Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres

Last updated

Contents

Men's 1500 metres
at the Games of the XIV Olympiad
Olympic Athletics.png
Olympic Athletics
Venue Wembley Stadium
DatesAugust 4 (heats)
August 6 (final)
Competitors36 from 22 nations
Winning time3:49.8
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Henry Eriksson
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Silver medal icon.svg Lennart Strand
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Bronze medal icon.svg Willem Slijkhuis
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
  1936
1952  

The men's 1500 metres event at the 1948 Olympic Games took place August 4 and August 6. Thirty-six athletes from 22 nations competed. [1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Swede Henry Eriksson. [2] It was Sweden's first medal in the 1500 metres; Lennart Strand took Sweden's second medal 0.6 seconds later. Willem Slijkhuis earned bronze, with the Netherlands also receiving its first medal in the 1500 metres.

Background

This was the 11th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. None of the finalists from the pre-war 1936 Games returned. The 1500 metres landscape had shifted strongly towards Sweden during World War II; the nation had never won an Olympic medal in the sport before the war but was aiming for a sweep in 1948 despite Arne Andersson and Gunder Hägg being declared ineligible professionals. The team in London was Lennart Strand (1946 European champion, world list leader in 1947), Henry Eriksson (1946 European runner-up, second on world list in 1947), and Gösta Bergkvist (third on the world list in 1947). [1]

Iceland, Ireland, South Korea, and Trinidad and Tobago each made their first appearance in the event. The United States made its 11th appearance, the only nation to have competed in the men's 1500 metres at each Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition consisted of two rounds, the format used since 1908. The number of semifinals remained at four, with between 7 and 9 runners in each. The top three runners in each heat advanced to the final, resulting in the typical 12-man final race. [1] [3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1948 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of Sweden.svg  Gunder Hägg  (SWE)3:43.0 Gothenburg, Sweden 7 July 1944
Olympic recordFlag of New Zealand.svg  Jack Lovelock  (NZL)3:47.8 Berlin, Germany 6 August 1936

No world or Olympic records were set during the competition.

Schedule

All times are British Summer Time (UTC+1).

DateTimeRound
Wednesday, 4 August 194816:30Semifinals
Friday, 6 August 194817:00Final

Results

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Lennart Strand Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:54.2Q
2 Erik Jørgensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 3:54.2Q
3 Don Gehrmann US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 3:54.8Q
4 Frits de Ruijter Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3:55.2
5 Olavi Luoto Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 3:58.0
6 Henri Klein Flag of France.svg  France 3:59.8
7 Cahit Önel Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 4:00.0
8 John Joe Barry Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:00.5
9 Cliff Salmond Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 4:16.2
10 Antero Mongrut Flag of Peru (1825-1950).svg  Peru Unknown
Hans StreuliFlag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland DNS

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Willem Slijkhuis Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3:52.4Q
2 Václav Čevona Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 3:53.0Q
3 Denis Johansson Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 3:54.0Q
4 Jack Hutchins Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 3:54.4
5 Doug Wilson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:54.8
6 Clem Eischen US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 4:00.2
7 Vasilios Mavroidis Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece Unknown
8 Juan Adarraga Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 4:03.7
9 Wilfred Tull Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1889-1958).svg  Trinidad and Tobago Unknown
Bruno SchneiderFlag of Austria.svg  Austria DNS
Adán TorresFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina DNS

Semifinal 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Henry Eriksson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:53.8Q
2 Bill Nankeville Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:55.8Q
3 Josy Barthel Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 3:56.4Q
4 Jean Vernier Flag of France.svg  France 3:57.6
5 Melchor Palmeiro Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 4:01.6
6 Óskar Jónsson Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 4:03.2
7 Riza Maksut İşman Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Unknown
Bill Parnell Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada DNF
Daniel PoyanFlag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain DNS
Gaston ReiffFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium DNS

Semifinal 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Gösta Bergkvist Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:51.8Q
2 Marcel Hansenne Flag of France.svg  France 3:52.8Q
3 Sándor Garay Flag of Hungary (1946-1949, 1956-1957).svg  Hungary 3:53.0Q
4 Roland Sink US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 3:53.2
5 Kaare Vefling Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3:54.6
6 Richard Morris Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:55.8
7 Ingvard Nielsen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 4:01.7
8 Karl-Heinz Hubler Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 4:03.0
9 Lee Yun-seok Flag of South Korea (1945-1948).svg  South Korea Unknown
Raymond RosierFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium DNS

Final

The results of the final past the first six places are disputed. The Official Report lists the times and places of the top six runners, but all others are marked simply as "also competed." [3] The table below presents the results as shown by Olympedia, "based on information from Richard Hymans, British athletics statistical expert" and "supplemented . . . by various descriptions from multiple national sources, including a Swedish radio report of the finish of the race, which definitively gives Garay as placing seventh." [1] Below the main table, alternative placements are shown.

RankAthleteNationTime
Gold medal icon.svg Henry Eriksson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:49.8
Silver medal icon.svg Lennart Strand Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:50.4
Bronze medal icon.svg Willem Slijkhuis Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3:50.4
4 Václav Čevona Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 3:51.2
5 Gösta Bergkvist Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:52.2
6 Bill Nankeville Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:52.6
7 Sándor Garay Flag of Hungary (1946-1949, 1956-1957).svg  Hungary 3:54.4
8 Don Gehrmann US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 3:54.5
9 Erik Jørgensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 3:56.1
10 Josy Barthel Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 3:56.9
11 Marcel Hansenne Flag of France.svg  France 4:02.0
12 Denis Johansson Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Unknown
Alternative placements
RankOlympediaKluge [4] Megede [5] T&FN [6]
7Sándor GaraySándor GarayDon GehrmannErik Jørgensen
8Don GehrmannErik JørgensenErik JørgensenDon Gehrmann
9Erik JørgensenJosy BarthelDenis JohanssonDenis Johansson
10Josy BarthelDon GehrmannJosy BarthelJosy Barthel
11Marcel HansenneMarcel HansenneMarcel HansenneMarcel Hansenne
12Denis JohanssonDenis JohanssonSándor GaraySándor Garay

Related Research Articles

The men's 1500 metres was an Olympic event for the fourth time at the 1908 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on July 13, 1908, and on July 14, 1908. The races were held on a track of 536.45 metres=13 mile in circumference. The event was won by Mel Sheppard of the United States, the second consecutive Games an American had won the event. Sheppard, like Jim Lightbody in 1904, would also win the 800 metres for a middle-distance double.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres</span>

The men's 1500 metres middle-distance event at the 1932 Summer Olympics took place on August 3 and August 4 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Twenty-four athletes from 14 nations competed. The 1930 Olympic Congress in Berlin had reduced the limit from 4 athletes per NOC to 3 athletes. The event was won by Luigi Beccali of Italy, earning the nation's first medal in the 1500 metres. Canada also won its first 1500 metres medal, with Phil Edwards's bronze.

The men's 1500 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, August 18, 1920, and on Thursday, August 19, 1920. Twenty-nine runners from 12 nations competed. No nation had more than 4 runners, suggesting the limit had been reduced from the 12 maximum in force in 1908 and 1912. The event was won by Albert Hill of Great Britain, completing his middle-distance double. It was the nation's second consecutive and third overall championship in the men's 1500 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon</span>

The marathon at the 1952 Summer Olympics was held on 27 July on a course running from the Helsinki Olympic Stadium to Korso, Helsinki Rural Municipality and back. Sixty-six athletes from 32 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres</span>

The men's 1500 metres event at the 1936 Olympic Games took place August 4 and August 6. Forty-three athletes from 27 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Kiwi Jack Lovelock in world record time. It was New Zealand's first medal in the 1500 metres. Glenn Cunningham's silver put the United States on the 1500 metres podium for the first time since 1920. Luigi Beccali did not successfully defend his 1932 gold, but took bronze to become the first man to win two medals in the event.

The men's 100 metres sprint event at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, England, we held at Wembley Stadium on 30 and 31 July. Sixty-three athletes from 33 nations competed; each nation was limited to 3 runners by rules set at the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by American Harrison Dillard, in a photo finish. Lloyd LaBeach of Panama won his nation's first medal in the men's 100 metres, a bronze. This was the first time a photo finish camera was used at an Olympic Games. The photo finish equipment consisted of a photoelectric cell, called the Magic Eye, produced by Swiss watchmaker Omega and a slit photography camera produced by the British Race Finish Recording Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres</span> Olympic athletics event

The men's 200 metres sprint event at the 1948 Summer Olympics took place between 2 August and 3 August. There were 51 competitors from 28 nations. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by American Mel Patton. His countryman Barney Ewell earned silver, making this the third consecutive Games the United States took the top two spots in the event. Lloyd La Beach's bronze gave Panama a medal in its debut in the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres</span>

The men's 400 metres sprint event at the 1948 Olympic Games took place between August 4 and August 5. Fifty-three athletes from 28 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Jamaican Arthur Wint coming from almost 10 meters back to catch teammate and world record holder Herb McKenley. This was Jamaica's first Olympic gold medal in any event, and broke a string of 3 straight American victories in the men's 400 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres</span>

The men's 800 metres event at the 1948 Olympic Games took place July 30, July 31 and August 2. Forty-one athletes from 24 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by the American Mal Whitfield. It was the first of Whitfield's two wins in the event, the second of four consecutive American victories, and the fifth overall United States win in the 800 metres. Arthur Wint earned Jamaica's first Olympic medal in any event with silver; he would take gold in the 400 metres a few days later. Marcel Hansenne took France's first 800 metres medal with bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles</span>

The men's 110 metres hurdles event at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games took place on 3 and 4 August. Twenty-eight athletes from 18 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by American William Porter. Porter's compatriots, Clyde Scott and Craig Dixon took 2nd and 3rd place. It was the third of nine consecutive American victories, and the ninth overall gold medal for the United States in the 110 metres hurdles. It was also the first of four consecutive American podium sweeps, and the fifth overall sweep by the United States in the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles</span> Olympic athletics event

The men's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games took place July 30 and July 31. There were 25 competitors from 17 nations. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by American Roy Cochran. It was the nation's second consecutive and seventh overall victory in the event. Duncan White won Ceylon's first Olympic medal in any event with his silver. As of the 2016 Games, it remains the only medal won by a male competitor from Ceylon/Sri Lanka; the nation has won one other medal, Susanthika Jayasinghe's silver in the 2000 women's 200 metres. Sweden's first medal in the men's 400 metres hurdles was won by Rune Larsson, taking bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump</span>

The men's triple jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on 3 August 1948. Twenty-eight athletes from 17 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Arne Åhman of Sweden. It was Sweden's first victory in the event since 1912, and first medal since 1932. Australia reached the podium for the second Games in a row with Gordon George Avery's silver. Turkey received a medal in its first appearance in the triple jump with Ruhi Sarialp's bronze; it was the only track and field athletics medal won by Turkey in the 1900s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump</span>

The men's high jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on July 30, 1948. Twenty-seven athletes from 16 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by John Winter of Australia. It was Australia's first victory in the men's high jump, and only the second time a jumper from outside the United States had won. Bjorn Paulson earned Norway's first medal in the event with a silver. George Stanich took bronze, keeping alive the United States' streak of medaling in every edition of the men's high jump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault</span>

The men's pole vault event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Nineteen athletes from 10 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The competition was held on July 31 and August 2. During the final, a rainstorm came in during the jumps at 4.10. All the jumpers at 4.20 and higher had to deal with wet conditions on the runway and with their poles. The final was won by American Guinn Smith. Erkki Kataja had held the lead with a perfect set of jumps until Smith's last attempt clearance of 4.30. Smith's win was the United States' 11th consecutive victory in the men's pole vault. Kataja's silver was Finland's first medal in the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put</span>

The men's shot put event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Twenty-four athletes from 15 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The competition was held on 3 August. The final was won by American Wilbur Thompson. Thompson's compatriots, Jim Delaney and Jim Fuchs took 2nd and 3rd place. It was the ninth time that an American had won the event, and the fifth time that the Americans had swept the medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw</span>

The men's discus throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Twenty-eight athletes from 18 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The competition was held on August 2. The final was won by Adolfo Consolini of Italy. It was the nation's first victory in the men's discus throw; Italy had previously taken bronze in 1936. Giuseppe Tosi earned silver to put Italy in the top two places. Fortune Gordien of the United States won bronze, keeping the Americans on the podium in each appearance of the men's discus throw to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw</span> Olympic athletics event

The men's hammer throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on July 31. There were 24 competitors from 17 nations. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Imre Németh of Hungary. It was the nation's first medal in the men's hammer throw. Ivan Gubijan of Yugoslavia took silver; that nation also earned its first medal in the event. Robert Bennett of the United States received the bronze medal, returning the American team to the podium after a one-Games absence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres</span>

The men's 1500 metres event at the 1952 Olympics took place between July 24 and July 26. Fifty-two athletes from 26 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by Josy Barthel of Luxemburg; to date, this is the only Olympic gold medal won by a Luxembourger, though Luxembourg-born Michel Théato is credited for winning the 1900 Marathon for France. Germany won its first medal in the 1500 metres with Werner Lueg's bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon</span>

The men's marathon event at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games took place on August 7. Forty-one athletes from 21 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The race was won by Delfo Cabrera of Argentina, the nation's second victory in three Games. Tom Richards's silver medal put Great Britain on the podium for the third time in a row, while Étienne Gailly earned Belgium's first marathon medal with his bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres</span>

The men's 1500 metres competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, was held at the Olympic Stadium on 3–7 August. Forty-three athletes from 29 nations competed. The event was won by Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria, the nation's first title and medal in the event since 1996. Leonel Manzano's silver was the first medal for the United States in the men's 1500 metres since 1968. Morocco earned its fourth medal in six Games with Abdalaati Iguider's bronze. Kenya's four-Games podium streak ended.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "1500 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. "Athletics at the 1948 London Games: Men's 1500 metres". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. 1 2 Official Report, p. 249.
  4. Volker Kluge, Olympische Sommerspiele: Die Chronik II. As described in Olympedia.
  5. Ekkehard zur Megede, Olympic Century. As described in Olympedia.
  6. Track & Field News, 1948. As described in Olympedia.

Notes