Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump

Last updated
Men's high jump
at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Harry Porter 1910 Mecca card front.jpg
Card depicting Harry Porter
Venue White City Stadium
DateJuly 21
Competitors22 from 10 nations
Winning height1.90 =OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Harry Porter
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Géo André
Flag of France.svg  France
Silver medal icon.svg Con Leahy
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Silver medal icon.svg István Somodi
Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary
  1904
1912  

The men's high jump was one of six jumping events on the athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 21, 1908. Twenty-two high jumpers from ten nations competed. [1] NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes. [2] The event was won by Harry Porter of the United States, the nation's fourth consecutive victory in the men's high jump. There was a three-way tie for silver (a jump-off was held, but was unable to resolve the tie).

Contents

Background

This was the fourth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. No jumpers from the 1904 Games returned. The favorite was Irish jumper Con Leahy, the four-time (1905–1908) AAA champion who had also won the 1907 AAU title and the 1906 Intercalated Games. American Harry Porter, the 1908 AAU champion, was also highly regarded. [3]

Belgium, Canada, Finland, and the Netherlands each made their debut in the event. The United States appeared for the fourth time, having competed at each edition of the Olympic men's high jump to that point.

Competition format

There were two rounds of jumping, though the results from the qualifying round carried over to the final. The top eight jumpers in the qualifying round advanced to the final. Each competitor received three attempts at each height. The judges determined the initial height of the bar and any increases. There was a jump-off of the tie for second, but details are unknown. "Diving" and "somersaulting" were not allowed. [3] [4]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Michael Sweeney  (USA)1.97(*) New York, United States 21 September 1895
Olympic recordUS flag 45 stars.svg  Irving Baxter  (USA)1.90 Paris, France 15 July 1900

(*) unofficial

Harry Porter equalized the standing Olympic record with 1.90 metres.

Schedule

DateTimeRound
Tuesday, 21 July 190810:30
14:30
Qualifying
Final

Results

After the first of four qualifying groups finished, officials determined that the ground conditions were unsuitable and chose a different location for the remaining three groups. Herbert Gidney protested, resulting in a repeat of the first group. Gidney benefited, improving his height from 1.77 metres in the now-invalidated initial round to 1.85 metres in the re-jump. He displaced as finalists Otto Monsen, who had initially jumped 1.79 metres but refused to participate in the re-jump, and Edward Leader, whose initial 1.79 metres was replaced by the inferior 1.77 metres he achieved in the re-jump. [3]

There was a jump-off for second place after three men jumped 1.88 metres but could not match Porter's 1.90 metres, but none of the three jumpers were able to jump 1.88 metres again and were declared joint silver medalists. [3]

Porter, after winning, attempted the world record height of 1.97 metres; his three attempts at that height were all unsuccessful. [3]

RankAthleteNationHeight
Gold medal icon.svg Harry Porter US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 1.90
Silver medal icon.svg Géo André Flag of France.svg  France 1.88
István Somodi Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 1.88
Con Leahy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1.88
5 Herbert Gidney US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 1.85
Tom Moffitt US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 1.85
7 Neil Patterson US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 1.83
8 Axel Hedenlund Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1.80
9 Patrick Leahy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1.78
10 George Barber Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg  Canada 1.77
Edward Leader Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1.77
Haswell Wilson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1.77
13 József Haluzsinsky Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 1.72
Garfield MacDonald Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg  Canada 1.72
Henry Olsen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1.72
16 Léon Dupont Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1.67
Folke Hellstedt Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1.67
Lauri Pihkala Flag of Russia.svg  Finland 1.67
19 Herman van Leeuwen Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1.65
20 Al Bellerby Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1.59
Otto Monsen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway No mark
Lauri Wilskman Flag of Russia.svg  Finland No mark

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References

  1. "Athletics at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's High Jump". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  2. Official report, p. 32.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "High Jump, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  4. Official Report, p. 86.

Sources