Total of best lifts in military press, snatch, and jerk. Ties are broken by the lightest body weight.
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Body weight | Military press (kg) | Snatch (kg) | Jerk (kg) | Total (kg) | | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result |
|---|
| {{Gold1}} | Andon Nikolov | {{FlagIOC|BUL|1972 Summer}} | 89.00 | 172.5 | 177.5 | 180.0 | 180.0 | 147.5 | 152.5 | 155.0 | 155.0 | 185.0 | 190.0 | 190.0 | 190.0 | 525.0 OR | |
| {{Silver2}} | Atanas Shopov | {{FlagIOC|BUL|1972 Summer}} | 89.80 | 172.5 | 177.5 | 180.0 | 180.0 | 140.0 | 145.0 | 145.0 | 145.0 | 192.5 | 192.5 | 202.5 | 192.5 | 517.5 | | | |
| {{Bronze3}} | Hans Bettembourg | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1972 Summer}} | 88.95 | 175.0 | 182.5 | 182.5 | 182.5 | 145.0 145.0 | 145.0 | 145.0 | 185.0 | 192.5 192.5 | 185.0 | 512.5 | | | | | |
| 4 | Phil Grippaldi | {{FlagIOC|USA|1972 Summer}} | 87.90 | 170.0 | 170.0 | 177.5 | 170.0 | 140.0 | 140.0 | 145.0 | 140.0 | 187.5 | 195.0 | 202.5 | 195.0 | 505.0 | | | | | |
| 5 | Rick Holbrook | {{FlagIOC|USA|1972 Summer}} | 88.50 | 157.5 | 162.5 | 162.5 | 162.5 | 145.0 145.0 | 145.0 | 145.0 | 190.0 | 197.5 | - | 197.5 OR | 505.0 | | | |
| 6 | Nick Ciancio | {{FlagIOC|AUS|1972 Summer}} | 88.85 | 170.0 | 175.0 175.0 | 170.0 | 145.0 | 150.0 150.0 | 145.0 | 185.0 | 190.0 | 190.0 | 190.0 | 505.0 | | | | | |
| 7 | Juan Curbelo | {{FlagIOC|CUB|1972 Summer}} | 89.20 | 165.0 | 172.5 | 172.5 | 172.5 | 135.0 | 140.0 | 140.0 | 140.0 | 175.0 | 182.5 | 187.5 | 182.5 | 495.0 | | | |
| 8 | Jaakki Kailajärvi | {{FlagIOC|FIN|1972 Summer}} | 88.85 | 150.0 150.0 | 150.0 | 150.0 | 150.0 | 155.0 155.0 | 150.0 | 187.5 | 195.0 195.0 | 187.5 | 487.5 | | | | | | |
| 9 | Dietrich Leh | {{FlagIOC|FRG|1972 Summer}} | 89.85 | 165.0 | 170.0 | 170.0 | 170.0 | 140.0 | 145.0 145.0 | 140.0 | 177.5 | 177.5 | - | 177.5 | 487.5 | | | | |
| 10 | Pierre Gourrier | {{FlagIOC|FRA|1972 Summer}} | 89.60 | 145.0 | 152.5 152.5 | 145.0 | 142.5 | 147.5 | 152.5 | 147.5 | 180.0 | 190.0 190.0 | 180.0 | 472.5 | | | | | |
| 11 | Nikos Ilidis | {{FlagIOC|GRE|1972 Summer}} | 87.60 | 155.0 | 162.5 162.5 | 155.0 | 122.5 | 130.0 | 135.0 | 135.0 | 175.0 | 175.0 | 180.0 | 180.0 | 470.0 | | | |
| 12 | Aimo Nieminen | {{FlagIOC|FIN|1972 Summer}} | 89.65 | 150.0 | 155.0 155.0 | 150.0 | 140.0 | 140.0 | 145.0 | 140.0 | 170.0 170.0 | 170.0 | 170.0 | 460.0 | | | | | | |
| 13 | Guðmundur Sigurðsson | {{FlagIOC|ISL|1972 Summer}} | 88.60 | 142.5 | 147.5 147.5 | 142.5 | 130.0 | 135.0 | 137.5 | 135.0 | 170.0 | 177.5 | 182.5 | 177.5 | 455.0 | | | | |
| 14 | Rudolf Litsch | {{FlagIOC|AUT|1972 Summer}} | 88.75 | 147.5 | 147.5 | 152.5 | 152.5 | 130.0 | 135.0 135.0 | 130.0 | 172.5 172.5 | 172.5 | 172.5 | 455.0 | | | | | |
| 15T | Osman Mert | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1972 Summer}} | 89.85 | 152.5 | 152.5 | 160.0 | 160.0 | 122.5 | 127.5 | 127.5 | 127.5 | 155.0 | 162.5 | 167.5 | 167.5 | 455.0 | | |
| 15T | Peter Arthur | {{FlagIOC|GBR|1972 Summer}} | 89.85 | 150.0 | 155.0 155.0 | 150.0 | 130.0 | 135.0 135.0 | 130.0 | 170.0 | 175.0 | 177.5 | 175.0 | 455.0 | | | | | |
| 17 | Wayne Wilson | {{FlagIOC|CAN|1972 Summer}} | 89.70 | 137.5 137.5 | 137.5 | 137.5 | 120.0 | 127.5 | 132.5 | 127.5 | 170.0 | 177.5 177.5 | 170.0 | 435.0 | | | | | |
| 18 | César Gaudin | {{FlagIOC|PUR|1972 Summer}} | 89.95 | 137.5 | 145.0 145.0 | 137.5 | 115.0 | 120.0 | 122.5 | 122.5 | 165.0 165.0 | 165.0 | 165.0 | 425.0 | | | | |
| - | David Rigert | {{FlagIOC|URS|1972 Summer}} | 88.60 | 180.0 | 180.0 | 187.5 | 187.5 OR | 160.0 160.0 160.0 | NVL | | DNF | | | | |
| - | Frank Rothwell | {{FlagIOC|IRL|1972 Summer}} | 87.60 | 132.5 132.5 132.5 | NVL | | | DNF | | | |
| - | Ryoichi Goto | {{FlagIOC|JPN|1972 Summer}} | 89.60 | 162.5 162.5 162.5 | NVL | | | DNF | | | |
| - | Rudolf Hill | {{FlagIOC|AUT|1972 Summer}} | 89.65 | 160.0 160.0 160.0 | NVL | | | DNF | | | |
| - | John Bolton | {{FlagIOC|NZL|1972 Summer}} | 89.65 | 165.0 165.0 167.5 | NVL | | | DNF | | | |
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After setting an Olympic record with 187.5 kg in the press, Rigert failed in all three attempts at 160 kg in the snatch, despite holding the world record at 167.5 kg.[1] Rigert was so upset that he literally pulled his hair out and banged his head against a well. He was restrained by his colleagues, but the next day threw another fit and had to be sent home.[1]
1. ^1 {{cite book |last1=Wallechinsky |first1=David |title=The Complete Book To The Olympics |date=1984 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=England |isbn=0140066322 |pages=483 }}