Swimming at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre freestyle
Encyclopedia
The men's 400 metre freestyle event at the 1948 Olympic Games
took place between July 31 and August 4 at the Empire Pool. This swimming
event used freestyle swimming
, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated (unlike backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events). Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl
or a variant of that stroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of eight lengths of the pool.
Key: OR = Olympic record, Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place
Key: Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place
Key: OR = Olympic record
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
took place between July 31 and August 4 at the Empire Pool. This 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...
event used freestyle swimming
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated (unlike backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events). Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl
Front crawl
The front crawl, forward crawl, or freestyle is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is nearly universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, hence the synonymously used term "freestyle". It is one of two...
or a variant of that stroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of eight lengths of the pool.
Medalists
Heats
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jimmy McLane | 4:42.2 | Q, OR | |
| 2 | William Smith | 4:45.3 | Q | |
| 3 | John Marshall John Marshall (swimmer) John Birnie Marshall was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1940s and 1950s who won a silver and bronze medal in the 1500 m and 400 m freestyle respectively at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London... |
4:51.4 | Q | |
| 4 | Géza Kádas Géza Kádas Géza Kádas was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 100 metre freestyle in 1948.... |
4:52.8 | Q | |
| 5 | Jack Hale | 4:53.3 | Q | |
| 5 | Alex Jany | 4:53.3 | Q | |
| 7 | Per-Olof Östrand Per-Olof Östrand Per-Olof Östrand was a Swedish freestyle swimmer.He was born in Hofors and died in Skärholmen.He won a bronze medal in 400 m freestyle at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, with the time of 4:33.6. Östrand also competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics and 1956 Summer Olympics.-Clubs:*Hofors AIF*IF... |
4:53.5 | Q | |
| 8 | Alfredo Yantorno | 4:53.8 | Q | |
| 9 | György Mitró György Mitró György Mitró was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 1500 metre freestyle. He also became European champion in 1500 metres freestyle swimming in 1947.-References:... |
4:56.0 | Q | |
| 10 | William Heusner William Heusner William W. Heusner, Jr. was an American swimmer, competing in the freestyle events.Heusner competed for his native country at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom... |
4:58.3 | Q | |
| 11 | Don Johnston | 4:57.4 | Q | |
| 12 | Miroslav Bartůšek | 4:57.9 | q | |
| 13 | Branko Vidović | 4:58.7 | q | |
| 14 | Janko Puhar | 5:00.8 | q | |
| 15 | Marjan Stipetić | 5:01.4 | q | |
| 16 | Imre Nyéki Imre Nyéki Imre Nyéki was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay. He also competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics.-References:... |
5:01.8 | Q |
Key: OR = Olympic record, Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place
Semifinals
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Géza Kádas Géza Kádas Géza Kádas was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 100 metre freestyle in 1948.... |
4:47.8 | Q | |
| 2 | William Smith | 4:48.4 | Q | |
| 3 | Jimmy McLane | 4:49.5 | Q | |
| 4 | John Marshall John Marshall (swimmer) John Birnie Marshall was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1940s and 1950s who won a silver and bronze medal in the 1500 m and 400 m freestyle respectively at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London... |
4:50.0 | Q | |
| 5 | György Mitró György Mitró György Mitró was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 1500 metre freestyle. He also became European champion in 1500 metres freestyle swimming in 1947.-References:... |
4:50.8 | q | |
| 6 | Alex Jany | 4:51.3 | q | |
| 7 | Jack Hale | 4:51.4 | q | |
| 8 | Alfredo Yantorno | 4:57.3 | q | |
| 9 | William Heusner William Heusner William W. Heusner, Jr. was an American swimmer, competing in the freestyle events.Heusner competed for his native country at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom... |
4:57.4 | ||
| 10 | Marjan Stipetić | 4:58.6 | ||
| 11 | Janko Puhar | 4:58.7 | ||
| 11 | Miroslav Bartůšek | 4:58.7 | ||
| 13 | Branko Vidović | 4:59.4 | ||
| 14 | Don Johnston | 4:59.5 |
Key: Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place
Final
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
William Smith | 4:41.0 | OR | |
 |
Jimmy McLane | 4:43.4 | ||
 |
John Marshall John Marshall (swimmer) John Birnie Marshall was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1940s and 1950s who won a silver and bronze medal in the 1500 m and 400 m freestyle respectively at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London... |
4:47.4 | ||
| 4 | Géza Kádas Géza Kádas Géza Kádas was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 100 metre freestyle in 1948.... |
4:49.4 | ||
| 5 | György Mitró György Mitró György Mitró was a Hungarian swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1948 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, and a bronze medal in 1500 metre freestyle. He also became European champion in 1500 metres freestyle swimming in 1947.-References:... |
4:49.9 | ||
| 6 | Alex Jany | 4:51.4 | ||
| 7 | Jack Hale | 4:55.9 | ||
| 8 | Alfredo Yantorno | 4:58.7 |
Key: OR = Olympic record