Rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's coxed four

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Men's coxed four
at the Games of the IX Olympiad
Czworka ze sternikiem BTW Bydgoszcz na Igrzyskach w Amsterdamie 1928.jpg
The bronze medal team from Poland
Venue Sloten
Dates3–10 August 1928
Competitors55 from 11 nations
Winning time6:47.8
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svgFlag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
Silver medal icon.svgCivil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
Bronze medal icon.svgFlag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland
  1924
1932  

The men's coxed four event was part of the rowing programme at the 1928 Summer Olympics. It was one of seven rowing events for men and was the fifth appearance of the event. [1] It was held from 3 to 10 August. [2] There were 11 boats (55 competitors) from 11 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. [2] The event was won by Italy, the nation's first medal in the men's coxed four. The Italian team dethroned two-time reigning champion Switzerland, beating the Swiss crew in both the semifinals and the final. Switzerland's silver medal brought its podium streak in the event to three Games; the United States had its two-Games medal streak end. Poland took bronze, its first medal in the event.

Background

This was the fifth appearance of the event. Rowing had been on the programme in 1896 but was cancelled due to bad weather. The coxed four was one of the four initial events introduced in 1900. It was not held in 1904 or 1908, but was held at every Games from 1912 to 1992 when it (along with the men's coxed pair) was replaced with the men's lightweight double sculls and men's lightweight coxless four. [2]

Eight of the ten nations from the 1924 Games returned, including medallists Switzerland (the two-time reigning champions), France, and the United States. Switzerland was once again among the favourites, with a strong chance for a third straight gold. Italy had won the 1925, 1926, and 1927 European championships (with Switzerland third, second, and second those years), however, and was a significant challenger.

Japan and Monaco each made their debut in the event. Belgium and France each made their fourth appearance, tied for most among nations to that point.

Competition format

The coxed four event featured five-person boats, with four rowers and a coxswain. It was a sweep rowing event, with the rowers each having one oar (and thus each rowing on one side). The competition used the 2000 metres distance that became standard at the 1912 Olympics and which has been used ever since except at the 1948 Games. [3]

With 11 teams, each race limited to two boats, and an expanded repechage system, the tournament featured seven rounds of competition: five main rounds and two repechages. The competition also used a unique semifinal system, with the loser of the one contested semifinal racing against the semifinalist with a bye.

Schedule

DateTimeRound
Friday, 3 August 1928Round 1
First repechage
Saturday, 4 August 1928Round 2
Monday, 6 August 1928Second repechage
Tuesday, 7 August 1928Quarterfinals
Wednesday, 8 August 1928Semifinals 1–2
Thursday, 9 August 1928Semifinals 3
Friday, 10 August 192813:00Final

Results

Source: Official results; [4] De Wael [5]

Round 1

Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first repechage.

Round 1 heat 1

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 7:35.6Q
2 André Decours Flag of France.svg  France 7:42.0R

Round 1 heat 2

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Béla Zoltán Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary 7:49.2Q
2 Arthur Sulley Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 8:01.0R

Round 1 heat 3

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Bolesław Drewek Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 7:31.6Q
2 Tsukasa Sonobe Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 7:49.0R

Round 1 heat 4

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1
  • Karl Golzo
  • Hans Nickel
  • Karl Hoffmann
  • Werner Kleine
Alfred Krohn Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 7:19.8Q
2 Eugene Belisle US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 7:20.0R

Round 1 heat 5

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Maurice Delplanck Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 7:41.8Q
2 Pierre Levesy Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco UnknownR

Round 1 heat 6

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Renato Petronio Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 7:34.6Q

First repechage

Winners advanced to the second round, but were ineligible for a second repechage if they lost there. Losers were eliminated. Great Britain did not compete.

First repechage heat 1

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 André Decours Flag of France.svg  France 7:48.8Q
2 Pierre Levesy Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 8:02.4

First repechage heat 2

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Eugene Belisle US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 7:43.0Q
2 Tsukasa Sonobe Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 7:51.4

Round 2

Winners advanced to the third round. Losers competed in the second repechage, if they had advanced by winning in the first round, or were eliminated if they had advanced through the first repechage.

Round 2 heat 1

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Maurice Delplanck Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 7:55.4Q
2 Béla Zoltán Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary 8:03.4R

Round 2 heat 2

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Renato Petronio Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 7:41.6Q
2
  • Karl Golzo
  • Hans Nickel
  • Karl Hoffmann
  • Werner Kleine
Alfred Krohn Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 8:04.4R

Round 2 heat 3

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 7:46.4Q
2 Eugene Belisle US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 7:49.4

Round 2 heat 4

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Bolesław Drewek Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 7:47.6Q
2 André Decours Flag of France.svg  France 7:50.8

Second repechage

The winner advanced to the third round, while the loser was eliminated.

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1
  • Karl Golzo
  • Hans Nickel
  • Karl Hoffmann
  • Werner Kleine
Alfred Krohn Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 6:58.4Q
2 Béla Zoltán Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary 7:00.4

Quarterfinals

The competition became single-elimination from this point, with losers being eliminated even if they had not previously had to advance through a repechage.

Quarterfinal 1

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Bolesław Drewek Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 7:29.0Q
2 Maurice Delplanck Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 7:30.2

Quarterfinal 2

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Renato Petronio Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 7:18.4Q
2
  • Karl Golzo
  • Hans Nickel
  • Karl Hoffmann
  • Werner Kleine
Alfred Krohn Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 7:26.4

Quarterfinal 3

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 8:02.4Q

Semifinals

In an unusual procedure, unexplained in the official report, the loser of the first semifinal raced against the team that had a bye in the second semifinal. The winner of this third semifinal advanced to the gold medal final (against the first semifinal's winner), while the loser took the bronze medal.

Semifinal 1

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Renato Petronio Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 6:43.4Q
2 Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 6:46.8S

Semifinal 2

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Bolesław Drewek Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 7:29.4S

Semifinal 3

RankRowersCoxswainNationTimeNotes
1 Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 7:01.4Q
2 (Bronze medal icon.svg) Bolesław Drewek Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg  Poland 7:12.8

Final

RankRowersCoxswainNationTime
Gold medal icon.svg Renato Petronio Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 6:47.8
Silver medal icon.svg Fritz Bösch Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 7:03.4

References

  1. "Rowing at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's Coxed Fours". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Coxed Fours, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. "Why Do We Race 2000m? The History Behind the Distance". World Rowing. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  4. "1928 Summer Olympics official report" (PDF).
  5. "Rowing 1928".