Water polo at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Water polo

at the Games of the XX Olympiad

Venues| Dantebad
Olympia Schwimmhalle (final)
Date| 27 August – 4 September 1972
Competitors| 176 from 16 nations
Medalists
| |  |   Soviet Union

|
|

|  |   Hungary
|  |   United States

← 1968

1976 →

Final results for the water polo competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich.[1][2]

## Qualification[3]

[edit]

Event  | Dates  | Hosts  | Quotas  | Qualified Teams

|
|
|
|

Host Nation  | 26 April 1966  | Munich  | 1  |  West Germany
1968 Summer Olympics | 14-26 October 1968  |  Mexico City | 5  |  Yugoslavia
Soviet Union
Hungary
Italy
United States
1971 Pan American Games | 26 July - 1 August 1971  |  Cali | 3  |  Cuba
Mexico
~~ Brazil~~

Canada

European Qualifier  | 14-20 May 1972  |  Munich | 4  |  Romania
Spain
Bulgaria
Greece
Oceania Qualifier  |  |  | 1  |  Australia
Asian Qualifier  |  |  | 1  |  Japan
Reallocation  |  |  | 1  |  Netherlands
Total  |  | 16  |

## Medalists

[edit]

Gold | Silver | Bronze

|
|

Soviet Union[1]

* * *

Anatoli Akimov
Aleksei Barkalov
Vadim Gulyaev
Aleksandr Dolgushin
Aleksandr Dreval
Vladimir Shmudski
Aleksandr Kabanov
Leonid Osipov
Viacheslav Sobtschenko
Nikolai Melnikov

Aleksandr Schidlovski

Hungary

* * *

András Bodnár
Tibor Cservenyák
István Görgényi
Tamás Faragó
Zoltán Kásás
Ferenc Konrád
István Magas
Dénes Pócsik
László Sárosi
Endre Molnár

István Szívós, Jr.

United States

* * *

Peter Asch
Steven Barnett
Bruce Bradley
Stanley Cole
James Ferguson
Eric Lindroth
John Parker
Gary Sheerer
James Slatton
Russell Webb

Barry Weitzenberg

## Squads

[edit]

Main article: Water polo at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads

## Preliminary round

[edit]

### Pool A

[edit]

Nation  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
|
|
|
|

United States | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 18
Yugoslavia | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 24
Cuba | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 23
Romania | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 26
Mexico | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 30
Canada | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 50
| 27 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

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|
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Yugoslavia  | 12-4  |  Canada | 3-1  | 4-1  | 3-1  | 2-1
Mexico  | 4-6  |  Cuba | 1-2  | 0-1  | 1-1  | 2-2
Romania  | 3-4  |  United States | 0-1  | 1-2  | 1-0  | 1-1
| 28 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

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|
|
|
|
|

United States  | 7-6  |  Cuba | 1-1  | 1-0  | 2-1  | 3-4
Mexico  | 7-3  |  Canada | 2-1  | 0-1  | 1-0  | 4-1
Romania  | 7-8  |  Yugoslavia | 3-2  | 2-1  | 2-2  | 0-3
| 29 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

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|
|
|
|
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United States  | 8-1  |  Canada | 2-0  | 3-0  | 1-0  | 2-1
Mexico  | 3-5  |  Yugoslavia | 0-1  | 1-1  | 1-3  | 1-0
Romania  | 3-4  |  Cuba | 0-2  | 2-1  | 0-1  | 1-0
| 30 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Yugoslavia  | 7-5  |  Cuba | 0-2  | 3-1  | 2-1  | 2-1
Romania  | 16-4  |  Canada | 1-1  | 6-1  | 5-1  | 4-1
Mexico  | 5-7  |  United States | 1-1  | 1-4  | 1-1  | 2-1
| 31 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
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|
|
|
|

Cuba  | 7-2  |  Canada | 2-0  | 2-0  | 1-2  | 2-0
Yugoslavia  | 3-5  |  United States | 0-1  | 1-1  | 1-2  | 1-1
Romania  | 9-6  |  Mexico | 2-2  | 3-1  | 2-0  | 2-3

### Pool B

[edit]

Nation  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
|
|
|
|

Hungary | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 6
West Germany | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 13
Netherlands | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 11
Australia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 27
Greece | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 27
| 27 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

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|
|
|
|
|

Hungary  | 3-0  |  Netherlands | 0-0  | 2-0  | 0-0  | 1-0
Greece  | 7-7  |  Australia | 3-3  | 2-1  | 1-2  | 1-1
| 28 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Australia  | 2-4  |  Netherlands | 1-0  | 0-0  | 0-1  | 1-3
West Germany  | 3-3  |  Hungary | 1-0  | 0-1  | 0-2  | 2-0
| 29 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

West Germany  | 4-4  |  Netherlands | 2-1  | 1-0  | 0-1  | 1-2
Greece  | 1-6  |  Hungary | 0-3  | 0-0  | 0-2  | 1-1
| 30 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
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Australia  | 2-10  |  Hungary | 0-3  | 1-2  | 0-3  | 1-2
West Germany  | 8-3  |  Greece | 3-1  | 3-1  | 1-1  | 1-0
| 31 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
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West Germany  | 6-3  |  Australia | 1-1  | 2-0  | 1-0  | 2-2
Greece  | 2-6  |  Netherlands | 1-0  | 0-2  | 1-3  | 0-1

### Pool C

[edit]

Nation  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
|
|
|
|

Soviet Union | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 9
Italy | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 16
Spain | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 22
Bulgaria | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 25
Japan | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 36
| 28 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Spain  | 6-4  |  Japan | 2-1  | 1-2  | 1-1  | 2-0
Italy  | 1-4  |  Soviet Union | 1-0  | 0-2  | 0-2  | 0-0
| 28 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Soviet Union  | 11-1  |  Japan | 1-0  | 4-1  | 3-0  | 3-0
Italy  | 8-5  |  Bulgaria | 3-1  | 3-2  | 2-1  | 0-1
| 29 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Soviet Union  | 7-2  |  Bulgaria | 2-0  | 2-1  | 2-0  | 1-1
Italy  | 6-2  |  Spain | 1-0  | 0-1  | 2-1  | 3-0
| 30 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Bulgaria  | 7-4  |  Japan | 3-1  | 0-1  | 2-1  | 2-1
Spain  | 5-8  |  Soviet Union | 0-1  | 1-2  | 2-2  | 2-3
| 31 August  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Italy  | 12-5  |  Japan | 4-1  | 3-0  | 1-1  | 4-3
Spain  | 6-4  |  Bulgaria | 0-0  | 2-1  | 2-1  | 2-2

## Final round

[edit]

### Group II (Classification 7th – 12th)

[edit]

Pos.  | Nation  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

7  |  Netherlands | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 20
8  |  Romania | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 19
9  |  Cuba | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 23
10  |  Spain | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 26
11  |  Bulgaria | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 23
12  |  Australia | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 27
| 1 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Romania  | 7-4  |  Spain | 1-2  | 2-0  | 0-0  | 4-2
Netherlands  | 5-2  |  Bulgaria | 1-0  | 0-1  | 2-1  | 2-0
Cuba  | 6-5  |  Australia | 1-1  | 3-2  | 1-1  | 1-1
| 2 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
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Romania  | 4-3  |  Bulgaria | 2-2  | 1-0  | 1-0  | 0-1
Australia  | 4-8  |  Spain | 0-1  | 2-1  | 1-3  | 1-3
Cuba  | 6-8  |  Netherlands | 2-1  | 2-5  | 0-2  | 2-0
| 3 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Australia  | 4-4  |  Bulgaria | 2-2  | 1-0  | 1-1  | 0-1
Romania  | 5-5  |  Netherlands | 2-2  | 1-2  | 0-1  | 2-0
Cuba  | 4-3  |  Spain | 2-1  | 1-2  | 0-0  | 1-0
| 4 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Cuba  | 4-4  |  Bulgaria | 0-0  | 2-3  | 1-0  | 1-1
Romania  | 5-3  |  Australia | 1-1  | 2-1  | 1-0  | 1-1
Netherlands  | 7-5  |  Spain | 0-1  | 3-0  | 2-2  | 2-2

Results taken from Preliminary Round
|  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Cuba  | 4-3  |  Romania | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?
Netherlands  | 4-2  |  Australia | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?
Spain  | 6-4  |  Bulgaria | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?

### Group I (Classification Gold – 6th)

[edit]

Pos.  | Nation  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Soviet Union | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 16
2  |  Hungary | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 18
3  |  United States | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 23
4  |  West Germany | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 18
5  |  Yugoslavia | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 24
6  |  Italy | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 26
| 1 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Hungary  | 8-7  |  Italy | 1-0  | 2-1  | 3-4  | 2-2
United States  | 4-4  |  West Germany | 3-1  | 1-1  | 0-0  | 0-2
Yugoslavia  | 4-5  |  Soviet Union | 1-2  | 0-2  | 2-0  | 1-1
| 2 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Yugoslavia  | 6-6  |  Italy | 2-2  | 2-1  | 1-1  | 1-2
West Germany  | 2-4  |  Soviet Union | 1:1  | 1:3  | 0:0  | 0:0
United States  | 3-5  |  Hungary | 0-0  | 1-2  | 2-2  | 0-1
| 3 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

West Germany  | 2-2  |  Italy | 1-2  | 0-0  | 0-0  | 1-0
Yugoslavia  | 2-4  |  Hungary | 0-1  | 1-1  | 0-1  | 1-1
United States  | 6-6  |  Soviet Union | 0-1  | 3-1  | 2-2  | 1-2
| 4 September  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

Yugoslavia  | 5-4  |  West Germany | 3-0  | 0-1  | 1-1  | 1-2
United States  | 6-5  |  Italy | 2-1  | 1-1  | 2-1  | 1-2
Hungary  | 3-3  |  Soviet Union | 2-1  | 1-1  | 0-1  | 0-0

Results taken from Preliminary Round
|  |  | 1st  | 2nd  | 3rd  | 4th

|
|
|
|
|
|

United States  | 5-3  |  Yugoslavia | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?
Soviet Union  | 4-1  |  Italy | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?  | ?-?
West Germany  | 3-3  |  Hungary | 0-1  | 1-0  | 0-2  | 2-0

## Final ranking

[edit]

1.  Soviet Union[1]
2.  Hungary
3.  United States
4.  West Germany
5.  Yugoslavia
6.  Italy
7.  Netherlands
8.  Romania
9.  Cuba
10.  Spain
11.  Bulgaria
12.  Australia
13.  Mexico
14.  Greece
15.  Japan
16.  Canada

|  |  1972 Men's Olympic Games winners

Soviet Union
First title

### Top goalscorers

[edit]

Rank  | Name  | Goals

|
|

1  |  Carlos Sanchez | 18
2  |  Bruce Bradley | 17
3  |  Mart Bras | 16
Juan Janac
5  |  Eraldo Pizzo | 12
Gheorghe Zamfirescu
Les Nunn
8  |  Aleksandr Dreval | 11
Ingulf Nossek
Gianni De Magistris
Toma Tomov
Armando Fernandez
13  |  Anatoly Akimov | 10
Oleksiy Barkalov
Viorel Rus

## See also

[edit]

* 1973 FINA Men's World Water Polo Championship

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. p. 4\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
2. ^ "Water Polo at the 1972 Munich Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
3. ^ "Men_1972". Todor66.

## Sources

[edit]

* PDF documents in the LA84 Foundation Digital Library:
* Official Report of the 1972 Olympic Games, v.3 (download, archive) (pp. 331, 353–365)
* Water polo on the Olympedia website
* Water polo at the 1972 Summer Olympics (men's tournament)
* Water polo on the Sports Reference website
* Water polo at the 1972 Summer Games (men's tournament) (archived)

## External links

[edit]

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