Coxed Fours, Men

Switzerland, traditionally strong in the coxed fours, did not send a team to compete in Los Angeles, leaving the last edition’s gold medalists (and the European Champions every year from 1925 through 1934, except 1930), the Italians, as the favorites for the event at the 1932 Games. In the opening round, however, it was the Polish team who had the fastest time, facing stiffer competition in their heat against the Americans than the Italians had with the Germans. It was Germany, however, who, along with New Zealand, would escape the repêchage, while the United States was eliminated. The final was a close race between Germany and Italy, but the Germans managed to take the lead right at the end and claim victory by a mere 0.2 seconds, leaving Italy with silver. Poland, meanwhile, finished comfortably ahead of New Zealand to claim bronze.

Gold medalist Horst Hoeck died in 1969. In 2015 his gold medal from this race was found inside a safe in a German day-care center. Hoeck had lived in that buliding from 1945-49, well before it was used for day-care.