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Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Men's 400 metres

|games = 1936 Summer

|image =

|caption =

|venue = Olympiastadion: Berlin, Germany

|dates = August 6, 1936 (heats and quarterfinals)
August 7, 1936 (semifinals and final)

|competitors = 42

|nations = 25

|win_value = 46.5

|longnames = yes

|gold = Archie Williams

|goldNOC = USA

|silver = Godfrey Brown

|silverNOC = GBR

|bronze = James LuValle

|bronzeNOC = USA

|prev=1932

|next=1948

}}

{{AthleticsAt1936SummerOlympics}}

The men's 400 metres sprint event at the 1936 Olympic Games took place in early August. Forty-two athletes from 25 nations competed.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/58185 |work=Olympedia |title=400 metres, Men |access-date=31 July 2020}} The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by 0.2 seconds by American Archie Williams, the third consecutive and seventh overall title in the event for the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/ATH/mens-400-metres.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171656/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/ATH/mens-400-metres.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games: Men's 400 metres |access-date=23 July 2017 |work=sports-reference.com}} Godfrey Brown's silver was Great Britain's first medal in the event since 1924.

{{TOC limit|3}}

Background

This was the tenth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. None of the finalists from 1932 returned. Archie Williams of the United States was the favorite, setting the world record at 46.1 seconds at the 1936 NCAA championships.

The Republic of China and Romania appeared in the event for the first time. The United States made its tenth appearance in the event, the only nation to compete in it at every Olympic Games to that point.

Competition format

The competition retained the basic four-round format from 1920. There were 8 heats in the first round, each with 5 or 6 athletes. The top three runners in each heat advanced to the quarterfinals. There were 4 quarterfinals of 6 runners each; the top three athletes in each quarterfinal heat advanced to the semifinals. The semifinals featured 2 heats of 6 runners each. The top three runners in each semifinal heat advanced, making a six-man final.Official Report, vol. 1, pp. 624–26.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1924 Summer Olympics.

{{World Olympic Record

| world_athlete = {{flagathlete|Archie Williams|USA}}

| world_mark = 46.1

| world_place = Chicago, United States

| world_date = 19 June 1936

| world_ref =

| olympic_athlete = {{flagIOCathlete|Bill Carr|USA|1928 Summer}}

| olympic_mark = 46.2

| olympic_place = Los Angeles, United States

| olympic_date = 5 August 1932

| olympic_ref =

}}

No records were set during this event.

Schedule

class="wikitable"

! Date

! Time

! Round

Thursday, 6 August 193610:30
15:15		Heats
Quarterfinals
style=background:lemonchiffon| Friday, 7 August 1936style=background:lemonchiffon| 15:00
17:30		style=background:lemonchiffon| Semifinals
Final

Results

=Heats=

The fastest three runners in each of the eight heats advanced to the quarterfinal round.

==Heat 1==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Bill Robertsalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Olle Danielssonalign=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1936 Summer}}48.6{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| John Loaringalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}49.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Albert Judalign=left|{{flagIOC|SUI|1936 Summer}}49.4
5align=left|Tibor Ribényialign=left|{{flagIOC|HUN|1936 Summer}}50.1

==Heat 2==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Georges Henryalign=left| {{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}49.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Karel Kněnickýalign=left| {{flagIOC|TCH|1936 Summer}}49.6{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Dennis Shorealign=left| {{flagIOC|RSA|1936 Summer}}49.9{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Sven Strömbergalign=left|{{flagIOC|SWE|1936 Summer}}50.0
5align=left|Johann Baptist Gudenusalign=left|{{flagIOC|AUT|1936 Summer}}52.9

==Heat 3==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Godfrey Brownalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.8{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Mario Lanzialign=left| {{flagIOC|ITA|1936 Summer}}49.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Adolf Metzneralign=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}50.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Mohamed Ebeidalign=left|{{flagIOC|EGY|1936 Summer}}50.5
5align=left|Jean Verhaertalign=left|{{flagIOC|BEL|1936 Summer}}50.7
6align=left|Leonard Tayalign=left|{{flagIOC|ROC|1936 Summer}}52.4

==Heat 4==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Harold Smallwoodalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}49.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Marshall Limonalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}49.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| József Vadasalign=left| {{flagIOC|HUN|1936 Summer}}49.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Rolf Schønheyderalign=left|{{flagIOC|NOR|1936 Summer}}49.4
5align=left|Antônio de Carvalhoalign=left|{{flagIOC|BRA|1936 Summer}}50.4
6align=left|Hiroyoshi Kubotaalign=left|{{flagIOC|JPN|1936 Summer}}50.8

==Heat 5==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Jimmy LuVallealign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}49.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Juan Carlos Andersonalign=left| {{flagIOC|ARG|1936 Summer}}49.4{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Zoltán Zsitvaalign=left| {{flagIOC|HUN|1936 Summer}}49.8{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Francisc Nemeşalign=left|{{flagIOC|ROU|1936 Summer}}50.9
5align=left|Keiji Imaialign=left|{{flagIOC|JPN|1936 Summer}}51.0

==Heat 6==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Hermann Blazejezakalign=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}47.9{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Godfrey Ramplingalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.6{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Börje Strandvallalign=left| {{flagIOC|FIN|1936 Summer}}49.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Raymond Boissetalign=left|{{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}49.5
5align=left|Jean Krombachalign=left|{{flagIOC|LUX|1936 Summer}}50.4

==Heat 7==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Archie Williamsalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}47.8{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| William Fritzalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}49.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Gunnar Christensenalign=left| {{flagIOC|DEN|1936 Summer}}49.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Toyoyi Aiharaalign=left|{{flagIOC|JPN|1936 Summer}}50.2
5align=left|Raúl Muñozalign=left|{{flagIOC|CHI|1936 Summer}}50.5

==Heat 8==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

align=left| Pierre Skawinskialign=left| {{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}48.9{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

align=left| Bertil von Wachenfeldtalign=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1936 Summer}}49.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

align=left| Rudolf Klupschalign=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}49.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for quarterfinals}}
4align=left|Alfred Königalign=left|{{flagIOC|AUT|1936 Summer}}49.4
5align=left|Gyan Bhallaalign=left|{{flagIOC|IND|1936 Summer}}52.4

=Quarterfinals=

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

==Quarterfinal 1==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

5align=left| Bill Robertsalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}47.7{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

1align=left| Harold Smallwoodalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}48.6{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

3align=left| Mario Lanzialign=left| {{flagIOC|ITA|1936 Summer}}48.8{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
42align=left|Zoltán Zsitvaalign=left|{{flagIOC|HUN|1936 Summer}}49.4
54align=left|Dennis Shorealign=left|{{flagIOC|RSA|1936 Summer}}49.6
66align=left|Gunnar Christensenalign=left|{{flagIOC|DEN|1936 Summer}}51.0

==Quarterfinal 2==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

2align=left| Hermann Blazejezakalign=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}48.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

5align=left| Godfrey Brownalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

6align=left| William Fritzalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}48.4{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
44align=left|Bertil von Wachenfeldtalign=left|{{flagIOC|SWE|1936 Summer}}48.5
51align=left|Georges Henryalign=left|{{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}49.4
63align=left|Börje Strandvallalign=left|{{flagIOC|FIN|1936 Summer}}49.9

==Quarterfinal 3==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

1align=left| Archie Williamsalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}48.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

3align=left| Juan Carlos Andersonalign=left| {{flagIOC|ARG|1936 Summer}}48.7{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

2align=left| Johnny Loaringalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}49.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
44align=left|Olle Danielssonalign=left|{{flagIOC|SWE|1936 Summer}}49.6
rowspan=2 data-sort-value=5| ——align=left| Adolf Metzneralign=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}{{abbr|DNS|Did not start}}
—align=left| József Vadasalign=left| {{flagIOC|HUN|1936 Summer}}{{abbr|DNS|Did not start}}

==Quarterfinal 4==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

2align=left| Jimmy LuVallealign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}47.6{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

6align=left| Pierre Skawinskialign=left| {{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}48.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

3align=left| Godfrey Ramplingalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for semifinals}}
44align=left|Rudolf Klupschalign=left|{{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}48.8
51align=left|Marshall Limonalign=left|{{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}48.9
65align=left|Karel Kněnickýalign=left|{{flagIOC|TCH|1936 Summer}}49.6

=Semifinals=

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

==Semifinal 1==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

5align=left| Archie Williamsalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}47.2{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

2align=left| Bill Robertsalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}48.0{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

3align=left| Johnny Loaringalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}48.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
41align=left|Mario Lanzialign=left|{{flagIOC|ITA|1936 Summer}}48.2
55align=left|Pierre Skawinskialign=left|{{flagIOC|FRA|1936 Summer}}52.0
data-sort-value=6| ——align=left| Harold Smallwoodalign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}{{abbr|DNS|Did not start}}

==Semifinal 2==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTimeNotes
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 1

4align=left| Jimmy LuVallealign=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}47.1{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 2

5align=left| Godfrey Brownalign=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}47.3{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
bgcolor=bbf3bb

| 3

6align=left| William Fritzalign=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}47.4{{abbr|Q|Qualified for final}}
42align=left|Godfrey Ramplingalign=left|{{flagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}47.5
53align=left|Juan Carlos Andersonalign=left|{{flagIOC|ARG|1936 Summer}}48.5
61align=left|Hermann Blazejezakalign=left|{{flagIOC|GER|1936 Summer}}49.2

=Final=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
RankLaneAthleteNationTime
{{gold1}}5align=left|Archie Williamsalign=left| {{FlagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}46.5
{{silver2}}6align=left|Godfrey Brownalign=left| {{FlagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}46.7
{{Bronze3}}2align=left|James LuVallealign=left| {{FlagIOC|USA|1936 Summer}}46.8
43align=left| Bill Robertsalign=left| {{FlagIOC|GBR|1936 Summer}}46.8
51align=left| William Fritzalign=left| {{FlagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}47.8
64align=left| Johnny Loaringalign=left| {{FlagIOC|CAN|1936 Summer}}48.2

References

{{reflist}}

{{Olympics400metres}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 400 m Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics At The 1936 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 Metres}}

Category:Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics

Category:400 metres at the Olympics

Category:Men's events at the 1936 Summer Olympics