September 1946 and only played the four matches in the Football...
4	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...
5	Tambusamy Krishnan
6	Frédérique Andrianaivo
7	Savin Chem
-	Jimmy Sierra		DNS

Quarterfinals

The top three runners in each of the five heats and the next fastest, advanced to the semifinal round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Wayne Collett Wayne Collett Wayne Collett was an African American Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		45.80
2	Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Danger is a Cuban former track athlete. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles....		45.96
3	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		46.02
4	Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds is a former British athlete who competed mainly in the 200 metres. He had to switch to the 400 metres in the Olympic year which was also the year of his final exams at university...		46.11
5	Charles Joseph Charles Joseph (athlete) Charles Joseph is a retired athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who specialized in the 400 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay.He attended the Seton Hall University, New Jersey, USA.-Achievements:-External links:*...		46.14
6	Robert Ojo		46.73
7	Omar Ghizlat		46.84
8	Sam Bugri		47.34

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Horst-Rüdiger Schlöke		45.41
2	Vince Matthews		45.62
3	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.97
4	Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould is a French former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Daniel Velasques, Francis Kerbiriou, and Jacques Carette.He is...		46.14
5	Wickramesinghe Wimaladasa		46.50
6	Leighton Priestley		47.76
7	Arthur Cooper Arthur Cooper Arthur Cooper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cooper played for Shelton St. Mark's and Shelton Labour Club before joining Port Vale in October 1941. He played regular football in the war leagues, but lost his place in September 1946 and only played the four matches in the Football...		48.29
8	Reza Entezari		48.69

Heat three

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	David Jenkins David Jenkins (athlete) David Wilkinson Jenkins , is an American figure skater. He won the men's gold medal for figure skating during the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley...		45.99
2	John Smith		46.04
3	Markku Kukkoaho		46.11
4	Munyoro Nyamau		46.80
5	Bruce Ijirighwo		46.81
6	Roger Vélasquez		46.91
7	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...		46.96
8	Angelo Hussein		47.33

Heat four

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Karl Honz Karl Honz Karl Honz is a former West German track and field athlete and Olympic participant, who ran in the 200 metres, 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay in the early 1970s. He is 1.88 m tall.Karl Honz participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich...		45.87
2	Julius Sang Julius Sang Julius Sang was a Kenyan runner. Along with teammates Robert Ouko, Charles Asati and Munyoro Nyamau he won the 4 x 400 relay race at the 1972 Summer Olympics for Kenya...		45.92
3	Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.He was born in Zabrze and represented the club Górnik Zabrze. He competed in 400 metres at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals both times. In the 4 x 400 metres relay he finished fifth with the...		46.52
4	Anders Faager		46.54
5	Francis Kerbiriou Francis Kerbiriou Francis Kerbiriou is a former athlete from France who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Gilles Bertould, Daniel Velasques and Jacques...		46.63
6	Yoshiharu Tomonaga		46.92
7	Gary Armstrong Gary Armstrong Gary Armstrong is a former Scottish rugby union player who played scrum-half. He played for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons, The Borders and represented Scotland and the British Lions. His nickname is the Border Terrier...		47.10
8	Kyriakos Onisiforou		47.22

Heat five

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Charles Asati Charles Asati Charles Asati is a former Kenyan athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics.At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Charles Asati reached to the quarterfinal of 200 m and was a member of Kenyan 4x400 m relay team, which won the surprise silver medal, with a time of 2:59.6.At...		46.04
2	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		46.19
3	Georg Nückles Georg Nückles Georg Nückles is a retired West German sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.At the 1972 European Indoor Championships he won the gold medal in the 400 metres race. He also won a silver medal in the 4 x 360 metres relay, together with Peter Bernreuther, Rolf Krüsmann and Ulrich...		46.30
4	Claver Kamanya		46.55
5	Mulugetta Tadesse		46.85
6	Bjarni Stefánsson		46.92
7	Eric Phillips		46.97
-	Fernando Acevedo Fernando Acevedo Fernando Acevedo is a retired track and field athlete from Peru, who won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres at the 1971 Pan American Games. He represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany....		DNS

Semifinals

Top four in each of the two heats advanced to the final round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Vince Matthews		44.94
2	Karl Honz Karl Honz Karl Honz is a former West German track and field athlete and Olympic participant, who ran in the 200 metres, 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay in the early 1970s. He is 1.88 m tall.Karl Honz participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich...		45.32
3	John Smith		45.46
4	Charles Asati Charles Asati Charles Asati is a former Kenyan athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics.At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Charles Asati reached to the quarterfinal of 200 m and was a member of Kenyan 4x400 m relay team, which won the surprise silver medal, with a time of 2:59.6.At...		45.47
5	David Jenkins David Jenkins (athlete) David Wilkinson Jenkins , is an American figure skater. He won the men's gold medal for figure skating during the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley...		45.91
6	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.98
7	Georg Nückles Georg Nückles Georg Nückles is a retired West German sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.At the 1972 European Indoor Championships he won the gold medal in the 400 metres race. He also won a silver medal in the 4 x 360 metres relay, together with Peter Bernreuther, Rolf Krüsmann and Ulrich...		46.28
8	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		46.38

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
1	Julius Sang Julius Sang Julius Sang was a Kenyan runner. Along with teammates Robert Ouko, Charles Asati and Munyoro Nyamau he won the 4 x 400 relay race at the 1972 Summer Olympics for Kenya...		45.30
2	Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske, née Pfau is a former sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He represented West Germany.-Achievements:-References:...		45.62
3	Wayne Collett Wayne Collett Wayne Collett was an African American Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		45.77
4	Markku Kukkoaho		46.02
5	Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena Danger is a Cuban former track athlete. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles....		46.07
6	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		46.26
7	Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds Martin Reynolds is a former British athlete who competed mainly in the 200 metres. He had to switch to the 400 metres in the Olympic year which was also the year of his final exams at university...		46.71
-	Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski Zbigniew Jaremski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.He was born in Zabrze and represented the club Górnik Zabrze. He competed in 400 metres at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals both times. In the 4 x 400 metres relay he finished fifth with the...		DNS

Final

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time
	Vince Matthews		44.66
	Wayne Collett Wayne Collett Wayne Collett was an African American Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		44.80
	Julius Sang Julius Sang Julius Sang was a Kenyan runner. Along with teammates Robert Ouko, Charles Asati and Munyoro Nyamau he won the 4 x 400 relay race at the 1972 Summer Olympics for Kenya...		44.92
4	Charles Asati Charles Asati Charles Asati is a former Kenyan athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics.At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Charles Asati reached to the quarterfinal of 200 m and was a member of Kenyan 4x400 m relay team, which won the surprise silver medal, with a time of 2:59.6.At...		45.13
5	Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske, née Pfau is a former sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He represented West Germany.-Achievements:-References:...		45.31
6	Markku Kukkoaho		45.49
7	Karl Honz Karl Honz Karl Honz is a former West German track and field athlete and Olympic participant, who ran in the 200 metres, 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay in the early 1970s. He is 1.88 m tall.Karl Honz participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich...		45.68
-	John Smith John Smith (athlete) John Walton Smith is a former American athlete, who competed in the sprints events during his career. He is best known for winning the men's 400 metres event at the 1971 Pan American Games....		DNF

Reference

• Sports-reference
• Official report