The Netherlands competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 119 competitors, 90 men and 29 women, took part in 72 events in 16 sports.

Medalists The Netherlands finished in 16th position in the final medal rankings, with three gold medals and five medals overall.

Gold Hennie Kuiper — Cycling Road, Men's Individual Road Race Wim Ruska — Judo, Men's Heavyweight Wim Ruska — Judo, Men's Open Category

Silver Mieke Jaapies — Canoe, Women's Flatwater K-1 500m

Bronze Roel Luynenburg and Ruud Stokvis — Rowing, Men's Coxless Pairs

Athletics

Men's 800 metres Sjef Hensgens Heat — 1:51.2 (→ did not advance)

Men's 1500 metres Haico Scharn Heat — 3:41.4 Semifinals — 3:44.4 (→ did not advance)

Men's 5000 metres Jos Hermens Heat — DNS (→ did not advance) (left Munich after the murder of the Israeli athletes)

Boxing

Men's Welterweight (– 67 kg) James Vrij First Round — Bye Second Round — Lost to János Kajdi (HUN), 1:4

Men's Light Middleweight (– 71 kg) Anthony Richardson First Round — Bye Second Round — Defeated Svetomir Belić (YUG), 3:2 Third Round — Lost to Loucif Hamani (ALG), TKO-2

Canoeing

Cycling

Eleven cyclists represented the Netherlands in 1972.

Individual road race Hennie Kuiper — 04:14:37 (→ Gold Medal) Piet van Katwijk — 04:15:13 (→ 11th place) Cees Priem — 04:15:13 (→ 12th place) Fedor den Hertog — 04:15:13 (→ 25th place)

Team time trial Fedor den Hertog Hennie Kuiper Cees Priem Aad van den Hoek

Sprint Klaas Balk Peter van Doorn

1000m time trial Peter van Doorn Final — 1:08.09 (→ 11th place)

Tandem Klaas Balk and Peter van Doorn → 7th place

Individual pursuit Roy Schuiten

Team pursuit Ad Dekkers Gerard Kamper Herman Ponsteen Roy Schuiten

Diving

Women's 3m Springboard Mariette Dommers — 239.40 points (→ 23rd place)

Women's 10m Platform Annita Smith — 156.99 points (→ 27th place)

Equestrian

Fencing

One fencer represented the Netherlands in 1972.

Men's sabre Eduard Ham

Gymnastics

Hockey

Men's Team Competition Preliminary Round (Group B) Drew with India (1-1) Defeated Poland (4-2) Defeated Kenya (5-1) Defeated New Zealand (2-0) Defeated Mexico (4-0) Lost to Great Britain (1-3) Defeated Australia (3-2) Semi Final Round Lost to West Germany (0-3) Bronze Medal Match Lost to India (1-2) → 4th place

Team Roster André Bolhuis Marinus Dijkerman Thijs Kaanders Coen Kranenberg Ties Kruize Wouter Leefers Flip Lidth de Jeude Paul Litjens Irving van Nes Maarten Sikking (gk) Frans Spits Nico Spits Bert Taminiau Kick Thole Pieter Weemers Jeroen Zweerts

Judo

Modern pentathlon

Three male pentathletes represented the Netherlands in 1972.

Men's Individual Competition: Jan Bekkenk — 4391 points (→ 46th place) Rob Vonk — 4153 points (→ 53rd place) Henk Krediet — 3786 points (→ 58th place)

Men's Team Competition: Bekkenk, Vonk, and Krediet — 12340 points (→ 18th place)

Rowing

Men's Coxless Pairs Roel Luynenburg and Ruud Stokvis Heat — 7:26.80 Repechage — 7:38.51 Semi Finals — 7:41.86 Final — 6:58.70 (→ Bronze Medal)

Men's Coxed Pairs Bernard Luttikhuizen, René Kieft and Herman Zaanen Heat — 8:00.15 Repechage — 8:17.37 (→ did not advance)

Men's Coxed Fours Wim Grothuis, Evert Kroes, Jan Willem van Woudenberg, Johan ter Haar, and Kees de Korver Heat — 6:53.30 Semi Finals — 7:23.66 B-Final — 7:05.83 (→ 7th place)

Men's Eights Henk Rouwé, Jannes Munneke, Frank Mulder, Hans Huisinga, Jan van der Vliet, Herman Eggink, Bram Tuinzing, Pieter Offens, and Rutger Stuffken Heat — 6:13.03 Semi Finals — 6:31.70 B-Final — 6:23.55 (→ 9th place)

Sailing

Shooting

Three male shooters represented Netherlands in 1972.

50 m rifle, prone Willy Hillen

Skeet Ben Pon Eric Swinkels

Swimming

Men's 200m Freestyle Peter Prijdekker Heat – 1:58.78 (→ did not advance, 18th place)

Men's 400m Freestyle Ton van Klooster Heat – 4:11.72 (→ did not advance, 17th place)

Men's 1500m Freestyle Ton van Klooster Heat – 16:34.77 (→ did not advance, 12th place)

Men's 100m Backstroke Bob Schoutsen Heat – 1:00.76 Semi Final – 1:00.48 (→ did not advance, 9th place)

Men's 200m Backstroke Bob Schoutsen Heat – 2:10.56 (→ did not advance, 9th place)

Men's 200m Individual Medley François van Kruijsdijk Heat – 2:17.14 (→ did not advance, 24th place)

Men's 400m Individual Medley Roger van Hamburg Heat – 4:50.70 (→ did not advance, 19th place)

Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay Peter Prijdekker, Bert Bergsma, Roger van Hamburg, and Hans Elzerman Heat – 3:41.36 (→ did not advance, 11th place)

Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay Peter Prijdekker, Bert Bergsma, Roger van Hamburg, and Hans Elzerman Heat – 8:00.87 (→ did not advance, 10th place)

Women's 100m Freestyle Enith Brigitha Heat – 1:00.02 Semi Final – 59.75 Final – 1:00.09 (→ 8th place)

Hansje Bunschoten Heat – 1:00.82 Semi Final – 1:00.79 (→ did not advance, 12th place)

Anke Rijnders Heat – 1:00.76 Semi Final – 1:00.84 (→ did not advance, 13th place)

Women's 200m Freestyle Hansje Bunschoten Heat – 2:08.58 Final – 2:08.40 (→ 6th place)

Anke Rijnders Heat – 2:09.09 Final – 2:09.41 (→ 7th place)

Women's 400m Freestyle Hansje Bunschoten Heat – 4:31.76 Final – 4:29.70 (→ 7th place)

Anke Rijnders Heat – 4:29.94 Final – 4:31.51 (→ 8th place)

Women's 800m Freestyle Hansje Bunschoten Heat – 9:21.13 Final – 9:16.69 (→ 7th place)

Women's 100m Backstroke Enith Brigitha Heat – 1:06.71 Semi Final – 1:06.49 Final – 1:06.82 (→ 6th place)

Annemarie Groen Heat – 1:09.55 (→ did not advance, 21st place)

Marianne Vermaat Heat – 1:09.14 Semi Final – 1:09.11 (→ did not advance, 16th place)

Women's 200m Backstroke Enith Brigitha Heat – 2:23.70 Final – 2:23.70 (→ 6th place)

Annemarie Groen Heat – 2:29.17 (→ did not advance, 23rd place)

Women's 100m Breaststroke Alie te Riet Heat – 1:18.79 (→ did not advance, 20th place)

Tineke Hofland Heat – 1:19.38 (→ did not advance, 28th place)

Women's 200m Breaststroke Alie te Riet Heat – 2:28.49 (→ did not advance, 17th place)

Josien Elzerman Heat – 2:28.18 (→ did not advance, 19th place)

Women's 100m Butterfly Frieke Buys Heat – 1:06.89 Semi Final – 1:06.78 (→ did not advance, 12th place)

Women's 200m Butterfly Frieke Buys Heat – 2:24.20 (→ did not advance, 9th place)

Women's 200m Individual Medley Hennie Penterman Heat – 2:28.99 (→ did not advance, 12th place)

Wijda Mazereeuw Heat – 2:32.59 (→ did not advance, 26th place)

Gerda Lassooy Heat – 2:32.92 (→ did not advance, 30th place)

Women's 400m Individual Medley Hennie Penterman Heat – 5:41.99 (→ did not advance, 11th place)

Gerda Lassooy Heat – 5:22.09 (→ did not advance, 21st place)

Wijda Mazereeuw Heat – 5:24.00 (→ did not advance, 23rd place)

Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay Enith Brigitha, Anke Rijnders, Hansje Bunschoten, and Josien Elzerman Heat – 4:02.70 Final – 4:01.49 (→ 5th place)

Women's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay Enith Brigitha, Alie te Riet, Frieke Buys, and Anke Rijnders Heat – 4:32.20 Enith Brigitha, Alie te Riet, Anke Rijnders, and Hansje Bunschoten Final – 4:29.99 (→ 5th place)

Water polo

Men's Team Competition Preliminary Round (Group B) Lost to Hungary (0-3) Defeated Australia (4-2) Drew with West Germany (4-4) Defeated Greece (6-2) Final Round (Group II) Defeated Bulgaria (5-2) Defeated Cuba (8-6) Drew with Romania (5-5) Defeated Spain (7-5) → 7th place

Team Roster Mart Bras Ton Buunk Wim Hermsen Hans Hoogveld Evert Kroon Hans Parrel Ton Schmidt Wim van de Schilde Gijze Stroboer Jan Evert Veer Hans Wouda

References