Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles

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Men's 110 metres hurdles
at the Games of the XV Olympiad
Jack Davis, Harrison Dillard, Arthur Barnard 1952.jpg
Left-right: Davis, Dillard, Barnard
Venue Helsinki Olympic Stadium
DatesJuly 23, 1952 (heats)
July 24, 1952 (semifinals, final)
Competitors30 from 20 nations
Winning time13.7 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Harrison Dillard
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Jack Davis
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Arthur Barnard
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
  1948
1956  
Video on YouTube amateur film
Video on YouTube Official film TV-icon-2.svg
Video on YouTube amateur film
Video on YouTube Official film

The men's 110 metres hurdles event at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games took place July 23 and July 24. Thirty athletes from 20 nations competed. [1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by the American Harrison Dillard. Dillard's compatriots, Jack Davis and Arthur Barnard, took 2nd and 3rd place. [2] It was the fourth of nine consecutive American victories, and the tenth overall gold medal for the United States in the 110 metres hurdles. It was also the second of four consecutive American podium sweeps, and the sixth overall sweep by the United States in the event.

Summary

This was the completion of the fabled story. Harrison Dillard failed to qualify in this event at the US Olympic Trials four years earlier, but succeeded in qualifying in a secondary event, the 100 meters, which he then won at the 1948 Olympics. After the long wait, this was his second chance to run the hurdles. American World Record holder Dick Attlesey had suffered career ending injuries earlier in the season and was not here. Dillard equalled the Olympic record of 13.9 in the first heat.

In the final, Jack Davis popped out of his blocks early in the first attempt to get the race started. In this era, a first false start only merited a warning, not disqualification. On the second start, fearing disqualification, Davis was pinned in his blocks. Dillard was out fast in the center of the track, gaining a full metre lead on Davis and Arthur Barnard by the second barrier. From there, Davis separated from Barnard and was slowly chipping away at Dillard's lead with each flight of hurdles. Barnard was also separating from the rest of the contenders. Davis was not able to catch Dillard, but did make it close, both men getting the same hand time 13.7, both getting credit for a new Olympic record. But new experimental fully automatic timing showed Dillard with a 13.91 and Davis with a 14.00. Barnard finished 4 tenths of a second later, another 4 tenths of a second faster than the rest of the world. This was the sixth time USA has swept the 110 metres hurdles. They would do it again in the next two Olympics for a total of eight.

Background

This was the 12th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. None of the finalists from 1948 returned. Harrison Dillard of the United States was again a favorite to start the year. In 1948, he had fallen at the U.S. Olympic trials and failed to qualify in the event (though he did qualify in the 100 metres flat—eventually winning the gold medal in that event in London). His primary competition, world record holder Dick Attlesey, was injured and did not make it through the U.S. trials. Arthur Barnard and Jack Davis, however, completed an American team that once again was deep and expected to make a run for a podium sweep. [1]

Cuba, Egypt, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Soviet Union, and Venezuela each made their first appearance in the event. The United States made its 12th appearance, the only nation to have competed in the 110 metres hurdles in each Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition used the basic three-round format introduced in 1908. The first round consisted of six heats, with 5 or 6 hurdlers each (before withdrawals; heat 5, for example, had only three starters). The top two hurdlers in each heat advanced to the semifinals. The 12 semifinalists were divided into two semifinals of 6 hurdlers each; the top three hurdlers in each advanced to the 6-man final. [1] [3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1952 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Richard Attlesey  (USA)13.5 Helsinki, Finland 10 July 1950
Olympic recordFlag of the United States.svg  William Porter  (USA)13.9 London, United Kingdom 4 August 1948

Harrison Dillard matched the Olympic record in the first heat, then broke it in the final. He and Jack Davis were both officially clocked at 13.7 seconds.

Schedule

All times are Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3)

DateTimeRound
Wednesday, 23 July 195215:00Round 1
Thursday, 24 July 195215:00
18:20
Semifinals
Final

Results

Round 1

The first round was held on July 23. The two fastest runners from each heat qualified to the semifinals.

Heat 1

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
12 Harrison Dillard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 13.914.03Q, =OR
23 Sergey Popov Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 14.814.99Q
36 Olivier Bernard Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 15.115.29
41 Erdal Barkay Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 15.215.34
54 Edmundo Ohaco Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 15.415.61
65 Olli Alho Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 15.415.63

Heat 2

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
14 Yevhen Bulanchyk Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 14.414.65Q
26 Edmond Roudnitska Flag of France.svg  France 14.915.11Q
33 Estanislao Kocourek Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 15.015.20
42 Risto Syrjänen Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 15.415.63
51 Juan Lebrón Puerto rico national sport flag.svg  Puerto Rico 15.415.71
65 Fouad Yazgi Flag of Egypt (1922-1953).svg  Egypt 16.116.26

Heat 3

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
13 Jack Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.014.23Q
26 Stanko Lorger Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia 14.815.08Q
31 Samuel Anderson Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 15.115.24
44 Wolfgang Troßbach Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 15.115.24
52 Téofilo Davis Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg  Venezuela 15.715.96
5 Sebastián Junqueras Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain DNS

Heat 4

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
14 Ken Doubleday Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.514.65Q
26 Jack Parker Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 14.815.08Q
32 Gordon Crosby Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 14.815.11
45 Téofilo Colón Puerto rico national sport flag.svg  Puerto Rico 15.215.48
1 Mikhail Mikhail Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece DNS
3 Imre Retezar Flag of Hungary (1949-1956).svg  Hungary DNS

Heat 5

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
13 Ray Weinberg Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.414.62Q
25 Väinö Suvivuo Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 14.915.21Q
34 Jörn Gevert Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 15.215.44
2 Hakan Eper Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey DNS
1 Wilson Carneiro Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil DNS

Heat 6

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
16 Arthur Barnard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.414.61Q
24 Peter Hildreth Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 14.714.94Q
35 Michitaka Kinami Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 15.015.31
42 Ingi Þorsteinsson Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 15.615.76
51 Jacques Dohen Flag of France.svg  France 15.716.02
63 Johny Fonck Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 16.116.35

Semifinals

The semifinals were held on July 24. The three fastest runners advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
14 Harrison Dillard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.014.15Q
26 Arthur Barnard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.214.44Q
35 Ken Doubleday Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.514.74Q
41 Sergey Popov Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 14.715.04
53 Edmond Roudnitska Flag of France.svg  France 14.915.15
62 Peter Hildreth Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 14.915.15

Heat 2

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
13 Jack Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.414.62Q
21 Yevhen Bulanchyk Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 14.414.70Q
36 Ray Weinberg Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.614.99Q
45 Stanko Lorger Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia 14.915.09
54 Väinö Suvivuo Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 14.915.31
62 Jack Parker Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 15.015.31

Final

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (hand)Time (auto)Notes
Gold medal icon.svg4 Harrison Dillard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 13.713.91 OR
Silver medal icon.svg1 Jack Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 13.714.00 OR
Bronze medal icon.svg5 Arthur Barnard US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 14.114.40
42 Yevhen Bulanchyk Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 14.514.73
53 Ken Doubleday Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.714.82
66 Ray Weinberg Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 14.815.15

References

  1. 1 2 3 "110 metres Hurdles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  2. "Athletics at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games: Men's 110 metres Hurdles". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. Official Report, p. 294.