Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle

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Men's 100 metre freestyle
at the Games of the V Olympiad
100 Meter Swim-Olympic games LOC 2162716907.jpg
100 metre freestyle at the 1912 Games
VenueDjurgårdsbrunnsviken
DatesJuly 6–10
Competitors34 from 12 nations
Winning time1:03.4
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Duke Kahanamoku
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Cecil Healy
 Australasia
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Ken Huszagh
 United States
← 1908
1920 →

The men's 100 metre freestyle was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme.[1] It was the fourth appearance of the event, which had not been featured at the 1900 Games. The competition was held from Saturday July 6, 1912, to Wednesday July 10, 1912. Thirty-four swimmers from twelve nations competed. The event was won by Duke Kahanamoku of the United States, the nation's second consecutive victory in the event (tying Hungary for most all-time). Cecil Healy took silver, the only medal in the event for Australasia, the short-lived joint team of Australia and New Zealand. Another American, Ken Huszagh, took bronze.

Background[]

This was the fourth appearance of the men's 100 metre freestyle (including the 100 yard event in 1904 but excluding the Intercalated Games in 1906). The event has been held at every Summer Olympics except 1900 (when the shortest freestyle was the 200 metres), though the 1904 version was measured in yards rather than metres.[2]

One of the four finalists from 1908 returned: bronze medalist Harald Julin of Sweden. Charles Daniels, the defending gold medalist who had also won at the 1906 Intercalated Games and taken silver at the 1904 Olympics, had retired. The favorite was Kurt Bretting of Germany, who had broken Daniels' world record earlier in 1912. An intriguing entrant was the Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, rumored to have posted phenomenal times which were unverified because of the distance from the American mainland.[2]

Germany, Norway, and Russia each made their debut in the event. Hungary and the United States each made their fourth appearance, having competed at each edition of the event to date.

Competition format[]

The rules for the swimming events provided that each event would consist of heats, a final, and "a sufficient number of intermediate heats in proportion to the number of competitors."[3] This resulted in confusion when the organizers deemed that there should be 2 such intermediate rounds (for a total of 4 rounds) while the American team thought that there would be only 1 intermediate round before the final and did not appear for the semifinals. Ultimately a four-round competition was held, with a special heat in the third round held for competitors who had missed races due to confusion.

For each round, the top two swimmers in each heat advanced to the next round along with the fastest third-place swimmer. In the case of a tie, all tied swimmers would advance (swim-offs would only be used in the final). Each race consisted of a single length of the 100 metre couse. Any stroke could be used.

Records[]

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.

World Record 1:02.4 Germany Kurt Bretting Brussels (BEL) April 6, 1912
Olympic Record 1:05.6 United States Charles Daniels London (GBR) July 20, 1908
1:02.8(*) Hungary Zoltán Halmay St. Louis (USA) September 5, 1904

(*) 100 yards (= 91.44 m)

In the fourth heat Perry McGillivray set a new Olympic record with 1:04.8 minutes. In the fifth heat Duke Kahanamoku bettered the Olympic record of 1:02.6 minutes. Finally Duke Kahanamoku improved the Olympic record with a time of 1:02.4 minutes in the third semifinal heat.

Schedule[]

Date Time Round
Saturday, 6 July 1912 19:00 Heats
Sunday, 7 July 1912 13:30
20:00
Quarterfinals
Semifinals 1 and 2
Tuesday, 9 July 1912 Semifinal 3
Wednesday, 10 July 1912 Final

Results[]

Heats[]

The fastest two in each heat advanced. A tie for second in the seventh heat resulted in both swimmers advancing. In addition, the fastest third-place swimmer from across the heats also qualified for the quarterfinals.

Heat 1[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 László Beleznai  Hungary 1:08.0 Q
2 Robert Andersson  Sweden 1:09.4 Q
3 Andreas Asimakopoulos  Greece 1:15.4
4 Herbert von Kuhlberg  Russia Unknown

Heat 2[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Kurt Bretting  Germany 1:07.0 Q
2 Paul Radmilovic  Great Britain 1:10.4 Q
3 Theodore Tartakover  Australasia 1:12.2
4 Jules Wuyts  Belgium 1:13.6

Heat 3[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Leslie Boardman  Australasia 1:06.0 Q
2 Nicholas Nerich  United States 1:07.6 Q
3 John Derbyshire  Great Britain 1:09.2
4–6 Davide Baiardo  Italy Unknown
Walther Binner  Germany Unknown
Alajos Kenyery  Hungary Unknown

Heat 4[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Perry McGillivray  United States 1:04.8 Q, OR
2 Cecil Healy  Australasia 1:05.2 Q
3 Ken Huszagh  United States 1:06.2 q
4 Erik Andersson  Sweden 1:13.0
5 Georg Kunisch  Germany Unknown

Heat 5[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 1:02.6 Q, OR
2 William Longworth  Australasia 1:05.2 Q
3 Harry Hebner  United States 1:10.4
4 Gérard Meister  France 1:16.6

Heat 6[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Harold Hardwick  Australasia 1:05.8 Q
2 Max Ritter  Germany 1:08.0 Q
3 Herman Meyboom  Belgium 1:15.4
4 James Reilly  United States Unknown

Heat 7[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Walter Ramme  Germany 1:10.2 Q
2 Harald Julin  Sweden 1:11.8 Q
Mario Massa  Italy 1:11.8 Q
4 John Johnsen  Norway 1:19.2

Heat 8[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Erik Bergqvist  Sweden 1:13.4 Q
2 Georges Rigal  France 1:17.8 Q
3 László Szentgróthy  Hungary Unknown

Quarterfinals[]

Again, the top two in each heat advanced along with the fastest loser overall. Four of the qualified swimmers did not take part in their quarterfinal heats, and a fifth (Massa) did not appear due to a misunderstanding. Massa was later allowed to take part in the semifinals.

Quarterfinal 1[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Kurt Bretting  Germany 1:04.2 Q
2 William Longworth  Australasia 1:05.2 Q
3 Harold Hardwick  Australasia 1:06.0
4 Robert Andersson  Sweden 1:10.0
László Beleznai  Hungary DNS
Georges Rigal  France DNS

Quarterfinal 2[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 1:03.8 Q
2 Walter Ramme  Germany 1:07.8 Q
3 Nicholas Nerich  United States 1:08.8
Max Ritter  Germany 1:08.8
Erik Bergqvist  Sweden DNS
Harald Julin  Sweden DNS

Quarterfinal 3[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Ken Huszagh  United States 1:04.2 Q
2 Perry McGillivray  United States 1:04.4 Q
3 Cecil Healy  Australasia 1:04.8 q
4 Leslie Boardman  Australasia 1:05.4
5 Paul Radmilovic  Great Britain 1:19.0
Mario Massa  Italy DNS q*

Semifinals[]

Further confusion struck the semifinals. Under the belief that the second round of the competition had been the semifinals, the American swimmers did not appear for the third round. This led to both semifinals being essentially walkovers, as the first had three swimmers and the second only one. Since the top two swimmers of each and the fastest third-place swimmer would advance, all four competitors had secured a place in the final before entering the water. Longworth swam in the first heat, despite suffering from what the official report referred to as "suppuration in the head".

The jury for the swimming events met and determined that a third heat should be held under special rules. If the winner of the extra heat were to beat the time set by the third-place swimmer of the first heat (1:06.2, a stiff pace but one which all three Americans had beat during the quarterfinals), he and the second-place finisher would advance. If the mark were not bettered, none of the swimmers from the third heat would advance. Massa, who had missed the quarterfinals due to a misunderstanding, was also allowed to start in the extra semifinal.

In the third heat, Kahanamoku not only beat Longworth's time, thus qualifying himself and Huszagh for the final, but bettered his own Olympic record which he had set in the first round. Huszagh out-touched McGillivray by a "hand's breadth" to take second place and the final qualification spot, though both finished well behind Kahanamoku and their own previous times. Massa did not finish the race.

Semifinal 1[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Cecil Healy  Australasia 1:05.6 Q
2 Walter Ramme  Germany 1:05.8 Q
3 William Longworth  Australasia 1:06.2 q

Semifinal 2[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Kurt Bretting  Germany 1:04.6 Q

Semifinal 3[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 1:02.4 Q, =WR
2 Ken Huszagh  United States 1:06.2 Q
3 Perry McGillivray  United States 1:06.2
Mario Massa  Italy DNF

Final[]

Longworth was unable to continue competing due to illness and did not start in the final.

Kahanamoku was clearly in control by the halfway point, with a tight race between Huszagh, Ramme, and Bretting for the next three spots with Healy close behind them. It was Healy who took the silver medal, though, as he swam by the other three near the finish. Ramme fell back to fifth while Huszagh and Bretting finished separated by "[o]nly a decimetre".

Rank Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) Duke Kahanamoku  United States 1:03.4
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Cecil Healy  Australasia 1:04.6
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Ken Huszagh  United States 1:05.6
4 Kurt Bretting  Germany 1:05.8
5 Walter Ramme  Germany 1:06.4
6 William Longworth  Australasia DNS

Results summary[]

Rank Swimmer Nation Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) Duke Kahanamoku  United States 1:02.6 1:03.8 1:02.4 1:03.4
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Cecil Healy  Australasia 1:05.2 1:04.8 1:05.6 1:04.6
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Ken Huszagh  United States 1:06.2 1:04.2 1:06.2 1:05.6
4 Kurt Bretting  Germany 1:07.0 1:04.2 1:04.6 1:05.8
5 Walter Ramme  Germany 1:10.2 1:07.8 1:05.8 1:06.4
6 William Longworth  Australasia 1:05.2 1:05.2 1:06.2 DNS
7 Perry McGillivray  United States 1:04.8 1:04.4 1:06.2 Did not advance
8 Mario Massa  Italy 1:11.8 DNS DNF Did not advance To semifinals by dispensation
9 Leslie Boardman  Australasia 1:06.0 1:05.4 Did not advance
10 Harold Hardwick  Australasia 1:05.8 1:06.0 Did not advance
11 Nicholas Nerich  United States 1:07.6 1:08.8 Did not advance
Max Ritter  Germany 1:08.0 1:08.8 Did not advance
13 Robert Andersson  Sweden 1:09.4 1:10.0 Did not advance
14 Paul Radmilovic  Great Britain 1:10.4 1:19.0 Did not advance
15 László Beleznai  Hungary 1:08.0 DNS Did not advance
Erik Bergqvist  Sweden 1:13.4 DNS Did not advance
Harald Julin  Sweden 1:11.8 DNS Did not advance
Georges Rigal  France 1:17.8 DNS Did not advance
19 John Derbyshire  Great Britain 1:09.2 Did not advance
20 Harry Hebner  United States 1:10.4 Did not advance
21 Theodore Tartakover  Australasia 1:12.2 Did not advance
22 Erik Andersson  Sweden 1:13.0 Did not advance
23 Jules Wuyts  Belgium 1:13.6 Did not advance
24 Andreas Asimakopoulos  Greece 1:15.4 Did not advance
Herman Meyboom  Belgium 1:15.4 Did not advance
26 Gérard Meister  France 1:16.6 Did not advance
27 John Johnsen  Norway 1:19.2 Did not advance
28 László Szentgróthy  Hungary Unknown Did not advance 3rd in heat
29 James Reilly  United States Unknown Did not advance 4th in heat
Herbert von Kuhlberg  Russia Unknown Did not advance 4th in heat
31 Davide Baiardo  Italy Unknown Did not advance 4th to 6th in heat
Walther Binner  Germany Unknown Did not advance 4th to 6th in heat
Alajos Kenyery  Hungary Unknown Did not advance 4th to 6th in heat
34 Georg Kunisch  Germany Unknown Did not advance 5th in heat

References[]

  1. ^ "Swimming at the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Freestyle". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b "100 metres Freestyle, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  3. ^ Official Report, p. 1069.

Notes[]

  • Bergvall, Erik (ed.) (1913). Adams-Ray, Edward (trans.). (ed.). The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912. Stockholm: Wahlström & Widstrand.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  • Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 28 January 2007.
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