Team races at the Olympics

Last updated
Team race
at the Olympic Games
1912 Athletics men's 3000 metre team race final2.JPG
The 1912 team race final
Overview
Sport Athletics
GenderMen
Years heldMen: 19001924

Team races at the Summer Olympics were track running competitions contested at the multi-sport event from 1900 to 1924.

Contents

The first such event was over 5000 metres at the 1900 Summer Olympics. This became a 4-mile race for the 1904 Summer Olympics, then a 3-mile race for the 1908 Summer Olympics. The most consistent format was over 3000 metres: this distance was contested on three consecutive occasions from 1912 to 1924, at which point track team races were removed from the Olympic athletics programme.

The races typically permitted up to five athletes per nation, with a minimum of three required to form a team. Each team score was the sum of the finishing positions of that nation's top three athletes. For example, first, second and third places would create a team score of six.

For 1900 and 1904 only two teams were entered: the point scoring format incorporated all five of each team's runners. On both occasions these were races between two major athletic clubs. In 1900 Racing Club de France competed against the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) of Great Britain. In 1904 the New York Athletic Club took on the Chicago Athletic Association. Since the International Olympic Committee recognises only nations for medal table purposes, the AAA and Chicago teams are now designated as Mixed Olympic Teams as the presence of Australian Stan Rowley and French immigrant to the United States Albert Corey, respectively, meant that the teams fielded were not entirely British or American. [1] [2]

Medal summary

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1900 Paris (5000 m)
details
Olympic flag.svg  Mixed team  (ZZX)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Charles Bennett  (GBR)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  John Rimmer  (GBR)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sidney Robinson  (GBR)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Alfred Tysoe  (GBR)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Stan Rowley  (AUS)
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)
Henri Deloge
Gaston Ragueneau
Jacques Chastanié
André Castanet
Michel Champoudry
none awarded
1904 St. Louis (4 miles)
details
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
Arthur Newton
George Underwood
Paul Pilgrim
Howard Valentine
David Munson
Olympic flag.svg  Mixed team  (ZZX)
US flag 45 stars.svg  James Lightbody  (USA)
US flag 45 stars.svg  Frank Verner  (USA)
US flag 45 stars.svg  Lacey Hearn  (USA)
Flag of France.svg  Albert Corey  (FRA)
US flag 45 stars.svg  Sidney Hatch  (USA)
none awarded
1908 London (3 miles)
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
Joe Deakin
Archie Robertson
William Coales
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
John Eisele
George Bonhag
Herbert Trube
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)
Louis de Fleurac
Joseph Dreher
Paul Lizandier
1912 Stockholm (3000 m)
details
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
Tell Berna
George Bonhag
Abel Kiviat
Louis Scott
Norman Taber
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)
Bror Fock
Nils Frykberg
Thorild Olsson
Ernst Wide
John Zander
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
Joe Cottrill
George Hutson
William Moore
Edward Owen
Cyril Porter
1920 Antwerp (3000 m)
details
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
Horace Brown
Ivan Dresser
Arlie Schardt
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
Joe Blewitt
Albert Hill
William Seagrove
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)
Eric Backman
Sven Lundgren
Edvin Wide
1924 Paris (3000 m)
details
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland  (FIN)
Elias Katz
Paavo Nurmi
Ville Ritola
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
Herbert Johnston
Bertram Macdonald
George Webber
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States  (USA)
William Cox
Edward Kirby
Willard Tibbetts

Multiple medalists

RankAthleteNationOlympicsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 George Bonhag Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1908–19121102

Medals by country

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)3115
2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)1214
3Olympic flag.svg  Mixed team  (ZZX)1102
4Flag of Finland.svg  Finland  (FIN)1001
5=Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)0112
5=Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)0112

Non-canonical Olympic events

In addition to the main 1904 4-mile team race, a handicap competition was also staged. This race, contested over one mile, saw Missouri Athletic Club take on fellow American sports club St. Louis Southwest Turnverein. Missouri won the race in a time of 3:52.2, with the St. Louis team finishing some 80 yards off the winners. [4]

This handicap race, along with numerous other handicap athletics events, is no longer considered part of the official Olympic history of the team race or the athletics programme in general. Consequently, medals from these competitions have not been assigned to nations on the all-time medal tables. [4]

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200 metres at the Olympics Wikimedia list article

The 200 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the second edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 200 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 and the women's 200 m has been held continuously since its introduction at the 1948 Games. It is the most prestigious 200 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has three or four qualifying rounds leading to a final race between eight athletes.

400 metres at the Olympics

The 400 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the first edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 400 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896 but nearly seventy years passed before the introduction of the women's 400 m, which has been held continuously since the 1964 Games. It is the most prestigious 400 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has two qualifying rounds leading to a final race between eight athletes.

800 metres at the Olympics

The 800 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the first edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 800 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896. The women's event was first held in 1928, making it the first distance running event for women. However it was not held again until 1960, since when it has been a permanent fixture. It is the most prestigious 800 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has three rounds: a qualifying round, semi-final stage, and a final between eight runners.

1500 metres at the Olympics Wikimedia list article

The 1500 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the first edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 1500 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896. The women's event was not introduced until over seventy years later, but it has been a permanent fixture since it was first held in 1972. It is the most prestigious 1500 m race at elite level. The competition format comprises three rounds: a heats stage, semi-finals, then a final typically between twelve athletes.

4 × 400 metres relay at the Olympics

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Sprint hurdles at the Olympics

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Steeplechase at the Olympics

The steeplechase at the Summer Olympics has been held over several distances and is the longest track event with obstacles held at the multi-sport event. The men's 3000 metres steeplechase has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1920. The women's event is the most recent addition to the programme, having been added at the 2008 Olympics. It is the most prestigious steeplechase track race at elite level.

60 metres at the Olympics Sprint event at the 1900 & 1904 Summer Olympics

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Discus throw at the Olympics Olympic sport

The discus throw at the Summer Olympics is one of four track and field throwing events held at the multi-sport event. The men's discus throw has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896. The women's event was first contested at the 1928 Olympics, being one of the five athletics events in the inaugural Olympic women's programme.

Hammer throw at the Olympics

The hammer throw at the Summer Olympics is one of four track and field throwing events held at the multi-sport event. The men's hammer throw has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900, becoming the third Olympic throws event after the shot put and discus throw. The women's event was a much later addition, being first contested at the 2000 Olympics.

Pole vault at the Olympics History of pole vault competitions at the Summer Olympic Games

The pole vault at the Summer Olympics is grouped among the four track and field jumping events held at the multi-sport event. The men's pole vault has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the first Summer Olympics in 1896. The women's event is one of the latest additions to the programme, first being contested at the 2000 Summer Olympics – along with the addition of the hammer throw, this brought the women's field event programme to parity with the men's.

High jump at the Olympics

The high jump at the Summer Olympics is grouped among the four track and field jumping events held at the multi-sport event. The men's high jump has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the first Summer Olympics in 1896. The women's high jump was one of five events to feature on the first women's athletics programme in 1928, and it was the only jumping event available to women until 1948, when the long jump was permitted.

Long jump at the Olympics

The long jump at the Summer Olympics is grouped among the four track and field jumping events held at the multi-sport event. The men's long jump has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the first Summer Olympics in 1896. The women's long jump was introduced over fifty years later in 1948 and was the second Olympic jumping event for women after the high jump, which was added in 1928.

Triple jump at the Olympics

The triple jump at the Summer Olympics is grouped among the four track and field jumping events held at the multi-sport event. The men's triple jump has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the first Summer Olympics in 1896. The women's triple jump is one of the more recent additions to the programme, having been first contested in 1996. It became the third Olympic jumping event for women after the high jump and long jump.

References

Specific
  1. Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 5,000 metres, Team. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-03-22.
  2. Athletics at the 1904 St. Louis Summer Games: Men's 4 mile, Team. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-03-22.
  3. Athletics at the 1924 Paris Summer Games: Men's 3,000 metres, Team. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-03-22.
  4. 1 2 Handicap Olympic Athletics Events. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-05-21.