Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres

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Men's 1500 metres
at the Games of the XIX Olympiad
Olympic Athletics.png
Olympic Athletics
Venue Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City
Date18 October 1968 to 20 October 1968
Competitors54 from 37 nations
Winning time3:34.91 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Kip Keino
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Silver medal icon.svg Jim Ryun
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Bodo Tümmler
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany
  1964
1972  
Official Video Highlights TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video Highlights

The men's 1500 metres event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City was held on 18 to the 20 of October. Fifty-four athletes from 37 nations competed. [1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by Kenyan Kip Keino, who beat World record holder Jim Ryun, who struggled to adapt to the altitude of Mexico City. [2] It was the first medal for Kenya in the 1500 metres. Ryun's silver was the United States's first medal in the event since 1952. Bodo Tümmler took bronze, the first medal for West Germany as a separate nation.

As of 2023, the winning margin of 2.98 seconds remains the only time the men's 1500 metres has been won at the Olympics by more than two seconds since the introduction of fully automatic timing.

Summary

While this Olympics was the emergence of Kenyan runners, Kip Keino was not an unknown quantity, he had won the 1966 Commonwealth Games and 1965 African Championships. In the final, it was Ben Jipcho who took the first lap out fast, with Keino lagging to the back of the field. Keino moved up toward the front, but didn't take the lead until two laps to go. When he moved forward, he did so decisively, creating a 30-meter gap on the field. Ryun was known for his last lap kicks. He held back waiting for the bell. At the bell he took off in chase, but Bodo Tümmler was also intent on racing. Ryun was able to beat Tümmler down the backstretch but his last lap kick was no match for the still more than 20 meter lead Keino held onto the final straightaway.

Background

This was the 16th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Two finalists from 1964 returned: silver medalist Josef Odložil of Czechoslovakia and eighth-place finisher Michel Bernard of France. The favourite at the start of the year was Jim Ryun of the United States, a 1964 Olympic semifinalist who had beaten the world record by 2.5 seconds in 1967. But Ryun had a case of mononucleosis during training (particularly damaging because the 1968 Games were at high altitude, requiring specific training and acclimatization), and was only a "slight favorite" by the time of the race. Kip Keino of Kenya had been beaten by Ryun by 4 seconds in a dual meet in July 1967 (the race where Ryun took the world record). [1]

Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Morocco, Puerto Rico, and Senegal each made their first appearance in the event; West Germany made its first appearance as a separate nation. The United States made its 16th appearance, the only nation to have competed in the men's 1500 metres at each Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition was again three rounds (a format used previously in 1952 and 1964). The 1968 competition did not use the "fastest loser" system introduced in 1964, resulting in uneven semifinals. The competition also returned to a 12-man final, after two Games used 9 in 1960 and 1964.

There were five heats in the first round, each with 11 or 12 runners (before withdrawals). The top five runners in each heat advanced to the semifinals. The 25 semifinalists were divided into two semifinals, one of 12 runners and one of 13. The top six men in each semifinal advanced to the 12-man final. [1] [3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1968 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Jim Ryun  (USA)3:33.1 Los Angeles, United States 8 July 1967
Olympic recordFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Herb Elliott  (AUS)3:35.6 Rome, Italy 6 September 1960

In the final, Kip Keino set a new Olympic record at 3:34.91.

Schedule

All times are Central Standard Time (UTC-6)

DateTimeRound
Friday, 18 October 196811:00Round 1
Saturday, 19 October 196817:20Semifinals
Sunday, 20 October 196815:30Final

Results

Round 1

Top 5 in each heat advance to semifinal.

Heat 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Kip Keino Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:46.96Q
2 Bodo Tümmler Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:51.59Q
3 John Boulter Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:51.63Q
4 Jorge Grosser Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 3:51.79Q
5 Franco Arese Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3:51.86Q
6 Dave Bailey Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3:52.11
7 Róbert Honti Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 3:54.95
8 Rudolf Klaban Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 3:59.11
9 Julio Quevedo Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 4:03.13
10 Édouard Sagna Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 4:04.12
11 Emilio Barahona Flag of Honduras (before 2022).svg  Honduras 4:56.08

Heat 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Tom Von Ruden Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:59.15Q
2 André Dehertoghe Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3:59.33Q
3 Henryk Szordykowski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 3:59.34Q
4 Claude Nicolas Flag of France.svg  France 3:59.35Q
5 Arnd Krüger Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:59.40Q
6 Renzo Finelli Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3:59.51
7 Ove Berg Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4:00.42
8 Tom Hansen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 4:01.47
9 Ramasamy Subramaniam Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 4:06.49
10 Miguel Núñez Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 4:23.67
Blagoi KostovFlag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg  Bulgaria DNS

Heat 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Ben Jipcho Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:46.51Q
2 Oleg Rayko Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 3:46.84Q
3 Harald Norpoth Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:47.00Q
4 Josef Odložil Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 3:47.49Q
5 Jacky Boxberger Flag of France.svg  France 3:47.55Q
6 José Neri Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 3:47.88
7 Jorge González Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 3:50.49
8 Ioannis Virvilis Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece 3:55.57
9 Xaver Frick, Jr. Flag of Liechtenstein (1937-1982).svg  Liechtenstein 4:15.38
10 Alfredo Cubías Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 4:32.58
Jean Wadoux Flag of France.svg  France DNS

Heat 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jim Ryun Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:45.80Q
2 Hamadi Haddou Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 3:47.01Q
3 Edgard Salvé Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3:47.17Q
4 Arne Kvalheim Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3:47.50Q
5 Norm Trerise Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3:47.67Q
6 Gianni Del Buono Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3:48.41
7 Peter Watson Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 3:55.41
8 Maurice Benn Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:56.43
9 Pekka Vasala Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 4:08.51
10 Willie Ríos Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 4:14.47
11 Jeff Payne Flag of Bermuda (1910-1999).svg  Bermuda 4:18.92
Guillermo Cuello Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina DNS

Heat 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Marty Liquori Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:52.78Q
2 Hansrüedi Knill Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 3:52.87Q
3 John Whetton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:53.04Q
4 Ahmed Issa Flag of Chad.svg  Chad 3:53.13Q
5 Mikhail Zhelobovsky Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 3:53.23Q
6 Matias Habtemichael Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 3:53.27
7 Anders Gärderud Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3:54.28
8 Byron Dyce Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 3:54.65
9 Jerzy Maluśki Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 3:54.83
10 Frank Murphy Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 3:54.85
11 Rudi Simon Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 4:06.97
12 Arturo Córdoba Flag of Honduras (before 2022).svg  Honduras 5:18.92

Semifinals

Top six in each heat advance to final.

Semifinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Bodo Tümmler Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:53.66Q
2 Jacky Boxberger Flag of France.svg  France 3:54.00Q
3 Tom Von Ruden Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:54.12Q
4 Henryk Szordykowski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 3:54.24Q
5 Harald Norpoth Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:54.34Q
6 Ben Jipcho Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:54.69Q
7 Franco Arese Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3:54.85
8 Arne Kvalheim Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3:55.32
9 John Boulter Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:56.13
10 Edgard Salvé Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3:58.16
11 Mikhail Zhelobovsky Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 3:59.08
12 Hamadi Haddou Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 4:01.70

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jim Ryun Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:51.25Q
2 Kip Keino Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:51.50Q
3 John Whetton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:52.05Q
4 Marty Liquori Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:52.17Q
5 Josef Odložil Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 3:52.53Q
6 André Dehertoghe Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3:52.57Q
7 Oleg Rayko Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 3:52.73
8 Ahmed Issa Flag of Chad.svg  Chad 3:53.26
9 Hansrüedi Knill Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 3:53.65
10 Norm Trerise Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3:57.30
11 Claude Nicolas Flag of France.svg  France 4:04.47
12 Arnd Krüger Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 4:05.40
Jorge Grosser Flag of Chile.svg  Chile DNF

Final

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Kip Keino Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:34.91 OR
Silver medal icon.svg Jim Ryun Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:37.89
Bronze medal icon.svg Bodo Tümmler Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:39.08
4 Harald Norpoth Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 3:42.57
5 John Whetton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3:43.90
6 Jacky Boxberger Flag of France.svg  France 3:46.65
7 Henryk Szordykowski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 3:46.69
8 Josef Odložil Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 3:48.69
9 Tom Von Ruden Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:49.27
10 Ben Jipcho Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:51.22
11 André Dehertoghe Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3:53.63
12 Marty Liquori Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:18.22

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "1500 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  2. "Athletics at the 1968 Mexico City Games: Men's 1500 metres". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  3. Official Report, vol. 3, p. 523.