Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump

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Men's high jump
at the Games of the XV Olympiad
Ken Wiesner and Walt Davis 1952.jpg
Wiesner (left) and Davis
Venue Helsinki Olympic Stadium
DateJuly 20, 1952
Competitors36 from 24 nations
Winning height2.04 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Walt Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Ken Wiesner US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg José da Conceição Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil
  1948
1956  

The men's high jump at the 1952 Olympic Games took place on 20 July at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Thirty-six athletes from 24 nations competed. [1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. American athlete Walt Davis won the gold medal and set a new Olympic record. [2] It was the Americans' 10th victory in the men's high jump. José da Conceição won Brazil's first medal in the men's high jump, with bronze.

Background

This was the 12th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The returning finalists from the 1948 Games were fifth-place finisher Georges Damitio of France, seventh-place finishers Alan Paterson of Great Britain and Hans Wahli of Switzerland, thirteenth-place finisher Birger Leirud of Norway, fourteenth-place finisher Hércules Azcune of Uruguay, and nineteenth-place finisher Bjørn Gundersen of Norway. The "heavy favorite" in 1952 was Walt Davis. [1]

Ceylon, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Israel, Nigeria, the Soviet Union, and Venezuela each made their debut in the event. The United States appeared for the 12th time, having competed at each edition of the Olympic men's high jump to that point.

Competition format

The competition used the two-round format introduced in 1912. There were two distinct rounds of jumping with results cleared between rounds. The qualifying round had the bar set at 1.70 metres, 1.80 metres, 1.84 metres, and 1.87 metres; some jumpers apparently took jumps at lower heights as well. All jumpers clearing 1.87 metres in the qualifying round advanced to the final. The final had jumps at 1.70 metres (which most finalists skipped), 1.80 metres, 1.90 metres, 1.95 metres, 1.98 metres, 2.01 metres, 2.04 metres, and 2.07 metres. Each athlete had three attempts at each height. [1] [3]

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Lester Steers  (USA)2.11 Los Angeles, United States 17 June 1941
Olympic recordUS flag 48 stars.svg  Cornelius Johnson  (USA)2.03 Berlin, Germany 2 August 1936

Walt Davis cleared 2.04 metres to break the Olympic record. His attempts at 2.07 metres were unsuccessful.

Schedule

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

DateTimeRound
Sunday, 20 July 195210:00
15:00
Qualifying
Final

Results

Key

Qualifying round

Qualification Criteria: Qualifying Performance 1.87 advance to the Final.

RankGroupAthleteNation1.701.801.841.87HeightNotes
1A Arnold Betton Flag of the United States.svg  United States o1.87Q
A Walt Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States o1.87Q
B Gösta Svensson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden o1.87Q
4A Bjørn Gundersen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway oo1.87Q
B Josia Majekodummi Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria oo1.87Q
B Nafiu Osagie Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria oo1.87Q
B James Owoo Flag of the Gold Coast.svg  Ghana oo1.87Q
B Ken Wiesner US flag 48 stars.svg  United States oo1.87Q
9A Boniface Guobadia Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria ooo1.87Q
10A Claude Bénard Flag of France.svg  France oooo1.87Q
A Jacques Delelienne Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium oooo1.87Q
A Mihajlo Dimitrijević Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia oooo1.87Q
A Pekka Halme Flag of Finland.svg  Finland oooo1.87Q
A Albert Koskinen Flag of Finland.svg  Finland oooo1.87Q
B Alan Paterson Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain oooo1.87Q
B Ron Pavitt Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain oooo1.87Q
B José da Conceição Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil oooo1.87Q
B Hans Wahli Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland oooo1.87Q
B Peter Wells Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain oooo1.87Q
20A Georges Damitio Flag of France.svg  France  ? ? ?o1.87Q, one miss before 1.87
21B Birger Leirud Flag of Norway.svg  Norway  ? ?o1.87Q, two misses before 1.87
22B Arne Ljungqvist Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden xo1.87Q
B Ioan Soter Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg  Romania xo1.87Q
24A Yury Ilyasov Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union  ? ?xo1.87Q, two misses before 1.87
25A Pat Leane Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  ? ? ?xo1.87Q, two misses before 1.87
26B Maram Sudarmodjo Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia ooxxo1.87Q
27A Teófilo Davis Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg  Venezuela oooxxo1.87Q
28B Yevhen Vansovych Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union  ? ?xxo1.87Q, two misses before 1.87
29A Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam Flag of Ceylon (1951-1972).svg  Ceylon  ? ?oxxx1.84Two misses before 1.84, started under 1.70 metres
30A Walter Herssens Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium ooxxoxxx1.84Started under 1.70 metres
31A Andres Franco Flag of the Philippines (1936-1985, 1986-1998).svg  Philippines  ? ?xxoxxx1.84One miss before 1.84, started under 1.70 metres
32A Hércules Azcune Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay ooxxx1.80
A Ernesto Lagos Flag of Chile.svg  Chile ooxxx1.80
34B Mehnga Singh Flag of India.svg  India oxxx1.70
35A Arieh Batun-Kleinstub Flag of Israel.svg  Israel oxxx1.70Started under 1.70 metres
36B Emad El-Din Shafei Flag of Egypt (1922-1953).svg  Egypt xoxxx1.70

Final

The final was held on July 20.

RankAthleteNation1.701.801.901.951.982.012.042.07HeightNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Walt Davis US flag 48 stars.svg  United States ooooooxxx2.04 OR
Silver medal icon.svg Ken Wiesner US flag 48 stars.svg  United States oooooxxx2.01
Bronze medal icon.svg José da Conceição Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil ooooxxx1.98
4 Gösta Svensson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden oxxoxxx1.98
5 Ron Pavitt Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain ooooxxx1.95
6 Ioan Soter Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg  Romania oxoxxx1.95
7 Arnold Betton US flag 48 stars.svg  United States ooxoxxx1.95
8 Bjørn Gundersen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway oxxx1.90
9 Jacques Delelienne Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium ooxxx1.90
Josiah Majekodunmi Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria ooxxx1.90
11 Pekka Halme Flag of Finland.svg  Finland oooxxx1.90
Peter Wells Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain oooxxx1.90
13 Georges Damitio Flag of France.svg  France xooxxx1.90
Yury Ilyasov Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union xooxxx1.90
15 Arne Ljungqvist Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden xxoxxx1.90
16 Hans Wahli Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland oxoxxx1.90
17 Birger Leirud Flag of Norway.svg  Norway xxoxxx1.90
18 Claude Bénard Flag of France.svg  France oxxoxxx1.90
Nafiu Osagie Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria oxxoxxx1.90
20 Mihajlo Dimitrijević Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia oxxx1.80
Boniface Guobadia Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg  Nigeria oxxx1.80
James Owoo Flag of the Gold Coast.svg  Ghana oxxx1.80
Maram Sudarmodjo Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia oxxx1.80
24 Téofilo Davis Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg  Venezuela ooxxx1.80
Albert Koskinen Flag of Finland.svg  Finland ooxxx1.80
Pat Leane Flag of Australia.svg  Australia ooxxx1.80
Alan Paterson Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain ooxxx1.80
28 Yevhen Vansovych Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union xoxxx1.80

References

  1. 1 2 3 "High Jump, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  2. "Athletics at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games: Men's High Jump". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. Official Report, p. 308.