1956 Summer Olympics / Athletics

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Athletics at the
XVI. Olympic Games
Olympic rings
athletics
information
Date: November 23 to December 1
Competition location: AustraliaAustralia Melbourne
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Decisions: Men: 24 / women: 9
Participating nations: 59
Attendees: Men: 570 / women: 148
Helsinki 1952 Rome 1960
1956 Olympic Games logo
1956 Olympic Games
(athletics medal table)
space team Gold medals Silver medals Bronze medals Total
1 United States 48United States United States 16 10 5 31
2 Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union Soviet Union 5 7th 10 22nd
3 AustraliaAustralia Australia 4th 2 6th 12
4th United KingdomUnited Kingdom Great Britain 1 4th 2 7th
5 Poland 1944Poland Poland 1 1 - 2
6th NorwayNorway Norway 1 - 2 3
7th CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 1 - 1 2
8th Brazil 1889Brazil Brazil 1 - - 1
France 1946Fourth French Republic France 1 - - 1
IrelandIreland Ireland 1 - - 1
New ZealandNew Zealand New Zealand 1 - - 1
12 Germany team all German 1956All-German team Germany - 5 2 7th
13 Hungary 1956Hungary Hungary - 2 - 2
14th ChileChile Chile - 1 - 1
IcelandIceland Iceland - 1 - 1
YugoslaviaYugoslavia Yugoslavia - 1 - 1
17th FinlandFinland Finland - - 3 3
18th Kingdom of GreeceKingdom of Greece Greece - - 1 1
SwedenSweden Sweden - - 1 1

At the XVI. Olympic Games 1956 in Melbourne found 33 competitions in athletics instead.

The venue and its special features

For the first time, the Olympic Games took place on the Australian continent . This meant that the competitions due to the position of Australia on the southern hemisphere were held at a time when in Europe and North America the athletics season rests - a special challenge for the athletes from the continents of the Northern Hemisphere . The end of November / beginning of December normally represents a transition phase between summer and indoor seasons in the northern continents. The athletes usually use this to incorporate special training elements with a view to preparing for the upcoming highlights, which is of course completely different had to expire.

Participants and boycott issue

As with the last games in Helsinki, there were initially no restrictions on participation for certain nations.
A premiere took place here in the form of the appearance of an all-German team made up of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR . This construct was not without controversy and was discussed a lot in the IOC , in politics and among sports associations. In order to be competitive, considerable efforts were made, especially in the GDR. The aim of the GDR policy was to undermine the claim to sole representation for FRG Germany. For the West German politicians, however , an all-German team was still the lesser evil with regard to the possible alternative with two separate German teams. The team finally started under the official name "Équipe unifiée d'Allemagne" (EUA). As a hymn, a bit grudgingly agreed on Beethoven's "Hymn to Joy". The solution reached was very much welcomed by the IOC.

In addition, a special problem arose from two events of global political importance and with consequences for the Olympic Games in Melbourne . In connection with the Egyptian-Israeli war there were boycotts by Egypt , Iraq , Lebanon and Cambodia .
The invasion of Hungary by Soviet troops also had an impact ; against this background there were boycott threats from the Netherlands , Spain and Switzerland . The politicians in Germany were also considering banning West German athletes from participating in the games. The Netherlands, Spain and, for the most part, Switzerland, too, finally carried out their boycott threats, while the Federal Republic of Germany took part in Melbourne as part of an all-German team - as did Hungary itself. In addition, the People's Republic of China decided to stay away from the games a few weeks in advance because the Republic of China was allowed to participate.

Stadion

The venue was the Melbourne Cricket Ground , whose history dates back to 1853. The stadium was and is mainly used for sporting events in the fields of cricket and Australian football . It is the largest cricket stadium in the world.
A cinder track with the usual lap length of four hundred meters was available for the athletics events.

Competitions

The competition offer was identical to that of the last games in Helsinki , apart from a minor change . There were 24 disciplines for men and nine for women, who still had to be content with three individual runs - 100 meters , 200 meters and 80 meter hurdles . Furthermore, there was not a single medium or long haul . In addition, only the 4 x 100 meter relay was held in the running area . There were still two jumping disciplines with high and long jump as well as three push and throw competitions with the shot put , discus throw and javelin throw .
Only the length of the shorter walking distance in the men's program was changed. Instead of the previous ten, the distance has been extended to double the distance of twenty kilometers. To date - as of September 2017 - nothing has changed in the field of men's Olympic disciplines. For women, however, there were still numerous additions to be made for the future.

Sporting successes

The level of performance was also high at this major event. There were seven new or discontinued world records in seven disciplines. In a further nineteen disciplines, the Olympic record was improved or leveled twenty times.
As in all previous athletics games, the most successful nation was the United States with sixteen gold medals. With five Olympic victories, the Soviet Union was now well ahead of Australia in second place , which was four times at the top . All other nations achieved at most one Olympic victory in athletics.
There were two outstanding athletes in these games, both came from the sprint area and each won three gold medals over 100 meters . 200 meters and in the 4 x 100 meter relay :

Four athletes each won two gold medals in athletics at these games:

Results men

100 m

space athlete country Time (s)
1 Bobby Morrow United States 48United States United States 10.5
2 Thane Baker United States 48United States United States 10.5
3 Hector Hogan AustraliaAustralia OUT 10.6
4th Ira Murchison United States 48United States United States 10.6
5 Manfred Germar Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 10.7
6th Mike Agostini Trinidad and Tobago 1889Trinidad and Tobago TTO 10.7

Final on November 24th

200 m

space athlete country Time (s)
1 Bobby Morrow United States 48United States United States 20.6 WRe / OR
2 Andy Stanfield United States 48United States United States 20.7
3 Thane Baker United States 48United States United States 20.9
4th Mike Agostini Trinidad and Tobago 1889Trinidad and Tobago TRI 21.1
5 Boris Tokarev Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 21.2
6th José Telles da Conceição Brazil 1889Brazil BRA 21.3

Final on November 27th

400 m

space athlete country Time (s)
1 Charles Jenkins United States 48United States United States 46.7
2 Karl-Friedrich Haas Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 46.8
3 Voitto Hellstén FinlandFinland FIN 47.0
Ardalion Ignatiev Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS
5 Lou Jones United States 48United States United States 48.1
6th Malcolm Spence South Africa 1928South African Union RSA 48.3

Final on November 29th

800 m

space athlete country Time (min)
1 Tom Courtney United States 48United States United States 1: 47.7 OR
2 Derek Johnson United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1: 47.8
3 Audun Boysen NorwayNorway NOR 1: 48.1
4th Arnie Sowell United States 48United States United States 1: 48.3
5 Mike Farrell United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1: 49.2
6th Lonnie Spurrier United States 48United States United States 1: 49.3
7th Émile Leva BelgiumBelgium BEL 1: 51.8
8th Bill Butchart AustraliaAustralia OUT 1: 52.2

Final on November 26th

1500 m

space athlete country Time (min)
1 Ron Delany IrelandIreland IRL 3: 41.2 OR
2 Klaus Richtzenhain Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 3: 42.0
3 John Landy AustraliaAustralia OUT 3: 42.0
4th László Tábori Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 3: 42.4
5 Brian Hewson United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 3: 42.6
6th Stanislav Jungwirth CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 3: 42.6
7th Neville Scott New ZealandNew Zealand NZL 3: 42.8
8th Ian Boyd United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 3: 43.0

Final on December 1st

5000 m

space athlete country Time (min)
1 Volodymyr Kuz Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 13: 39.6 OR
2 Gordon Pirie United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 13: 50.6
3 Derek Ibbotson United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 13: 54.4
4th Miklós Szabó Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 14: 03.4
5 Albie Thomas AustraliaAustralia OUT 14: 04.6
6th László Tábori Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 14: 09.8
7th Nyandika Maiyoro British East AfricaBritish East Africa KEN 14: 19.0
8th Thyge Thøgersen DenmarkDenmark THE 14: 21.0
...
12 Herbert Schade Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 14: 31.8

Final on November 28th

10,000 m

space athlete country Time (min)
1 Volodymyr Kuz Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 28: 45.6 OR
2 József Kovács Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 28: 52.4
3 Allan Lawrence AustraliaAustralia OUT 28: 53.6
4th Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Poland 1944Poland POLE 29: 05.0
5 Ken Norris United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 29: 21.6
6th Ivan Chernyavskyi Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 29: 31.6
7th Dave Power AustraliaAustralia OUT 29: 49.2
8th Gordon Pirie United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 29: 49.6

Date: November 23

marathon

space athlete country Time (h)
1 Alain Mimoun France 1946Fourth French Republic FRA 2:25:00
2 Franjo Mihalic YugoslaviaYugoslavia YUG 2:26:32
3 Veikko Karvonen FinlandFinland FIN 2:27:47
4th Lee Chang-hoon Korea Sud 1949South Korea COR 2:28:45
5 Yoshiaki Kawashima Japan 1870Japan JPN 2:29:19
6th Emil Zatopek CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 2:29:34
7th Ivan Filin Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 2:30:37
8th Evert Nyberg SwedenSweden SWE 2:31:12

Date: December 1st

110 m hurdles

space athlete country Time (s)
1 Lee Calhoun United States 48United States United States 13.5 OR
2 Jack Davis United States 48United States United States 13.5 OR
3 Joel Shankle United States 48United States United States 14.1
4th Martin Lauer Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 14.5
5 Stanko Lorger YugoslaviaYugoslavia YUG 14.5
6th Boris Stolyarov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 14.6

Final on November 26th

400 m hurdles

space athlete country Time (s)
1 Glenn Davis United States 48United States United States 50.1 ORe
2 Eddie Southern United States 48United States United States 50.8
3 Josh Culbreath United States 48United States United States 51.6
4th Yuri Lituev Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 51.7
5 David Lean AustraliaAustralia OUT 51.8
6th Gert Potgieter South Africa 1928South African Union RSA 56.0

Final on November 24th

3000 m obstacle

space athlete country Time (min)
1 Chris Brasher United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 8: 41.2 OR
2 Sándor Rozsnyói Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 8: 43.6
3 Ernst Larsen NorwayNorway NOR 8: 44.0
4th Heinz Laufer Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 8: 44.4
5 Semyon Rshishchin Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 8: 44.6
6th John Disley United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 8: 44.6
7th Neil Robbins AustraliaAustralia OUT 8: 50.0
8th Eric Shirley United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 8: 57.0

Final on November 29th

4 × 100 m relay

Final on December 1st

4 × 400 m relay

Final on December 1st

20 km walking

space athlete country Time (h)
1 Leonid Spirin Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 1:31:28 OR
2 Antanas Mikėnas Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 1:32:03
3 Bruno Junk Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 1:32:12
4th John Ljunggren SwedenSweden SWE 1:32:24
5 Stan Vickers United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1:32:35
6th Donald Keane AustraliaAustralia OUT 1:33:52
7th George Coleman United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1:34:02
8th Roland Hardy United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1:34:41

Date: November 28th

50 km of walking

space athlete country Time (h)
1 Norman Read New ZealandNew Zealand NZL 4:30:43
2 Yevgeny Maskinskov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 4:32:57
3 John Ljunggren SwedenSweden SWE 4:35:02
4th Abdon Pamich ItalyItaly ITA 4:39:00
5 Antal Róka Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 4:50:09
6th Ray Smith AustraliaAustralia OUT 4:56:08
7th Adolf Weinacker United States 48United States United States 5:00:16
8th Albert Johnson United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 5:02:19

Date: November 24th

high jump

space athlete country Height (m)
1 Charles Dumas United States 48United States United States 2.12 OR
2 Chilla Porter AustraliaAustralia OUT 2.10
3 Igor Kashkarov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 2.08
4th Stig Pettersson SwedenSweden SWE 2.06
5 Ken Money Canada 1921Canada CAN 2.03
6th Volodymyr Sitkin Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 2.00
7th Phil Reavis United States 48United States United States 2.00
Colin Ridgeway AustraliaAustralia OUT 2.00

Final on November 23rd

Pole vault

space athlete country Height (m)
1 Bob Richards United States 48United States United States 4.56 OR
2 Bob Gutowski United States 48United States United States 4.53
3 Georgios Roumbanis Kingdom of GreeceKingdom of Greece GRE 4.50
4th George Mattos United States 48United States United States 4.35
5 Ragnar Lundberg SwedenSweden SWE 4.25
6th Zenon Ważny Poland 1944Poland POLE 4.25
7th Eeles Landström FinlandFinland FIN 4.25
8th Manfred Preussger Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 4.25

Final on November 26th

Long jump

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Greg Bell United States 48United States United States 7.83
2 John Bennett United States 48United States United States 7.68
3 Jorma Valkama FinlandFinland FIN 7.48
4th Dmytro Bondarenko Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 7.44
5 Karim Olowu Nigeria 1914Nigeria NGR 7.36
6th Kazimierz Kropidłowski Poland 1944Poland POLE 7.30
7th Neville Price South Africa 1928South African Union RSA 7.28
8th Oleg Fyodoseyev Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 7.27

Final on November 24th

Triple jump

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Adhemar da Silva Brazil 1889Brazil BRA 16.35 OR
2 Vilhjálmur Einarsson IcelandIceland ISL 16.26
3 Witold Krejer Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 16.02
4th Bill Sharpe United States 48United States United States 15.88
5 Martin Řehák CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 15.85
6th Leonid Shcherbakov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 15.80
7th Kōji Sakurai Japan 1870Japan JPN 15.73
8th Teruji Kogake Japan 1870Japan JPN 15.64

Final on November 27th

Shot put

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Parry O'Brien United States 48United States United States 18.57 OR
2 Bill Nieder United States 48United States United States 18.18
3 Jíři Skobla CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 17.65
4th Ken Bantum United States 48United States United States 17.48
5 Boris Belyayev Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 16.96
6th Erik Uddebom SwedenSweden SWE 16.65
7th Karl-Heinz Wegmann Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 16.63
8th Georgios Tsakanikas Kingdom of GreeceKingdom of Greece GRE 16.56

Final on November 28th

Discus throw

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Al Oerter United States 48United States United States 56.36 OR
2 Fortune Gordia United States 48United States United States 54.81
3 The cook United States 48United States United States 54.40
4th Mark Pharaoh United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 54.27
5 Oto Grigalka Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 52.37
6th Adolfo Consolini ItalyItaly ITA 52.21
7th Ferenc Klics Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 51.82
8th Dako Radosevic YugoslaviaYugoslavia YUG 51.69

Final on November 27th

Hammer throw

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Hal Connolly United States 48United States United States 63.19 OR
2 Mikhail Krivonosov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 63.03
3 Anatoly Samotsvetov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 62.56
4th Albert Hall United States 48United States United States 61.96
5 József Csermák Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 60.70
6th Krešimir Račić YugoslaviaYugoslavia YUG 60.36
7th Dmytro Jehorow Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 60.22
8th Sverre Strandli NorwayNorway NOR 59.21

Final on November 24th

Javelin throw

space athlete country Width (m)
1 Egil Danielsen NorwayNorway NOR 85.71 WR
2 Janusz Sidło Poland 1944Poland POLE 79.98
3 Viktor Zybulenko Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 79.50
4th Herbert Koschel Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 74.68
5 Jan Kopyto Poland 1944Poland POLE 74.28
6th Giovanni Lievore ItalyItaly ITA 72.88
7th Michel Macquet France 1946Fourth French Republic FRA 71.84
8th Alexander Gorshkov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 70.32

Final on November 26th

Decathlon

space athlete country P - official value. P - 85 value.
1 Milt Campbell United States 48United States United States 7937 WR 7565
2 Rafer Johnson United States 48United States United States 7587 7422
3 Vasily Kuznetsov Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 7465 7330
4th Uno Palu Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 6930 7028
5 Martin Lauer Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 6853 6910
6th Walter Meier Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 6773 6910
7th Torbjörn Lassenius FinlandFinland FIN 6565 6782
8th Yang Chuan-Kwang TaiwanRepublic of China (Taiwan) TWN 6521 6695

Date: 29./30. November

Results women

100 m

space Athlete country Time (s)
1 Betty Cuthbert AustraliaAustralia OUT 11.5
2 Christa Stubnick Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 11.7
3 Marlene Mathews AustraliaAustralia OUT 11.7
4th Isabelle Daniels United States 48United States United States 11.8
5 Giuseppina Leone ItalyItaly ITA 11.9
6th Heather Armitage United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 12.0

Final on November 26th

200 m

space Athlete country Time (s)
1 Betty Cuthbert AustraliaAustralia OUT 23.4 ORe
2 Christa Stubnick Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 23.7
3 Marlene Mathews AustraliaAustralia OUT 23.8
4th Norma Croker AustraliaAustralia OUT 24.0
5 June Paul United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 24.3
6th Gisela Koehler Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 24.3

Final on November 30th

80 m hurdles

space Athlete country Time (s)
1 Shirley Strickland de la Hunty AustraliaAustralia OUT 10.7 OR
2 Gisela Koehler Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 10.9
3 Norma Thrower AustraliaAustralia OUT 11.0
4th Galina Bystrowa Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 11.0
5 Maria Golubnichaya Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 11.3
6th Gloria Cooke AustraliaAustralia OUT 11.4

Final on November 28th

4 × 100 m relay

Final on December 1st

high jump

space Athlete country Height (m)
1 Mildred McDaniel United States 48United States United States 1.76 WR
2 Maria Pissareva Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 1.67
Thelma Hopkins United KingdomUnited Kingdom GBR 1.67
4th Gunhild Larking SwedenSweden SWE 1.67
5 Iolanda Balaș Romania 1952Romania ROME 1.67
6th Michele Mason AustraliaAustralia OUT 1.67
7th Mary Donaghy New ZealandNew Zealand NZL 1.67
8th Hermina Geyser South Africa 1928South African Union RSA 1.64
Jiřina Vobořilová CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 1.64
...
18th Inge Kilian Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 1.55

Final on December 1st

Long jump

space Athlete country Width (m)
1 Elżbieta Krzesińska Poland 1944Poland POLE 6.35 WRe
2 Willye White United States 48United States United States 6.09
3 Nadezhda Dwalishvili Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 6.07
4th Erika fish Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 5.89
5 Marthe Lambert France 1946Fourth French Republic FRA 5.88
6th Valentina Schaprunowa Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 5.85
7th Beverly Weigel New ZealandNew Zealand NZL 5.85
8th Nancy Borwick AustraliaAustralia OUT 5.82
...
10 Helga Hoffmann Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 5.73

Final on November 27th

Krzesińska set her world record on August 20, 1956 in the second attempt .

Shot put

space Athlete country Width (m)
1 Tamara Tyschkewitsch Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 16.59 OR
2 Galina Sybina Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 16.53
3 Marianne Werner Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 15.61
4th Sinaida Doinikova Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 15.54
5 Valerie Sloper New ZealandNew Zealand NZL 15.34
6th Earlene Brown United States 48United States United States 15.12
7th Regina Branner AustriaAustria AUT 14.60
8th Nada Kotlušek YugoslaviaYugoslavia YUG 14.56

Final on November 30th

Discus throw

space Athlete country Width (m)
1 Olga Fikotová CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 53.69 OR
2 Irina Beglyakova Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 52.54
3 Nina Ponomaryova Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 52.02
4th Earlene Brown United States 48United States United States 51.35
5 Albina Jelkina Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 48.20
6th Isabel Avellan ArgentinaArgentina ARG 46.73
7th Jiřina Vobořilová CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 45.84
8th Štěpánka Mertová CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 45.78
...
10 Marianne Werner Germany team all German 1956All-German team EUA 43.34

Final on November 23rd

Javelin throw

space Athlete country Width (m)
1 Inese Jaunzeme Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 53.86 OR
2 Marlene Ahrens ChileChile CHI 50.38
3 Nadezhda Konjayeva Soviet Union 1955Soviet Union URS 50.28
4th Dana Zátopková CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia TCH 49.83
5 Ingrid Almqvist SwedenSweden SWE 49.74
6th Urszula Figwer Poland 1944Poland POLE 48.16
7th Erzsébet Vígh Hungary 1956Hungary HUN 48.07
8th Karen Anderson United States 48United States United States 48.00

Final on November 28th

Individual evidence

  1. Official Report of the 1956 Olympic Games , p. 269 (English) at library.la84.org (PDF), accessed on October 1, 2017
  2. Elke Brick, The All-German Olympic Teams - A Paradox in Sports History? , Dissertation by the Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science at Bielefeld University, May 2013, pp. 114–128 (PDF), accessed on October 1, 2017
  3. History of Olympic Boycotts and Exclusions , Melbourne 1956 Summer Olympics section on sputniknews.com, accessed October 1, 2017
  4. Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on australia.com, accessed October 1, 2017

literature

Ekkehard zur Megede , The History of Olympic Athletics, Volume 2: 1948–1968, Verlag Bartels & Wernitz KG, Berlin, 2nd edition 1970, pp. 119–168

Web links

Video