The men's 4x200 metre freestyle relay, or 800 metre team race, was one of 6 swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 events on the Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics

Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics

At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, six swimming events were contested. These were the first Olympic Games in which a 100 metre pool had been especially constructed . Previous Olympic events were swum in open water...

 programme. It was the only relay event on the schedule, and the first appearance of the 4x200 in Olympic competition.

Semifinals

The fastest team in each semifinal and the fastest losing team from across the semifinals advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

Place	Nation	Swimmers	Time
1		Frank Beaurepaire Frank Beaurepaire Sir Francis "Frank" Joseph Edmund Beaurepaire was an Australian distance freestyle swimmer from the 1900s to the 1920s, who won three silver and three bronze medals, from the 1908 Summer Olympics in London to the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, setting 15 world records.He was also a decorated...   Frederick Springfield  Reginald Baker Reginald Baker Reginald Leslie "Snowy" Baker was an Australian athlete, sports promoter and film actor, who was born in Surry Hills, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales...   Theodore Tartakover	11:35.0
2		Poul Holm  Harald Klem Harald Klem Harald Robert Severin Klem was a Danish gymnast and swimmer who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics and in the 1908 Summer Olympics....   Ludvig Dam Ludvig Dam Hans Peter Ludvig Dam was a Danish freestyle and backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics and 1908 Summer Olympics....   Hjalmar Saxtorph	12:53.0

Semifinal 2

Place	Nation	Swimmers	Time
1		William Foster William Foster (swimmer) William Foster was a British freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics....   Paul Radmilovic  John Derbyshire John Derbyshire (swimmer) John Henry "Rob" Derbyshire was an English freestyle swimmer and water polo player from Chorlton, Lancashire, who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics, 1906 Summer Olympics, 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics....   Henry Taylor Henry Taylor (swimmer) Henry Taylor was a British freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics, and in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He served in the Royal Navy during the First World War, and continued to swim competitively until 1926...	10:53.4 WR
2		Harry Hebner Harry Hebner Harry Joseph Hebner was an American backstroke and freestyle swimmer as well as a water polo player, who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics and in the 1920 Summer Olympics....   Leo Goodwin Leo Goodwin (swimmer) Leo Joseph "Budd" Goodwin was an American freestyle swimmer, diver, and water polo player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics and the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was able to win medals in swimming and diving as well as in water polo.-Biography:He was born on November 13, 1883 in New York City...   Charles Daniels Charles Daniels (swimmer) Charles Meldrum "Charlie" Daniels is a former American swimmer and eight-time Olympic medalist. Daniels was an innovator of the front crawl swimming style, inventing the "American crawl".-Career:Daniels began his swimming career with the New York Athletic Club in 1903...   Leslie Rich Leslie Rich Leslie George Rich was an American freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was born in Somerville, Massachusetts and died in Dade City, Florida....	11:01.4
3		Gustaf Wretman  Gunnar Wennerström Gunnar Wennerström Gunnar Wennerström was a Swedish water polo player and freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was part of the Swedish water polo team, which was able to win the bronze medal....   Harald Julin Harald Julin Harald Sigfrid Alexander Julin was a Swedish freestyle swimmer and water polo player. He won a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in 100 m freestyle, bronze medals at the 1908 and 1920 in men's water polo tournament and a silver medal in men's water polo at the 1912 Summer Olympics in...   Adolf Andersson	Unknown

Semifinal 3

Hungary had no competition in the third semifinal.

Place	Nation	Swimmers	Time
1		József Munk József Munk József Munk was a Hungarian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was Jewish....   Imre Zachár Imre Zachár Imre Zachár was a Hungarian water polo player and freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics.-Swimming career:...   Béla Las Torres  Zoltán Halmay Zoltán Halmay Zoltán Halmay was a Hungarian Olympic swimmer. He competed in four Olympics , winning the following medals:* 1900: silver , bronze * 1904: gold...	Swam over

Final

Hungary led throughout the race until Halmay veered towards the wall and was caught by Taylor (who had only just before passed Rich) in the final 20 yards.

Place	Nation	Swimmers	Time
1		John Derbyshire Paul Radmilovic William Foster Henry Taylor	10:55.6
2		József Munk Imre Zachár Béla las Torres Zoltán Halmay	10:59.0
3		Harry Hebner Leo Goodwin Charles Daniels Leslie Rich	11:02.8
4		Frank Beaurepaire Frederick Springfield Reginald Baker Reginald Baker Reginald Leslie "Snowy" Baker was an Australian athlete, sports promoter and film actor, who was born in Surry Hills, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales... Theodore Tartakover	Unknown

Sources