New Zealand competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. For the first time at the Olympics, God Defend New Zealand was played instead of God Save the King/Queen. The New Zealand Olympic Committee was represented by 89 competitors, 82 men and 7 women, who took part in 63 events in 14 sports.
Medal tables
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!Medal
!Name
!Sport
!Event
!Date
|-
| || <br>Wybo Veldman<br>Dick Joyce<br>John Hunter<br>Lindsay Wilson<br>Joe Earl<br>Trevor Coker<br>Gary Robertson<br>Simon Dickie (cox) || Rowing || Men's eight || 2 September
|-
| || <br>Dudley Storey<br>Ross Collinge<br>Noel Mills || Rowing || Men's coxless four || 2 September
|-
| || || Athletics || Men's 1500 metres || 10 September
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%"
|-
!colspan=7|Medals by sport
|-
|Sport
| bgcolor=#f7f6a8 |Image:Gold medal icon.svg
| bgcolor=#dce5e5 |Image:Silver medal icon.svg
| bgcolor=#ffdab9 |Image:Bronze medal icon.svg
|Total
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Rowing
| style="background:#F7F6A8;" |1
| style="background:#DCE5E5;" |1
| style="background:#FFDAB9;" |0
|2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Athletics
| style="background:#F7F6A8;" |0
| style="background:#DCE5E5;" |0
| style="background:#FFDAB9;" |1
|1
|-
! style="text-align:left;"| Total
! style="background:gold;" |1
! style="background:silver;" |1
! style="background:#c96;" |1
!3
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%"
|-
!colspan=7|Medals by gender
|-
|Gender
| bgcolor=#f7f6a8 |Image:Gold medal icon.svg
| bgcolor=#dce5e5 |Image:Silver medal icon.svg
| bgcolor=#ffdab9 |Image:Bronze medal icon.svg
|Total
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Male
| style="background:#F7F6A8;" | 1
| style="background:#DCE5E5;" | 1
| style="background:#FFDAB9;" | 1
|3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Female
| style="background:#F7F6A8;" | 0
| style="background:#DCE5E5;" | 0
| style="background:#FFDAB9;" | 0
|0
|-
! style="text-align:left;"| Total
! style="background:gold;" |1
! style="background:silver;" |1
! style="background:#c96;" |1
!3
|}
Archery
In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, New Zealand entered one man in the competition.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!colspan=6|Round 1
!colspan=6|Round 2
!rowspan=2|Total
!rowspan=2|Rank
|- style="font-size:95%"
!30 m
!50 m
!70 m
!90 m
!Total
!Rank
!30 m
!50 m
!70 m
!90 m
!Total
!Rank
|-
|align=left|Robin Sampson
|align=left|Men's individual
| 278 || 268 || 279 || 235 || 1060 || 53 || 309 || 210 || 289 || 247 || 1055 || 53 || 2115 || 53
|}
Athletics
Track and road
<section begin=tracktable />
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!colspan=2|Heat
!colspan=2|Quarterfinal
!colspan=2|Semifinal
!colspan=2|Final
|-style=font-size:95%
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
|-align=center
|align=left|Laurie D'Arcy
|align=left|Men's 100 m
| 10.77 || 5
| colspan=6 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Rod Dixon
|align=left|Men's 1500 m
| 3:40.0 || 2 Q
| colspan=2
| 3:37.9 || 1 Q
| 3:37.5 ||
|-align=center
|align=left|Jack Foster
|align=left |Men's marathon
| colspan=6
| 2:16:56 || 8
|-align=center
|align=left |Sue Haden
|align=left |Women's 800 m
| 2:04.86 || 4
| colspan=2
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left |Penny Hunt
|align=left |Women's 400 m
| 52.82 || 2 Q
| 52.66 || 6
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left |Roger Johnson
|align=left |Men's 400 m hurdles
| 50.48 || 4
| colspan=2
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Terry Manners
|align=left |Men's marathon
| colspan=6
| 2:25:29 || 34
|-align=center
|align=left rowspan=2 |Brenda Matthews
|align=left |Women's 100 m
| 11.77 || 5 Q
| 11.87 || 8
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left |Women's 100 m hurdles
| 13.81 || 5
| colspan=2
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Dave McKenzie
|align=left |Men's marathon
| colspan=6
| 2:22:19 || 22
|-align=center
|align=left|Tony Polhill
|align=left|Men's 1500 m
| 3:42.3 || 2 Q
| colspan=2
| 3:41.8 || 3 Q
| 3:41.8 || 9
|-align=center
|align=left|Dick Quax
|align=left|Men's 5000 m
| 14:35.2 || 9
| colspan=4
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Bevan Smith
|align=left|Men's 200 m
| 21.17 || 3 Q
| 21.04 || 4
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Dick Tayler
|align=left|Men's 5000 m
| 13:56.2 || 10
| colspan=4
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left rowspan=2|Gavin Thorley
|align=left|Men's 5000 m
| 14:11.6 || 10
| colspan=4
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Men's 10,000 m
| colspan=2 |
| colspan=4
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|}
<section end=tracktable />
Field
{|class=wikitable style="font-size:90%"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event
!colspan="2"|Qualification
!colspan="2"|Final
|-style="font-size:95%"
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
|-align=center
|align=left rowspan=2|Les Mills
|align=left|Men's shot put
| 18.38 || 23
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
|align=left|Men's discus throw
| 59.22 || 14 Q
| 55.86 || 14
|-align=center
|align=left|Robin Tait
|align=left|Men's discus throw
| 56.60 || 20
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|}
Boxing
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!Round of 64
!Round of 32
!Round of 16
!Quarterfinals
!Semifinals
!Final
!rowspan=2|Rank
|- style="font-size:95%"
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
|-
|align=left|Jeff Rackley
|align=left|Men's welterweight
|
|<br />L 0 – 5
|colspan=4|did not advance
|=17
|-
|align=left|Pat Ryan
|align=left|Men's featherweight
|
|<br />L 1 – 4
|colspan=4|did not advance
|=17
|}
Canoeing
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!colspan=2|Heats
!colspan=2|Repechages
!colspan=2|Semifinals
!colspan=2|Final
|- style="font-size:95%"
!Time
!Rank
!Time
!Rank
!Time
!Rank
!Time
!Rank
|-
|align=left|Donald Cooper
|align=left|Men's K-1 1000 m
|4:12.45 || 5 R
|4:02.48 || 1 Q
|4:01.97 || 5
|colspan=2 | did not advance
|-
|align=left|Donald Cooper<br>Tom Dooney
|align=left|Men's K-2 1000 m
|3:56.48 || 5 R
|3:45.65 || 5
|colspan=4 | did not advance
|}
Cycling
Eight cyclists represented New Zealand in 1972.
Road
;Men's individual road race
<section begin=roadracetable />
{|class=wikitable style="font-size:90%;"
|-
!Athlete
!Time
!Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|Bruce Biddle
| 4:15:04 || 3
|- align=center
|align=left|Paul Brydon
| 4:17:03 || 50
|- align=center
|align=left|Vern Hanaray
| colspan=2 |
|- align=center
|align=left|Robert Oliver
| colspan=2 |
|}
<section end=roadracetable />
Track
;Men's 1000 m time trial
{|class=wikitable style="font-size:90%;"
|-
!Athlete
!Time
!Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|Harry Kent
| 1:09.10 || 16
|}
;Men's team pursuit
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!colspan=2|Qualification
!Quarterfinals
!Semifinals
!colspan=2|Final /
|- style="font-size:95%"
!Time
!Rank
!Opposition<br/>Time
!Opposition<br/>Time
!Opposition<br/>Time
!Rank
|-
|align=left|Paul Brydon<br>John Dean<br>Neil Lyster<br>Blair Stockwell
|4:35.11
|14
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|}
Brent Pascoe was the reserve rider, but did not compete.
Gymnastics
Men's individual
;Apparatus qualifying and all-around
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!colspan=3|Floor
!colspan=3|Pommel horse
!colspan=3|Rings
!colspan=3|Vault
!colspan=3|Parallel bars
!colspan=3|Horizontal bar
!rowspan=2|All-around<br>total
!rowspan=2|All-around<br>rank
|-style=font-size:95%
!
!
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
|-
|align=left |Terry Sale
|7.300||8.650||=104
|6.500||8.050||=101
|6.600||7.350||110
|9.000||8.900||=71
|6.650||8.500||110
|6.150||8.400||110
|92.050||110
|}
Sale did not qualify for any of the apparatus finals.
Women's individual
;Apparatus qualifying and all-around
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!colspan=3|Vault
!colspan=3|Uneven bars
!colspan=3|Balance beam
!colspan=3|Floor
!rowspan=2|All-around<br>total
!rowspan=2|All-around<br>rank
|-style=font-size:95%
!
!
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
! C
! O
! Rank
|-
|align=left |Diane Foote
|8.600||8.900||=69||7.950||7.800||113
|8.400||8.100||94||8.350||8.750||=99
|66.850||=104
|}
Foote did not qualify for any of the apparatus finals.
Field hockey
Men's tournament
;Team roster
{| style="width: 30em;"
|-
|-align=left valign=top
| Jeff Archibald<br>Arthur Borren<br>Jan Borren<br>John Christensen<br>Greg Dayman<br>Chris Ineson<br>Ross McPherson<br>Barry Maister
| Selwyn Maister<br>Trevor Manning<br>Arthur Parkin<br>Ramesh Patel<br>Alan Patterson<br>Kevin Rigby<br>Ted Salmon<br>Warwick Wright
|}
;Head coach
Ross Gillespie
;Group B
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! style="width:10em"|Team
! style="width:2em"|Pld
! style="width:2em"|W
! style="width:2em"|D
! style="width:2em"|L
! style="width:2em"|GF
! style="width:2em"|GA
! style="width:2em"|Pts
! style="width:14em"|Qualification
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| align=left | || 7 || 5 || 2 || 0 || 25 || 8 || 12 || Advance to semi-finals
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| align=left | || 7 || 5 || 1 || 1 || 20|| 9 || 11 || Advance to semi-finals
|- style="background:#ffff99;"
| align=left | || 7 || 4 || 1 || 2 || 15 || 10 || 9 || 5th–8th place classification
|- style="background:#ffff99;"
| align=left | || 7 || 3 || 2 || 2 || 18 || 8 || 8 || 5th–8th place classification
|- style="background:#DDDDFF;"
| align=left | || 7 || 2 || 3 || 2|| 16 || 11 || 7 || 9th / 10th place play-off
|- style="background:#FFDDDD;"
| align=left | || 7 || 2 || 2 || 3 || 12 || 12 || 6 || 11th / 12th place play-off
|- style="background:#FFDDFF;"
| align=left | || 7 || 1 || 1 || 5 || 8 || 17 || 3 || 13th / 14th place play-off
|-
| align=left | || 7 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 1 || 40 || 0 || 15th / 16th place play-off
|}
;9th / 10th Place play-off
New Zealand finished the men's field hockey tournament in ninth place.
Judo
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
|-
!rowspan=3|Athlete
!rowspan=3|Event
!colspan=5|Pool
!colspan=3|Repechages
!rowspan=2|Semifinal
!rowspan=2|Final
!rowspan=3|Rank
|- style="font-size: 95%"
!Round of 64
!Round of 32
!Round of 16
!Quarterfinal
!Semifinal
!Repechage
!Semifinal
!Final
|- style="font-size: 95%"
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
|- align=center
|align=left|Rick Littlewood
|align=left|Men's middleweight
|
|<br>W
|<br>W
|<br>L
| colspan=6 | did not advance
| =11
|}
Rowing
<!-- :Photo of 1972 Rowing Team url is dead-->
1972 was the last year that only men competed at the Olympic rowing events. New Zealand entered boats in four of the seven events. The gold medal won by the 1972 New Zealand eight is one of New Zealand's most memorable performances, and was in 2008 rated by sports journalist Joseph Romanos as New Zealand's best ever team performance at the Olympic Games.
Sailing
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!rowspan=2 | Athlete
!rowspan=2 | Event
!colspan=7 | Race
!rowspan=2 | Net points
!rowspan=2 | Final rank
|-style="font-size:95%"
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
!6
!7
|-align=center
|align=left| Fraser Beer<br>Noel Everett (helm)<br>Ron Watson
|align=left| Dragon
|14.0 || 19.0 || <s>21.0</s> || 15.0 || 3.0 || 0.0 || || 51.0 || 5
|-align=center
|align=left| Jock Bilger (helm)<br>Murray Ross
|align=left| Flying Dutchman
|20.0 || <s>27.0</s> || 3.0 || 3.0 || 10.0 || 17.0 || 24.0 || 79.0 || 9
|-align=center
|align=left| Bret De Thier
|align=left| Finn
|15.0 || 11.7 || 21.0 || 3.0 || 33.0 || <s>41.0<br></s> || 26.0 || 109.7 || 10
|-align=center
|align=left| Con Linton<br>Steve Marten (helm)<br>Jack Scholes
|align=left| Soling
|20.0 || 24.0 || 25.0 || <s>26.0</s> || 26.0 || 18.0 || || 113.0 || 21
|}
Jonty Farmer, Jack Hansen, Geoff Smals and Bryan Treleaven were named as alternates but did not compete.
Shooting
Four male shooters represented New Zealand in 1972.
;Mixed 25 m rapid fire pistol
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!Athlete
!Round 1
!Round 2
!Round 3
!|Total
!|Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|Bruce McMillan
| 197 || 195 || 190 || 582 || 28
|}
;Mixed 50 m rifle, prone
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!Athlete
!Round 1
!Round 2
!Round 3
!Round 4
!Round 5
!Round 6
!|Total
!|Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|Ian Ballinger
| 98 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 97 || 96 || 591 || 46
|- align=center
|align=left|Mike Watt
| 99|| 98 || 100 || 100 || 99|| 97|| 593 || 29
|}
;Mixed 50 m running target
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!Athlete
!Slow run
!Fast run
!|Total
!|Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|Graeme McIntyre
| 270 || 253 || 523 || 26
|}
Swimming
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!colspan=2|Heat
!colspan=2|Semifinal
!colspan=2|Final
|-style="font-size:95%"
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=2 | Heather Coombridge
| align=left | Women's 100 m freestyle
| 1:02.95 || 35
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Women's 200 m freestyle
| 2:14.78 || 22
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=2 | Colin Herring
| align=left | Men's 100 m freestyle
| 54.41 || =22
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Men's 200 m freestyle
| 2:00.29 || 26
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=4 | Susan Hunter
| align=left | Women's 100 m backstroke
| 1:10.06 || 26
| colspan=4 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Women's 200 m backstroke
| 2:28.28 || 21
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Women's 200 m individual medley
| 2:30.29 || 17
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Women's 400 m individual medley
| 5:14.47 || 9
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=2| John McConnochie
| align=left | Men's 200 m individual medley
| 2:15.04 || 15
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Men's 400 m individual medley
| 4:49.89 || 17
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=2 | Jaynie Parkhouse
| align=left | Women's 400 m freestyle
| 4:40.24 || 19
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Women's 800 m freestyle
| 9:34.65 || 16
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left rowspan=2 | Mark Treffers
| align=left | Men's 400 m freestyle
| 4:14.10 || 20
| colspan=2
| colspan=2 | did not advance
|-align=center
| align=left | Men's 1500 m freestyle
| 16:23.86 || 6 Q
| colspan=2
| 16:18.84 || 6
|}
Weightlifting
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event
!colspan="2"|Press
!colspan="2"|Snatch
!colspan="2"|Clean & Jerk
!rowspan="2"|Total
!rowspan="2"|Rank
|- style="font-size:95%"
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
!Result
!Rank
|- align=center
|align=left|John Bolton
|align=left|Men's middle heavyweight
| colspan=2 |
| colspan=5
|
|- align=center
|align=left|Tony Ebert
|align=left|Men's middleweight
| 137.5 || =16
| 117.5 || =17
| 155.0 || =15
| 410.0 || 17
|- align=center
|align=left|Brian Marsden
|align=left|Men's light heavyweight
| 142.5 || 15
| 120.0 || =17
| 172.5 || =9
| 435.0 || 12
|}
Wrestling
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
!rowspan=2|Event
!Round 1
!Round 2
!Round 3
!Round 4
!Round 5
!Final
!rowspan=2 |Rank
|- style="font-size:95%"
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
!Opposition<br/>Result
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|David Aspin
|style="text-align:left;"|Men's freestyle middleweight
|<br />Both
|<br />L
|colspan=5 |Eliminated
|}
Officials
- Chef de Mission – Joe McManemin
- Assistant team manager – Jack Prestney<!-- Q113470104 -->
- Team doctor – Tom Anderson<!-- Q113481544 -->
- Chaperone – Doris Fitzsimmons<!-- Q116172057 -->
- Archery section manager – Jack Richards
- Athletics
- Section manager – Graham Davy
- Boxing section manager – David Tipping
- Canoeing section manager – Stan Robinson
- Cycling
- Section manager – Colin Hollows
- Coach / mechanic – Bruce Goldsworthy
- Judo section manager – Jack Fielding
- Rowing
- Section manager – Fred Strachan
- Swimming
- Section manager – Graeme Brockett
- Coach – Pic Parkhouse
- Coach – Paul Newberry