Finland competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 96 competitors, 89 men and 7 women, took part in 75 events in 16 sports.
Medalists
Finland finished in 14th position in the final medal rankings, with three gold medals and eight medals overall.
Gold
Pekka Vasala — Athletics, Men's 1,500m
Lasse Virén — Athletics, Men's 5,000m
Lasse Virén — Athletics, Men's 10,000m
Silver
Reima Virtanen — Boxing, Men's Middleweight
Bronze
Tapio Kantanen — Athletics, Men's 3,000m Steeplechase
Kyösti Laasonen — Archery, Men's Individual Competition
Risto Hurme, Veikko Salminen, and Martti Ketelä — Modern Pentathlon, Men's Team Competition Risto Björlin — Wrestling, Men's Greco-Roman Bantamweight
Archery
In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, Finland entered three men. They won a bronze medal.
Men's Individual Competition: Kyösti Laasonen — 2467 points (→ Bronze Medal) Olavi Laurila — 2372 points (→ 20th place) Jorma Sandelin — 2278 points (→ 40th place)
Athletics
Men's 100 metres
Antti Rajamäki
First Heat — 10.52s (→ did not advance) Raimo Vilen First Heat — 11.00s (→ did not advance)
Men's 1500 metres
Pekka Vasala
Heat — 3:40.9
Semifinals — 3:37.9
Final — 3:36.3 (→ Gold Medal) Pekka Päivärinta Heat — 3:40.9 Semifinals — 3:45.1 (→ did not advance)
Men's 5000 metres
Tapio Kantanen
Heat — 13:42.0 (→ did not advance)
Men's 4 × 100 m Relay
Antti Rajamäki, Raimo Vilen, Erik Gustafsson, and Markku Juhola
Heat — 39.54s
Semifinals — 39.30s (NR) (→ did not advance)
Boxing
Men's Light Middleweight (– 71 kg) Mikko Saarinen First Round — Bye Second Round — Defeated David Attan (KEN), TKO-2 Third Round — Lost to Peter Tiepold (GDR), 0:5
Canoeing
Cycling
Six cyclists represented Finland in 1972.
Individual road race
Harry Hannus — did not finish (→ no ranking) Mauno Uusivirta — did not finish (→ no ranking) Tapani Vuorenhela — did not finish (→ no ranking) Ole Wackström — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Team time trial
Kalevi Eskelinen
Harry Hannus
Mauno Uusivirta
Ole Wackström
Team individual pursuit
Raimo Suikkanen
Diving
Men's 3m Springboard: Pentti Koskinen — 336.99 points (15th place)
Women's 3m Springboard: Laura Kivelä — 236.25 points (24th place)
Women's 10m Platform: Laura Kivelä — 172.65 points (22nd place)
Fencing
One fencer represented Finland in 1972.
Men's épée
Risto Hurme
Gymnastics
Judo
Modern pentathlon
Three male pentathletes represented Finland in 1972, with them winning bronze in the team event.
Men's Individual Competition: Risto Hurme — 5094 points (→ 8th place) Veikko Salminen — 4852 points (→ 17th place) Martti Ketelä — 4849 points (→ 19th place)
Men's Team Competition: Hurme, Salminen, and Ketelä — 14812 points (→ Bronze Medal)
Rowing
Men's Coxed Pairs
Leo Ahonen, Leif Anderson and Antero Yli-lkkelä
Heat — 8:06.56
Repechage — 8:11.89 (→ did not advance)
Sailing
Shooting
Ten male shooters represented Finland in 1972.