KEY FACTS
Opening date: 26 August 1972
Closing date:11 September 1972
The Host City: Munich
Sports: 23
MUNICH 1972 Games of the XX Olympiad
The 1972 Munich Games were the largest yet, setting records in all categories, with 195 events and 7,173 athletes from 121 nations. They were supposed to celebrate peace and, for the first ten days, all did indeed go well. But in the early morning of 5 September, eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more hostage.
In an ensuing battle, all nine Israeli hostages were killed, as were five of the terrorists and one policeman. The Olympics were suspended and a memorial service was held in the main stadium. In defiance1 of the terrorists, the International Olympic Committee ordered the competitions to resume after a pause of 34 hours. All other details about the Munich Games paled in significance, but it did have its highlights. Archery was reintroduced to the Olympic programme after a 52-year absence and handball after a 36-year absence. Whitewater canoeing was included for the first time.
The 1972 Games were also the first to have a named mascot2: Waldi the dachshund. U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won an incredible seven gold medals to go with the two he had earned in 1968. Lasse Viren of Finland fell midway through the 10,000m final, but rose and set a world record to win the first of his four career gold medals. Freestyle wrestler3 Ivan Yarygin of Russia pinned all seven of his opponents en route to his first Olympic championship in the heavyweight pision.
Do You Know? 官方宣誓从此开始
The officials took the Olympic Oath for the first time.