Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres

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Men's 800 metres
at the Games of the IX Olympiad
Venue Olympic Stadium
DatesJuly 29, 1928 (heats)
July 30, 1928 (semifinals)
July 31, 1928 (final)
Competitors49 from 24 nations
Winning time1:51.8 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Douglas Lowe Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Silver medal icon.svg Erik Byléhn Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Bronze medal icon.svg Hermann Engelhard Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany
  1924
1932  
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The men's 800 metre event at the 1928 Olympic Games took place between July 29 & July 31. [1] Forty-nine athletes from 24 nations competed. [2] NOCs were limited to 4 competitors each. [3]

The event was won by Douglas Lowe of Great Britain, successfully defending his 1924 championship (the first man to do so in the 800 metres). It was the third of what ultimately would be four straight British victories in the event, and the fourth overall title for Great Britain in the 800 metres. Erik Byléhn's silver was Sweden's first 800 metres medal. Hermann Engelhard matched Germany's best-ever result in the event (Germany had previously won bronze in 1908).

Background

This was the eighth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Three finalists from 1924 returned: gold medalist Douglas Lowe of Great Britain, silver medalist Paul Martin of Switzerland, and ninth-place finisher Harry Houghton of Great Britain. The competitive field was led by Lowe (defending champion and 1928 AAA winner), Otto Peltzer of Germany (880 yard world record holder), Séra Martin of France (800 metres world record holder), and Lloyd Hahn of the United States (1928 AAU champion, who had broken the world record at the U.S. Olympic trials a few days before Séra Martin ran even faster; Hahn's record was never ratified). [2]

Argentina and India appeared in the event for the first time. Great Britain and the United States each made their seventh appearance, tied for the most among all nations.

Competition format

The competition used the three-round format introduced in 1912, with the nine-man final introduced in 1920. There were eight first-round heats of between 4 and 7 athletes each; the top three runners in each heat advanced to the semifinals. There were three semifinals with 8 athletes each; the top three runners in each semifinal advanced to the nine-man final. [2] [4]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1928 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of France.svg  Séra Martin  (FRA)1:50.6 Paris, France14 July 1928
Olympic recordUS flag 48 stars.svg  Ted Meredith  (USA)1:51.9 Stockholm, Sweden8 July 1912

Douglas Lowe broke the Olympic record by 0.1 seconds in the final, setting the new record at 1:51.8.

Schedule

DateTimeRound
Sunday, 29 July 192816:15Round 1
Monday, 30 July 192815:25Semifinals
Tuesday, 31 July 192816:20Final

Results

Round 1

The first three finishers in each of the eight heats advanced to the semifinal round.

Heat 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Alex Wilson Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:59.2Q
2 Erik Byléhn Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1:59.8Q
3 John Sittig US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 2:00.6Q
4 Guus Zeegers Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Unknown
5 Gérald Bertheloot Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Unknown
6 Vasilios Stavrinos Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece Unknown
7 Louis Schmit Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg Unknown
António DiasFlag of Portugal.svg  Portugal DNS

Heat 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Otto Peltzer Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:57.4Q
2 Brant Little Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:57.8Q
3 Wilfred Tatham Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 1:58.2Q
4 Adriaan Paulen Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Unknown
5 William Whyte Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Unknown
6 Albert Larsen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Unknown
József MartonFlag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary DNS

Heat 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jean Keller Flag of France.svg  France 1:59.0Q
2 Paul Martin Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1:59.4Q
3 Ray Watson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:59.6Q
4 Max Tarnogrocki Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:59.9
5 Alfonso García Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico Unknown
6 Andries Hoogerwerf Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Unknown
7 Antonios Mangos Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece Unknown
Harri LarvaFlag of Finland.svg  Finland DNS

Heat 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Georges Baraton Flag of France.svg  France 2:03.4Q
2 Earl Fuller US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 2:03.8Q
3 Olaf Strand Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2:03.8Q
4 Ettore Tavernari Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy Unknown
5 Philippe Coenjaerts Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Unknown
6 Harry Houghton Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Unknown
Danie JacobsFlag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa DNS

Heat 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Lloyd Hahn US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:56.8Q
2 Hermann Englehard Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:57.0Q
3 Vilém Šindler Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 1:57.0Q
4 René Féger Flag of France.svg  France Unknown
5 Jack Walter Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada Unknown
6 Charles Stuart Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Unknown
Grigorios GeorgakopoulosFlag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece DNS
Matti KorpelaFlag of Finland.svg  Finland DNS

Heat 6

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Serafín Dengra Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 2:01.2Q
2 Douglas Lowe Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 2:02.2Q
3 Guido Cominotto Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 2:02.4Q
4 Ömer Besim Koşalay Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg  Turkey Unknown
G. ArnoldyFlag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg DNS
Frej Liewendahl Flag of Finland.svg  Finland DNS
László Magdics Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary DNS

Heat 7

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Séra Martin Flag of France.svg  France 1:58.8Q
2 László Barsi Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary 1:59.0Q
3 Fredy Müller Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:59.4Q
4 Adolf Kittel Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 1:59.6
5 Feliks Malanowski Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 1:59.8
6 Gerry Coughlan Flag of Ireland (3-2).svg  Ireland Unknown
7 J. Murphy British Raj Red Ensign.svg  India Unknown
Eino PurjeFlag of Finland.svg  Finland DNS

Heat 8

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Phil Edwards Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:59.4Q
2 Ralph Starr Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 1:59.8Q
3 Norman McEachern Flag of Ireland (3-2).svg  Ireland 1:59.8Q
4 Leopoldo Ledesma Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina Unknown
5 José Lucílo Iturbe Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico Unknown
6 Joaquín Miquel Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 2:03.2
L. PassyFlag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece DNS
Ivan RittigFlag of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia DNS

Semifinals

The three fastest runners from each of the three heats advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Earl FullerUS flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:55.6Q
2Douglas LoweFlag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 1:55.8Q
3Jean KellerFlag of France.svg  France 1:56.0Q
4László BarsiFlag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary 1:56.2
5Otto PeltzerFlag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:56.3
6Alex WilsonFlag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:57.1
7 Vilém Šindler Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia Unknown
Norman McEachernFlag of Ireland (3-2).svg  Ireland DNF

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Erik ByléhnFlag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1:55.6Q
2Ray WatsonUS flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:56.8Q
3Hermann EngelhardFlag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:56.8Q
4Brant LittleFlag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:57.6
5Ralph StarrFlag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Unknown
6Guido CominottoFlag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy Unknown
7Serafín DengraFlag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina Unknown
Georges Baraton Flag of France.svg  France DNS

Semifinal 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Lloyd HahnUS flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:52.6Q
2Phil EdwardsFlag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:52.8Q
3Séra MartinFlag of France.svg  France 1:53.0Q
4Paul MartinCivil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1:53.3
5John SittigUS flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:53.4
6Fredy MüllerFlag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:53.8
7 Wilfrid Tatham Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Unknown
8Olaf StrandFlag of Norway.svg  Norway 1:59.9

Final

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Douglas Lowe Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 1:51.8 OR
Silver medal icon.svg Erik Byléhn Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1:52.8
Bronze medal icon.svg Hermann Engelhard Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 1:53.2
4 Phil Edwards Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1:54.0
5 Lloyd Hahn US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:54.2
6 Séra Martin Flag of France.svg  France 1:54.6
7 Earl Fuller US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 1:55.0
8 Jean Keller Flag of France.svg  France 1:57.0
9 Ray Watson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 2:03.0

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's 800 metres". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "800 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  3. Official Report, p. 374.
  4. Official Report, pp. 413–17.