Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics

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Athletics
at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Athletics pictogram.svg
No. of events26
  1904
1912  

At the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London, England, 26 athletics events were contested, all for men only. A total of 79 medals (27 gold, 27 silver, 25 bronze) were awarded.

Each nation was allowed to enter up to 12 competitors in most of the events. In the team races (the medley relay and the 3 mile team race), each nation entered one team. The medley relay was run by four athletes, with four alternates allowed. In the 3 mile team race, five athletes from each nation ran with only three counting.

The competition was restricted to amateurs, and was held under the rules of the British Amateur Athletic Association.

Medal summary

EventGoldSilverBronze
100 metres
details
Reggie Walker
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  South Africa
10.8 OR James Rector
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
(10.9) [lower-alpha 1] Robert Kerr
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
(11.0) [lower-alpha 2]
200 metres
details
Robert Kerr
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
22.6 Robert Cloughen
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
22.6 Nate Cartmell
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
22.7
400 metres
details
Wyndham Halswelle
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
50.0none awardednone awarded
800 metres
details
Mel Sheppard
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
1:52.8 WR Emilio Lunghi
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
1:54.2 Hanns Braun
Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany
1:55.2
1500 metres
details
Mel Sheppard
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
4:03.4 OR Harold Wilson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
4:03.6 Norman Hallows
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
4:04.0
5 miles
details
Emil Voigt
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
25:11.2 OR Edward Owen
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
25:24.0 John Svanberg
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
25:37.2
Marathon
details
Johnny Hayes
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
2:55:18.4 WR Charles Hefferon
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  South Africa
2:56:06.0 Joseph Forshaw
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
2:57:10.4
110 metres hurdles
details
Forrest Smithson
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
15.0 WR John Garrels
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
15.7 Arthur Shaw
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
15.8
400 metres hurdles
details
Charles Bacon
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
55.0 WR Harry Hillman
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
55.3 Jimmy Tremeer
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
57.0
3200 metres steeplechase
details
Arthur Russell
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
10:47.8 Arthur Robertson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
10:48.4 John Eisele
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
11:00.8
Medley relay
details
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
William Hamilton
Nate Cartmell
John Taylor
Mel Sheppard
3:29.4Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany  (GER)
Arthur Hoffmann
Hans Eicke
Otto Trieloff
Hanns Braun
3:32.4Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary  (HUN)
Pál Simon
Frigyes Wiesner
József Nagy
Ödön Bodor
3:32.5
3 miles team race
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
William Coales 14:41.6
Joe Deakin 14:39.6
Arthur Robertson 14:41.0
6 ptsUS flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
George Bonhag 15:05.0
John Eisele 14:41.8
Herbert Trube 15:11.0
19 ptsFlag of France.svg  France  (FRA)
Joseph Dreher 15:40.0
Louis de Fleurac 14:56.0
Paul Lizandier 15:56.6
32 pts
3500 metres walk
details
George Larner
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
14:55.0 WR Ernest Webb
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
15:07.4 Harry Kerr
Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg  Australasia
15:43.4
10 miles walk
details
George Larner
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
1:15:57.4 WR Ernest Webb
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
1:17:31.0 Edward Spencer
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
1:21:20.2
Long jump
details
Frank Irons
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
7.48 m OR Daniel Kelly
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
7.09 m Calvin Bricker
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
7.08 m
Triple jump
details
Tim Ahearne
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
14.92 m OR Garfield MacDonald
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
14.76 m Edvard Larsen
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
14.39 m
High jump
details
Harry Porter
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
1.90 m OR Géo André
Flag of France.svg  France
1.88 mnone awarded
Con Leahy
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
István Somodi
Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary
Pole vault
details
Edward Cook
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
3.71 m OR none awarded Edward Archibald
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
3.58 m
Clare Jacobs
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
Alfred Gilbert
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
Bruno Söderström
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Standing long jump
details
Ray Ewry
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
3.33 m Konstantinos Tsiklitiras
Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece
3.235 m Martin Sheridan
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
3.23 m
Standing high jump
details
Ray Ewry
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
1.57 m John Biller
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
1.55 mnone awarded
Konstantinos Tsiklitiras
Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece
Shot put
details
Ralph Rose
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
14.21 m Denis Horgan
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
13.62 m John Garrels
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
13.18 m
Discus throw
details
Martin Sheridan
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
40.89 m OR Merritt Giffin
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
40.70 m Bill Horr
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
39.45 m
Hammer throw
details
John Flanagan
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
51.92 m OR Matt McGrath
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
51.18 m Con Walsh
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
48.51 m
Javelin throw
details
Eric Lemming
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
54.83 m WR Arne Halse
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
50.57 m Otto Nilsson
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
47.11 m
Greek discus
details
Martin Sheridan
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
37.99 m Bill Horr
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
37.32 m Verner Järvinen
Flag of Russia.svg  Finland
36.48 m
Freestyle javelin
details
Eric Lemming
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
54.44 m WR Michalis Dorizas
Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece
51.36 m Arne Halse
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
49.73 m

Medal table

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 1610834
2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 77317
3Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2035
4Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada 1146
5Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  South Africa 1102
6Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece 0303
7Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 0123
8Flag of France.svg  France 0112
Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany 0112
Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 0112
11Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 0101
12Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg  Australasia 0011
Flag of Russia.svg  Finland 0011
Totals (13 entries)27272579

Events

The 1908 Games were the first to feature race walking, with two different events held. Two different forms of javelin throwing also appeared, introducing the new throwing apparatus to the programme. The 60 metre short sprint was dropped from the programme, as was the middle hurdle distance. Steeplechasing was done at 3200 metres instead of the 2500 metres that had been included at the previous two editions; the team race also had its distance shortened. A short track relay event was added. The multi-discipline triathlon and decathlon events that had been held at the 1904 Games were both absent. An event featuring the discus, which had become a staple of Olympic athletics, was held in which throwers had to follow a very specific throwing style. Overall there was one more event on the 1908 programme than there had been in 1904.

Calendar

      Event competitions      Event finals
July13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th
100 metres
200 metres
400 metres
800 metres
1500 metres
110 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles
3200 metres steeplechase
Medley relay
3 miles team race
5 miles
marathon
3500 metres walk ● ●
10 miles walk
Long jump
Triple jump
High jump
Pole vault
Standing long jump
Standing high jump
Shot put
Discus throw
Hammer throw
Javelin throw
Greek discus
Freestyle javelin
July13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th

Participating nations

446 athletes from 20 nations competed. Argentina and Turkey were the only two nations not to compete in athletics.

Notes

  1. Estimated from 1.5 ft distance behind winner
  2. Estimated from "close behind" distance behind 2nd place

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References

51°30′49″N0°13′39″E / 51.5136°N 0.2274°E / 51.5136; 0.2274