Weightlifting at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 90 kg
# Weightlifting at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 90 kg

Total of best lifts in military press, snatch, and jerk. Ties are broken by the lightest body weight.

## Final

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Body weight | Military press (kg) | Military press (kg) | Military press (kg) | Military press (kg) | Snatch (kg) | Snatch (kg) | Snatch (kg) | Snatch (kg) | Jerk (kg) | Jerk (kg) | Jerk (kg) | Jerk (kg) | Total (kg) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Body weight | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result | 1 | 2 | 3 | Result | Total (kg) |
| | Andon Nikolov | Bulgaria | 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 |
| | Atanas Shopov | Bulgaria | 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 |
| | Hans Bettembourg | Sweden | 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 | United States | 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 | United States | 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 | Australia | 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 | Cuba | 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 | Jaakko Kailajärvi | Finland | 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 | West Germany | 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 | France | 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 Iliadis | Greece | 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 | Finland | 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 | Iceland | 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 | Austria | 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 | Turkey | 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 | Great Britain | 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 | Canada | 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 | Puerto Rico | 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 | Soviet Union | 88.60 | 180.0 | 180.0 | 187.5 | 187.5 OR | 160.0 | 160.0 | 160.0 | NVL | | | | | DNF |
| - | Frank Rothwell | Ireland | 87.60 | 132.5 | 132.5 | 132.5 | NVL | | | | | | | | | DNF |
| - | Ryoichi Goto | Japan | 89.60 | 162.5 | 162.5 | 162.5 | NVL | | | | | | | | | DNF |
| - | Rudolf Hill | Austria | 89.65 | 160.0 | 160.0 | 160.0 | NVL | | | | | | | | | DNF |
| - | John Bolton | New Zealand | 89.65 | 165.0 | 165.0 | 167.5 | NVL | | | | | | | | | DNF |

Key: OR = Olympic record; DNF = did not finish; NVL = no valid lift

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. 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.

