1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics

Athletics at the 1908 Olympic Games
information
venue	White City Stadium
Competition venue	London
Athletes	431
date	July 13 to July 25, 1908
decisions	26th
← St. Louis 1904 Stockholm 1912 →

Olympic Games 1908 (athletics medal table)
space	team				Total
1	United States	16	10	8th	34
2	Great Britain	7th	7th	3	17th
3	Sweden	2	-	3	5
4th	Canada	1	1	4th	6th
5	South Africa	1	1	-	2
6th	Greece	-	3	-	3
7th	Norway	-	1	2	3
8th	Germany	-	1	1	2
	France	-	1	1	2
	Hungary	-	1	1	2
11	Italy	-	1	-	1
12	Australasia	-	-	1	1
	Finland	-	-	1	1

At the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908 , 26 athletics competitions were held. The venue was the White City Stadium and the marathon started at Windsor Castle .

Special features of the medal award

In the pole vault , two gold, no silver and three bronze medals were awarded, in the 400-meter run alone one gold medal and no other precious metal . In the high jump , there were three silver, in the standing high jump two silver medals and a bronze medal each no. A total of 79 medals were awarded, 27 gold, 27 silver and 25 bronze.

Attendees

In most competitions, each nation could register up to twelve participants. In the relay and in the 3-mile team race, one team was allowed per country, in the relay race up to four substitute runners were allowed. In the team race over the long distance , five athletes from each nation started, whereby only the first three were rated.

As in the previous three games, only men were allowed. Women could not participate until 1928 .

Competitions

There have been a number of changes in the competition offering.

• The following disciplines were removed from the program: 60-meter run , 200-meter hurdles , standing triple jump , weight throwing , three-way combat , decathlon . So temporarily there was no more all-around competition. However, this was resumed in 1912 .
• New to the program: 5-mile run (8047 m) - first single long distance on the track, Olympic relay - a first relay ever, 3500-meter walk , 10-mile walk (16.093 m) - the first two walking competitions, Javelin throw - with two variants: center grip and free grip. In the discus throw , a so-called "Greek style" was used once at the Olympic Games - for more information, see the discipline description below.
• The obstacle course was held over a distance of 3200 meters, the team race over 3 miles (4828 m).

The competitions were only open to amateurs and were conducted in accordance with the regulations of the Amateur Athletic Association, the then British athletics federation. These regulations included a ban on obstructing another runner - a rule that should play an important role in the 400-meter run .

Sporting successes

After the completely one-sided outcome at the Olympic Games in 1904 , the national ranking took on a somewhat familiar picture. With sixteen gold medals, the USA was very clearly ahead. But at least the British were able to win seven Olympic victories. Gold medals were only awarded to Sweden (2), Canada (1) and South Africa (1).

• The most successful participant was the American Mel Sheppard . He won both middle distances and was the final runner of the victorious Olympic relay .
• There were four two-time Olympic champions in London :
  • Martin Sheridan , USA - both discus throwing competitions , plus bronze in the standing long jump
  • George Larner , Great Britain - both walking competitions
  • Ray Ewry , USA - both competitions in standing jumping
  • Eric Lemming , Sweden - both javelin competitions .
• With Raymond Ewry, an outstanding athlete ended his Olympic career as a specialist in all standing jumping competitions. Here in London he won his seventh and eighth gold medal, which he had won at three Olympic Games since 1900 . He decided all the standing jumping competitions that had ever been held at the Olympic Games for himself. In his youth he suffered from polio, was dependent on a wheelchair and had trained his leg muscles to overcome this disease, which ultimately contributed to his great success.
• The American John Flanagan won his third hammer throw gold medal in a row and had won all Olympic hammer throw competitions since this discipline was included in the Olympic program in 1900 .

Results

100 m

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 100 m (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (s)
1	Reggie Walker	RSA	10.8 ORe
2	James Rector	United States	Estimated 10.8
3	Robert Kerr	CAN	11.0 estimated
4th	Nate Cartmell	United States	11.2 estimated

Date: July 20-22

60 runners from 16 countries took part. The participants of the intermediate runs were determined in 17 preliminary runs. Among others, the Swedish world record holder Knut Lindberg retired. The winners of the four intermediate runs qualified for the final.
There the South African Walker made a lightning start. The American Rector was able to catch up with him at half the distance and it seemed as if he could overtake Walker. But Walker countered this attack, pulled away and won by a tenth of a second - Walker's actual time was 10.7 s, but was officially rounded up to 10.8 s according to the regulations at the time. There was a similarly close decision in the battle for the bronze medal, which the Canadian Kerr won with a lead of a few centimeters.

200 m

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 200 m (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (s)
1	Robert Kerr	CAN	22.6
2	Robert Cloughen	United States	22.6
3	Nate Cartmell	United States	22.7
4th	George Hawkins	GBR	22.8

Date: July 21-23

43 runners from 15 countries took part in this competition. 15 preliminary heats were planned, but there was only one runner in two of them because the others had withdrawn their registration. The preliminary winners competed against each other in four intermediate runs, the winners of which qualified for the final.
Robert Kerr was able to save his narrow lead to the finish after a fast corner run and surprisingly won the gold medal. The American Cloughen jumped across the finish line with a pike, but missed the win by a few centimeters.

400 m

Single-handed Olympic champion: Wyndham Halswelle from Great Britain

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 400 m (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (s)
1	Wyndham neck shaft	GBR	50.0
	John Carpenter	United States	DSQ
	William Robbins	United States	DNS
	John Taylor	United States

Date: July 20th to 23rd and 25th

36 runners from eleven countries took part in this competition. 16 preliminary runs were planned; in one of them there was no runner at all and in a second there was only one athlete at the start. The preliminary winners competed against each other in four intermediate runs, in which the fastest qualified for the final.

The final of the 400-meter race on July 23rd is one of the most controversial events in Olympic history. At the beginning of the home stretch the American William Robbins led , but was overtaken by his compatriot John Carpenter and the Briton Wyndham Halswelle . Carpenter now pushed Halswelle violently to the outside and crossed the finish line first. This was allowed under American rules, but the relevant British rules provided for a strict ban on disabilities. After heated discussions and a hearing in the evening, Carpenter was disqualified.

The final was rescheduled two days later, this time the route was marked with four individual tracks. But the two Americans William Robbins and John Taylor expressed their solidarity with their disqualified compatriot Carpenter and decided not to start to protest the jury's decision. So Halswelle was the only participant, crossed the finish line in an easy 50.0 seconds and received the gold medal. The silver and bronze medals were not awarded.

800 m

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 800 m (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (min)
1	Mel Sheppard	United States	1: 52.8 WR
2	Emilio Lunghi	ITA	1: 54.2
3	Hanns Braun	GER	1: 55.2
4th	Ödön Bodor	HUN	1: 55.4
5	Theodore Just	GBR	1: 56.4
6th	John Halstead	United States	k. A.
	Clarke Beard	United States	DNF
	Ivo Fairbairn-Crawford	GBR

Date: July 20th and 21st

38 or 39 runners from eleven countries had registered for this competition. There were eight preliminary heats, the winners of which qualified directly for the final. The US delegation successfully protested against the fact that their strongest runners - Mel Sheppard and John Halstead - had already met in the run-up.
In the final first led the British Ivo Fairbairn-Crawford; but he was so exhausted that he had to give up the race at the end of the first lap. Sheppard took the lead, shook off his pursuers and steadily increased his lead. He won the gold medal, beating James Lightbody's Olympic record by 3.2 seconds. At the same time, this was a new world record . In the battle for third place, Hanns Braun intercepted Theodore Just, who was losing a lot, but had to fend off the final attack by Ödön Bodor.

1500 m

Final entry with Melvin Sheppard at the top as Olympic champion

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 1500 m (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (min)
1	Mel Sheppard	United States	4: 03.4 ORe
2	Harold Wilson	GBR	4: 03.6
3	Norman Hallows	GBR	4: 04.0
4th	John Tait	CAN	4: 06.8
5	Ivo Fairbairn-Crawford	GBR	4: 07.6
6th	Joe Deakin	GBR	4: 07.9
	James Sullivan	United States	DNF
	Ernest Loney	GBR

Date: July 13th and 14th

44 runners from 15 countries took part in this competition. In the preliminary stages, the winners qualified for the final. This regulation had the consequence that the Italian Emilio Lunghi was eliminated with 4: 03.8 min. His time would have been enough for a medal in the final, but Lunghi was only second to Norman Hallows in his semifinals. After all, Lunghi received an honorary diploma for his performance and won the silver medal over 800 meters a week later .
In the first 500 meters of the final run, Ivo Fairbairn-Crawford led, but fell back. A group of three consisting of Wilson, Hallows and Sheppard took the lead. With a final sprint on the last straight, Sheppard finally prevailed, equalized the Olympic record set by Hallows in the semifinals and won the gold medal.

5 miles (8047 m)

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 5 miles (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (min)
1	Emil Voigt	GBR	25: 11.2 OR
2	Edward Owen	GBR	25: 24.0
3	John Svanberg	SWE	25: 37.2
4th	Charles Hefferon	RSA	25: 44.0
5	Archie Robertson	GBR	26: 13.0
6th	Frederick Meadows	CAN	k. A.
7th	John Fitzgerald	CAN
8th	Frederick Bellars	United States

Date: July 15th and 18th

35 runners from 14 countries were registered for this competition. Qualification for the final took place in six semi-finals. Their winners and the four fastest runners-up came into the final.
There were several changes at the top during the final run. After the first mile, Edward Owen was leading with an intermediate time of 4: 46.2 minutes. Then the South African Hefferon took the lead. It passed the 2-mile mark after 9: 54.2 minutes and the 3-mile mark after 15: 05.6 minutes. After four miles, John Svanberg was ahead with a time of 20: 19.2 minutes. Until then, the Briton Emil Voigt had kept tactically in the background, but then sprinted forward, overtook his competitors and finally won by over twelve seconds.

marathon

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - marathon (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (h)
1	John Hayes	United States	2: 55: 18.4 OR
2	Charles Hefferon	RSA	2: 56: 06.0
3	Joseph Forshaw	United States	2: 57: 10.4
4th	Alton Welton	United States	2: 59: 44.4
5	William Wood	CAN	3: 01: 44.0
6th	Frederick Simpson	CAN	3: 04: 28.2
7th	Harry Lawson	CAN	3: 06: 47.2
8th	John Svanberg	SWE	3: 07: 50.8

Date: July 24th

Dorando Pietri is pushed across the finish line by doctors and judges

56 runners from 16 countries registered for the marathon. It was the first event over the distance of 42.195 kilometers that is common today. In previous years, the races had usually been held over 25 miles or 40 km. So initially a distance of 25 miles was measured from the White City Stadium . This only reached as far as the Barnespool Bridge in Eton . But since Windsor Castle had already been set as the starting point, the distance had to be lengthened by exactly one mile. If the length of the track had been retained, the race would have ended at the stadium entrance. So 385 yards had to be added to the finish in front of the royal box  . This resulted in 42.195 km. As more and more marathon events took over the London route length in the following years, the IAAF decided in May 1921 to officially set this down in the rules.

At a signal from Crown Princess Maria von Teck , OK President Lord Desborough fired the starting gun at 2:30 p.m. The run took place in sunshine and high temperatures. After the fifth mile led a group of six with four British, the Italian Dorando Pietri and the South African Charles Hefferon . But this group started the race too quickly and was gradually falling apart. At the front, Hefferon continuously expanded his lead and was 3:52 minutes ahead of Pietri after 20 miles (32.2 km). But Pietri suddenly accelerated - which leads to the suspicion that he was doped with strychnine sulfate. Hefferon collapsed unexpectedly after 22 miles (35.4 km), was overtaken by Pietri at mile 25 and a little later by John Hayes. Pietri arrived at the fully occupied White City Stadium with a big lead, only half a round of the stadium separated him from a certain Olympic victory. But he had exhausted himself completely, was dazed and initially turned in the wrong direction. When the referees showed him the right way to the goal, Pietri collapsed completely exhausted. He was able to get up again, but fell three more times in the last 350 meters. Ten meters from the finish he collapsed for the fifth time, whereupon he was pushed across the finish line by some sympathetic doctors and judges. 32 seconds after Pietri, Hayes also crossed the finish line.
Pietri had to be disqualified because of the unauthorized assistance, but received a gold cup from Queen Alexandra the following day for his performance. Olympic champion Hayes, who had received far less attention, was seated on a table by his American team-mates and carried around the stadium cheerfully.

The Sherlock Holmes -author Arthur Conan Doyle wrote for the newspaper Daily Mail to announce a detailed and emotional account of this event, who did much the story of Dorando Pietri. At the same time, Doyle called for donations for the Italian. Doyle's dedication is likely the reason for the popular legend that he himself helped Pietri cross the finish line.

110 m hurdles

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 110 m hurdles (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (s)
1	Forrest Smithson	United States	15.0 WR
2	John Garrels	United States	15.7
3	Arthur Shaw	United States	15.8
4th	William Rand	United States	16.0

Date: July 23rd to 25th

25 runners from ten countries took part in this competition. The winners of the 14 preliminary runs came to the four intermediate runs. In these the four final places were awarded. All races were not held on the track, as is common today, but on grass. However, the number of hurdles as well as their height and spacing corresponded to today's regulations.
The superior winner of the final run was Forrest Smithson, who clearly undercut the previous world record set by the three Americans Alvin Kraenzlein , John Garrels and Arthur Shaw. The later widespread legend that he entered the race with a Bible in his left hand to protest against the event on a Sunday is proven to be false. First, there was no competition at all on Sunday, and second, the photo featured in the official report shows a post-race scene.

400 m hurdles

Charles Bacon and Harry Hillman shortly before the finish line in the 400 m hurdles final

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 400 m hurdles (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (s)
1	Charles Bacon	United States	55.0 WR
2	Harry Hillman	United States	55.3
3	Jimmy Tremeer	GBR	57.0
4th	Leslie Burton	GBR	58.0

Date: July 20-22

This competition shows how senseless the practice was to draw the preliminary runs after the registrations were received. 14 preliminary runs were planned, but there were only 15 runners from six countries at the start. There was only one participant in seven runs, and no one at all showed up for one run. There were therefore only real eliminations in four preliminary runs.
The preliminary winners determined the four finalists in four intermediate runs. Two Britons and two Americans met in the final. After about half the distance it was clear that the Americans would fight for victory among themselves. Charles Bacon pulled away on the home stretch and won the race with a new world record ahead of his predecessor Harry Hillman. According to the rules that apply today, he would actually have been disqualified because he briefly left his track. However, the referees found that he had covered a longer distance and had no advantage.

3200 m obstacle

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 3200 m obstacle (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (min)
1	Arthur Russell	GBR	10: 47.8 WBL
2	Arthur Robertson	GBR	10: 48.4
3	John Eisele	United States	11: 00.8
4th	Guy Holdaway	GBR	k. A.
5	Harry Sewell	GBR
6th	William Galbraith	CAN

Date: July 17th and 18th

Although the obstacle course has been on the Olympic program since 1900 with different route lengths and various obstacles, the length of 3000 meters that is common today was only introduced as standard in 1920 . In London, the race went over a distance of 3200 m for the first time and also for the last time, which roughly corresponded to the 2-mile races customary in Great Britain at the time. 24 runners from six countries were registered for this competition. The finalists were determined in six preliminary runs.
Guy Holdaway initially led the final, but soon had to let William Galbraith and Arthur Russell go. Halfway through the distance, Galbraith fell back while John Eisele caught up with Russell at the front. At the beginning of the last lap, Arthur Robertson passed Eisele, but he couldn't get to Russell.

Olympic relay

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Olympic relay (men)

space	country	Athletes	Time (min)
1	United States	William Hamilton Nate Cartmell John Taylor Mel Sheppard	3: 29.4
2	German Empire	Arthur Hoffmann Hans Eicke Otto Trieloff Hanns Braun	3: 32.4
3	Hungary	Pál Simon Frigyes Mezei József Nagy Ödön Bodor in the preliminary run also: Vilmos Rácz	3: 32.5

Date: July 25th

Seven relays with a total of 29 runners had registered for this competition. It was the first season ever in Olympic history, but it was only played once in this form. The run was in the order 200 m - 200 m - 400 m - 800 m. There were three preliminary heats, the winners of which qualified for the final.
William Hamilton brought the US relay straight into the lead and switched with about six meters ahead of Hungary, just behind Germany. With the next runner, the USA extended their lead, nothing changed in places two and three. John Taylor was by far the fastest on his 400-meter race, the USA was unmatchable. After a tough fight with Otto Trieloff, József Nagy created a lead of around five meters for the Hungarian final runner. The German final runner Hanns Braun, previously 800 meters third, gradually caught up with the 800 meter fourth Ödön Bodor and secured silver for the German relay with his final sprint. The winning time was weaker than the performance of the US team from the run-up.

3-mile team run (4828 m)

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - team run (men)

space	country	Athletes	Points
1	Great Britain	Joe Deakin 14: 35.6 (1st) Arthur Robertson 14: 41.0 (2nd) William Coales 14: 41.6 (3rd) outside of the rating: Harold Wilson 14: 57.0 (5th) Norman Hallows 15: 08.0 (7.)	06th
2	United States	John Eisele 14: 41.8 (4th) George Bonhag 15: 05.0 (6th) Herbert Trube 15: 11.0 (9th) outside the rating: Gayle Dull 15: 27.0 (10th) Harvey Cohn 15: 40.2 (12.)	19th
3	France	Louis Bonniot de Fleurac 15: 08.4 (8th) Joseph Dreher 15: 40.0 (11th) Paul Lizandier 16: 03.0 (13th) outside the rating: Jean Bouin DNF Alexandre Fayollat DNF	32

Date: July 14th and 15th

Six teams with three to a maximum of five runners were registered - a total of 28. H. the ranking values ​​were added, the order resulted from the sums sorted upwards. The performance of the three best runners on a team counted for the evaluation.
The qualification for the final took place in two semi-finals. Next came the best team and the better of the two second-placed teams. In the final, the British Deakin, Robertson and Coales took the first three places, which resulted in the best possible score of 6 (1 + 2 + 3). Joe Deakin's winning time was initially listed as 14: 39.6 minutes, but was actually 14: 35.6 minutes.

3500 m walking

Start of the finals

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - 3,500 m walking (men)

space	athlete	country	Time (min)
1	George Larner	GBR	14: 55.0 OR
2	Ernest Webb	GBR	15: 07.4
3	Harry Kerr	ANZ	15: 43.4
4th	George Goulding	CAN	15: 49.8
5	Albert Rowland	ANZ	16: 07.0
6th	Charles Vestergaard	THE	17: 21.8
7th	Einar Rothman	SWE	17: 50.0
	Ralph Harrison	GBR	DNF
	William Palmer	GBR

Date: July 14th

23 walkers from seven countries took part in this competition. This was held on the circular track in the stadium, so it was a competition in the track going. There were three preliminary rounds, in which the three fastest qualified for the final. The Briton Larner won this ahead of his compatriot Webb and Kerr, who started for the Australia / New Zealand team.

It was the first ever Olympic walking competition . There had been a first preview two years earlier at the Athens Interludes .

10 mile walk (16,093 m)

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Walk 10 Mile (Men)

space	athlete	country	Time (h)
1	George Larner	GBR	1: 15: 57.4 WR
2	Ernest Webb	GBR	1: 17: 31.0
3	Edward Spencer	GBR	1: 21: 20.2
4th	Frank Carter	GBR	1: 21: 20.2
5	Ernest Larner	GBR	1: 24: 26.2
	William Palmer	GBR	DNF
	Ralph Harrison	GBR	DNS
	Harry Kerr	ANZ

Date: July 16 and 17

This walking competition was also held in the form of track walking. 25 walkers from eight countries took part. These determined the finalists in two preliminary rounds, with the four fastest qualifying. Only the British competed for the final, as Harry Kerr, who started for Australasia - third over 3500 meters - did not start alongside the British Richard Harrison. George Larner was clearly superior to his competitors and set a world record .

high jump

American Olympic champion Harry Porter on a advertising card from 1910

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - high jump (men)

space	athlete	country	Height (m)
1	Harry Porter	United States	1.905 OR
2	Con Leahy	GBR	1,880
	István Somodi	HUN
	Géo André	FRA
5	Herbert Gidney	United States	1.853
	Tom Moffitt	United States
7th	Neil Patterson	United States	1,830

Date: July 21

22 jumpers from ten countries took part in this competition. The seven best of the qualification reached the final. It was won by the American Harry Porter, who, after making a decision, tried three times unsuccessfully to improve the world record of his compatriot Mike Sweeney - set in 1895 with 1.97 m. Three jumpers shared second place. In contrast to today, the number of unsuccessful attempts had no influence on the final result, there was still no failed or multiple attempt rule and after Somodi, Leahy and André were unable to improve in a jump-off for second place, they became silver medal winners together explained.

Pole vault

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - pole vault (men)

space	athlete	country	Height (m)
1	Edward Cook	United States	3.71 ORe
	Alfred Gilbert	United States	3.71 ORe
3	Edward Archibald	CAN	3.58
	Charles Jacobs	United States
	Bruno Söderström	SWE
6th	Georgios Banikas	GRE	3.50
	Samuel Bellah	United States
8th	Kálmán Szathmáry	HUN	3.35

Date: July 24th

14 jumpers from seven countries took part in this competition. Walter Dray, world record holder with 3.80 m, was not present. Allegedly, on the advice of his mother, he had decided not to travel to London because she was afraid her son might get injured. The eight best of the qualification made it to the final. When the competition reached its crucial stage, the spectators only focused on the dramatic end of the marathon. The judges did not play a jump-off, which is why two gold and three bronze medals were awarded. The gold medal was awarded twice because of the same height. It was won by the two Americans Edward Cook, one of the youngest Olympic champions of 1908 at the age of eighteen, and the 24-year-old Alfred Gilbert. Both set Cook's Olympic record from qualifying. Bronze was awarded three times for the same reason. The American Clare Jacobs, the Swede Bruno Söderström and the Canadian Edward Archibald took third place.

Long jump

Olympic Champion Frank Irons, USA

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - long jump (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Frank Irons	United States	7.48 OR
2	Daniel Kelly	United States	7.09
3	Calvin Bricker	CAN	7.08
4th	Edward Cook	United States	6.97
5	John Brennan	United States	6.86
6th	Frank Mount Pleasant	United States	6.82
7th	Albert Weinstein	GER	6.77
8th	Tim Ahearne	GBR	6.72

Date: July 22nd

31 jumpers from nine countries competed in this competition. In the qualification everyone had three attempts. These were counted in the final ranking. The three best then received three more attempts, but only the eventual winner Irons could improve. His compatriot Daniel Kelly won silver, the Canadian Calvin Bricker took bronze. Bricker finished second in the Olympics four years later in Stockholm . Olympic pole vault champion Edward Cook finished fourth in the long jump.

Triple jump

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Triple Jump (Men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Tim Ahearne	GBR	14.92 OR
2	Garfield MacDonald	CAN	14.76
3	Edvard Larsen	NOR	14.39
4th	Calvin Bricker	CAN	14.09
5	Platt Adams	United States	14.07
6th	Frank Mount Pleasant	United States	13.97
7th	Karl Fryksdahl	SWE	13.65
8th	John Brennan	United States	13.59

Date: July 25th

20 jumpers from eight countries took part in this competition. For the first time ever, the order in which the legs were used was precisely recorded in the regulations in the same form as it is today, i.e. left - left - right or right - right - left. Each participant had three attempts in the qualification, the three best received three more. Tim Ahearne won with an Olympic record , which was initially also proclaimed a world record . But detailed research revealed that the Irishman John Breshnihan had already jumped 15.34 m in 1906.

Standing vault

Eight-time Olympic champion Raymond Ewry, USA

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Standing vault (men)

space	athlete	country	Height (m)
1	Ray Ewry	United States	1.57
2	John Biller	United States	1.55
	Konstantinos Tsiklitiras	GRE
4th	Frank Holmes	United States	1.52
5	Platt Adams	United States	1.47
	Géo André	FRA
	Alfred Motté	FRA
8th	Léon Dupont	BEL	1.42
	Walter Henderson	GBR	1.42
	Wilhelm Blystad	NOR
	Frank Irons	United States
	Arthur Mallwitz	GER
	Svend Langkjær	THE

Date: July 23

On the high jump from the prior 22 Springer attended from eleven countries. At the beginning of the competition there were three qualification jumps; the top eight progressed and had three more attempts. Even if his superiority was no longer so clear, as in 1900 and 1904 , the standing jumping specialist Raymond Ewry also won here , achieving his eighth gold medal. He had won all standing jumping competitions that had ever been held at the Olympic Games, and here in London he had also won the standing long jump .

Stand long jump

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - standing long jump (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Ray Ewry	United States	3.33
2	Konstantinos Tsiklitiras	GRE	3.23
3	Martin Sheridan	United States	3.22
4th	John Biller	United States	3.21
5	Ragnar Ekberg	SWE	3.19
6th	Platt Adams	United States	3.11
	Frank Holmes	United States

Date: July 20th

25 jumpers from eleven countries took part in the long jump from a standing start . Raymond Ewry lived up to his role as a favorite and won ten centimeters ahead of Kostas Tsiklitiras. This Greek from Pylos had seen Ewry two years earlier at the 1906 Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens and had thus come to the sport.

Shot put

Olympic Champion Ralph Rose, USA. who played a dominant role in the shot put for years

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Shot put (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Ralph Rose	United States	14.21
2	Denis Horgan	GBR	13.62
3	John Garrels	United States	13.18
4th	Wesley Coe	United States	13.07
5	Edward Barrett	GBR	12.89
6th	Bill Horr	United States	12.83
7th	Jalmari Sauli	FIN	12.58
8th	Lee Talbott	United States	11.63

Date: July 16

26 participants from eight countries were present at this competition. In the qualification everyone had three attempts, the top three three more attempts afterwards. The world record holder and Olympic champion of 1904 Ralph Rose was considered a huge favorite and fulfilled expectations. The Irish Denis Horgan, who in 1900 and 1904 was not allowed to take part in the Olympic competitions as the world record holder at the time, was finally able to face the competition here. As a 39-year-old, he was past his performance peak, but was able to take home a silver medal. He started for the UK.

There are deviations in the literature from zur Megede , which are detailed in the main article on this discipline .

Discus throw (free style)

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Discus throw free style (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Martin Sheridan	United States	40.89 OR
2	Merritt Giffin	United States	40.70
3	Bill Horr	United States	39.45
4th	Verner Järvinen	FIN	39.43
5	Arthur Dearborn	United States	38.52
6th	Lee Talbott	United States	38.40
7th	György Luntzer	HUN	38.34
8th	André Tison	FRA	38.30

Date: July 16

42 throwers from eleven countries took part in this competition. The freestyle corresponds to today's usual throwing style with body rotation. The circle had a diameter of 2.50 meters. Each participant initially had three attempts. The three best were then entitled to three more attempts. There was a three-time US win, despite world record holder Arthur Dearborn only finishing fifth.

There are some minor and two major deviations in the sources, which are detailed in the detailed report on this discipline .

Discus throw (greek style)

Double Olympic discus winner from 1908 Martin Sheridan, USA, also gold medalist in the discus from 1904 and from the interludes in 1906

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Greek style discus throw (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Martin Sheridan	United States	38.00
2	Bill Horr	United States	37.32
3	Verner Järvinen	FIN	36.48
4th	Arthur Dearborn	United States	35.65
5	Michalis Dorizas	GRE	33.34
6th	Nikolaos Georgandas	GRE	33.20
7th	Istvan Mudin	HUN	33.11
8th	Wilbur Burroughs	United States	32.81

Date: July 18th

23 throwers from eight countries took part in this competition. Each participant had three attempts in the qualification, the three best had another three attempts available. This competition was introduced at the Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens in 1906 and disappeared again after 1908. There are different representations for carrying out this throwing. According to the sources, a platform measuring 80 × 70 cm was used, which was 15 cm high at the back and 5 cm in the direction of throwing. More details can be found in the main article on this discipline . The information that differs in the sources is also described in detail there.

Here in London , as in the free style, the American Martin Sheridan won. Marquis Bill Horr, bronze medalist in free style discus throwing, won silver this time. Verner Järvinen, father of the two future world-class athletes, Matti Järvinen - javelin thrower and Akilles Järvinen - decathlete , won the bronze medal after finishing fourth with the free style disc.

Hammer throw

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - hammer throw (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	John Flanagan	United States	51.92 OR
2	Matt McGrath	United States	51.18
3	Con Walsh	CAN	48.50
4th	Tom Nicolson	GBR	48.09
5	Lee Talbott	United States	47.87
6th	Bill Horr	United States	46.95
7th	Simon Gillis	United States	45.59
8th	Eric Lemming	SWE	43.06

Date: July 14th

19 throwers from eight countries took part. Each participant was allowed three attempts, the top three received three more attempts. The world record holder and Olympic champion of 1904 John Flanagan was a big favorite, but it was only with his last throw that he was able to take the lead. Flanagan has won all of the Olympic hammer throwing competitions since this discipline entered the Olympic program in 1900 .

Javelin throw (center grip)

The double javelin thrower from London Eric Lemming, Sweden

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Javelin throw center grip (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Eric Lemming	SWE	54.83 OR
2	Arne Halse	NOR	50.57
3	Otto Nilsson	SWE	47.11
4th	Aarne Salovaara	FIN	45.89
5	Arma's people	FIN	45.17
6th	Juho Halme	FIN	44.96
7th	Jalmari Sauli	FIN	k. A.
	Carl Bechler	GER	k. A.
	Evert Jakobsson	FIN
	John Johansen	NOR
	Jarl Jakobsson	FIN
	Charalambos Zouras	GRE
	Ernest May	GBR
	Henry Leeke	GBR
	Hugo Wieslander	SWE
	Jimmy Tremeer	GBR

Date: July 17th

16 throwers from six countries took part in this competition. The javelin was first part of the Olympic program in 1908 after it had a preview at the 1906 Olympic Intermediate Games . With the "central grip" variant, the thrower had to hold the spear in the middle and throw it from this grip position, which is also the style of throwing that is common today. Each thrower had three attempts in the qualification, in the final, which was exclusively occupied by Scandinavians, there were three more attempts each. The Swede Eric Lemming won by a clear margin.

Here, too, the sources contain partially different information on the results and the application of the technology - more details can be found in the main article on this discipline .

Javelin throw (free style)

→ Main article : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics - Free style javelin throw (men)

space	athlete	country	Width (m)
1	Eric Lemming	SWE	54.44 OR
2	Michalis Dorizas	GRE	51.36
3	Arne Halse	NOR	49.73
4th	Charalambos Zouras	GRE	48.61
5	Hugo Wieslander	SWE	47.55
6th	Arma's people	FIN	46.04
7th	Imre Mudin	HUN	45.96
8th	Jalmari Sauli	FIN	43.30

Date: July 15th

33 throwers from nine countries took part in this competition. In the freestyle variant, which, like the center grip version, had already been part of the program at the Olympic Intermediate Games in 1906 , the throwers held the spear with an outstretched arm at the rear end. During the approach the launcher was leaned against the front shoulder and held with the free hand. When it was thrown, the athlete finally hurled the javelin from the back of his arm, which was still extended, up and forward. This javelin variant was carried out once at the Olympic Games here in London . From the literature mentioned below, however, Kluge says , in contrast to Megede , that the majority of the participants used the "middle grip" that is common today and that no special technique was prescribed.

Eric Lemming won over and won his first gold medal.

literature

• Volker Kluge , Olympic Summer Games - The Chronicle I, Berlin 1997 ( ISBN 3-328-00715-6 )
• Ekkehard zur Megede , The history of Olympic athletics, Volume 1: 1896–1936, Verlag Bartels & Wernitz KG, Berlin, 2nd edition 1970

Web links

Commons : 1908 Summer Olympics / Athletics  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• IOC page on athletics at the 1908 Summer Games at olympic.org, accessed July 26, 2017
• Olympia 1908. Quirky Games , Spiegel Online April 27, 2008 at spiegel.de, accessed on July 26, 2017
• London sets quality standards on olympiastatistik.de, accessed on July 26, 2017
• Olympia special: 100 years of marathon distance on takethemagicstep.com, accessed on July 26, 2017
• The IV London Olympic Games 1908 from sportaholix.iphpbb3.com, accessed July 26, 2017
• London 1908: A win for the Olympics on sportschau.de, accessed on July 26, 2017
• Amazing moments at the Olympics in London , Frankfurter Rundschau December 26, 2012 on fr.de, accessed on July 26, 2017

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ekkehard zur Megede , The History of Olympic Athletics, Volume 1: 1896–1936, Verlag Bartels & Wernitz KG, Berlin, 2nd edition 1970, p. 79