Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres explained

Event:Men's 1500 metres
Games:1936 Summer
Venue:Olympiastadion

Berlin, Germany

Dates:August 4 (heats)
August 6 (final)
Competitors:43
Nations:27
Win Value:3:47.8
Longnames:yes
Gold:Jack Lovelock
Goldnoc:NZL
Silver:Glenn Cunningham
Silvernoc:USA
Bronze:Luigi Beccali
Bronzenoc:ITA
Prev:1932
Next:1948

The men's 1500 metres event at the 1936 Olympic Games took place August 4 and August 6. Forty-three athletes from 27 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Kiwi Jack Lovelock in world record time.[1] It was New Zealand's first medal in the 1500 metres. Glenn Cunningham's silver put the United States on the 1500 metres podium for the first time since 1920. Luigi Beccali did not successfully defend his 1932 gold, but took bronze to become the first man to win two medals in the event.

Background

This was the 10th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The event had an impressive field. Six of the top seven runners from the 1932 Games returned, including all three medalists: gold medalist Luigi Beccali of Italy, silver medalist Jerry Cornes of Great Britain, bronze medalist Phil Edwards of Canada, fourth-place finisher Glenn Cunningham of the United States, fifth-place finisher Eric Ny of Sweden, and seventh-place finisher Jack Lovelock of New Zealand. All six were contenders in 1936, along with Sydney Wooderson of Great Britain and Archie San Romani and Gene Venzke of the United States (world record holder Bill Bonthron could not make the team against Cunningham, Venzke, and San Romani).[2]

Chile, the Republic of China, Colombia, Luxembourg, and Peru each made their first appearance in the event. The United States made its 10th appearance, the only nation to have competed in the men's 1500 metres at each Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition consisted of two rounds, the format used since 1908. The number of semifinals was back up to four, with 10 or 11 runners in each. The top three runners in each heat advanced to the final, resulting in the typical 12-man final race.[2] [3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics.

In the final Jack Lovelock set a new world record at 3:47.8. Lovelock and silver medalist Glenn Cunningham were both under the old world record; the top five finishers were all under the old Olympic record time.

Schedule

DateTimeRound
Wednesday, 5 August 1936 17:00 Semifinals
Thursday, 6 August 1936 16:15 Final

Results

Semifinals

The fastest three runners in each of the four heats advanced to the final round.

Semifinal 1

Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3:54.8
2 Glenn Cunningham3:54.8
3Werner Böttcher3:55.0
4Ossi Teileri3:55.6
5Mihály Iglói3:56.0
6Grigorios Georgakopoulos4:01.4
7René Geeraertdata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
8Børge Larsendata-sort-value=6:00.0Unknown
9Pierre Hemmerdata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
10Paul Martindata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
data-sort-value=11Kumao Aochidata-sort-value=9:99.99

Semifinal 2

Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 4:00.4
2 Jerry Cornes4:00.6
3Jack Lovelock4:00.6
4Pierre Leichtnam4:01.0
5Clarke Scholtz4:02.0
6Kiyoshi Nakamura4:04.8
7Emil Goršek4:13.0
8Emil Hübscherdata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
9Jack Liddledata-sort-value=6:00.0Unknown
10Miguel Castrodata-sort-value=7:00.0Unknown
data-sort-value=11Martti Matilainen
Pat Bootdata-sort-value=9:99.99
Stavros Velkopoulosdata-sort-value=9:99.99

Semifinal 3

Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3:55.6
2 Miklós Szabó3:55.6
3Phil Edwards3:56.2
4Bobby Graham3:56.6
5Bedřich Hošek3:59.4
6André Glatigny3:59.6
7Gerald Backhousedata-sort-value=4:00.0Unknown
8Harry Mehlhosedata-sort-value=4:10.0Unknown
9Reginald Uba4:26.2
10Jia Lianrendata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
11Emilio Torresdata-sort-value=6:00.0Unknown
data-sort-value=12Ivan Krevsdata-sort-value=9:99.99

Semifinal 4

Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3:54.0
2 Archie San Romani3:55.0
3Fritz Schaumburg3:55.2
4Joseph Mostert3:56.6
5Niilo Hartikka3:59.0
6Franz Eichberger3:59.2
7Ragnar Ekholdtdata-sort-value=4:00.0Unknown
8 Sydney Woodersondata-sort-value=5:00.0Unknown
9 Hugh Thompsondata-sort-value=6:00.0Unknown
10 Charles Steindata-sort-value=7:00.0Unknown
11 Francisco Váldezdata-sort-value=8:00.0Unknown
data-sort-value=12Toshinao Tomiedata-sort-value=9:99.99

Final

Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
3:47.8
3:48.4
3:49.2
4 3:50.0
5 3:50.4
6 3:51.4
7 3:53.0
8 3:53.8
9 3:55.0
10 3:56.2
11 3:57.6
12 4:04.2

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Athletics at the 1936 Berlin Games: Men's 1500 metres . https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171515/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/ATH/mens-1500-metres.html . dead . 17 April 2020 . 26 October 2017 . sports-reference.com.
  2. Web site: 1500 metres, Men . Olympedia . 12 August 2020.
  3. Official Report, vol. 1, pp. 632–33.