Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics

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Contents

Swimming
at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Venue White City Stadium
Dates13–25 July 1908
No. of events6
Competitors100 from 14 nations
  1904
1912  

At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, six swimming events were contested. [1] These were the first Olympic Games in which a 100-metre pool had been especially constructed (inside the main stadium's track and field oval). Previous Olympic events were swum in open water (1896: The Mediterranean Sea, 1900: The Seine River, 1904: an artificial lake). Only men participated in the swimming events. The competitions were held from Monday, July 13, 1908, to Saturday, July 25, 1908.

All six of the 1908 events became staples of the Olympic swimming programme, and have been contested at every edition of the Games since. The 50 m, 200 m, and 800 m freestyle events were dropped from the previous edition (though these would later return), the relay was lengthened from 4 × 50 yards to 4 × 200 m, and the 400 m breaststroke was shortened to 200 metres.

Canada and Finland made their first appearances in swimming, while Austria, Hungary, and the United States continued their streaks of appearing each time. Fourteen nations competed in all, with 100 swimmers entering the events.

Medal table

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)4217
2US flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)1012
3Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany  (GER)1001
4Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary  (HUN)0202
5Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg  Australasia  (ANZ)0112
6Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark  (DEN)0101
7Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)0022
8Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg  Austria  (AUT)0011
Totals (8 entries)66618

Medal summary

GamesGoldSilverBronze
100 m freestyle
details
US flag 45 stars.svg  Charles Daniels  (USA)Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Zoltán Halmay  (HUN)Flag of Sweden.svg  Harald Julin  (SWE)
400 m freestyle
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Henry Taylor  (GBR)Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg  Frank Beaurepaire  (ANZ)Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg  Otto Scheff  (AUT)
1500 m freestyle
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Henry Taylor  (GBR)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Thomas Battersby  (GBR)Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg  Frank Beaurepaire  (ANZ)
100 m backstroke
details
Flag of the German Empire.svg  Arno Bieberstein  (GER)Flag of Denmark.svg  Ludvig Dam  (DEN)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Herbert Haresnape  (GBR)
200 m breaststroke
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Frederick Holman  (GBR)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  William Robinson  (GBR)Flag of Sweden.svg  Pontus Hanson  (SWE)
4 × 200 m freestyle relay
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
John Derbyshire
Paul Radmilovic
William Foster
Henry Taylor
Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary  (HUN)
József Munk
Imre Zachár
Béla Las-Torres
Zoltán Halmay
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
Harry Hebner
Leo Goodwin
Charles Daniels
Leslie Rich

Participating nations

A total of 100 swimmers from 14 nations competed at the London Games:

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References

  1. "Olympedia – Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 2023-12-16.

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