| | Event type

1,500 metres Freestyle, Men

Date	6 – 10 July 1912
Status	Olympic
Location	Simstadion, Djurgårdsbrunnsviken, Stockholm
Participants	19 from 11 countries

The defending champion was Britain’s Henry Taylor, who also held the world record of 22:48.4, which he had set at London in winning the 1908 Olympic championship. Taylor had won the ASA mile championship in 1911, but in 1912 he would be defeated by John Hatfield, a month after the Olympics, and he would also win that title in 1913-14. Hatfield had to know he would have a difficult time when Canada’s George Hodgson broke Taylor’s world record in the first round, posting a time of 22:23.0.

In the final, Hatfield was no match for Hodgson. Hodgson took off at a brisk pace, leading Australia’s Harold Hardwick by 10 metres at the first turn (100 metres). By 500 metres, he held a 25 metre lead over Hatfield. Hodgson passed 1,000 metres in 14:37.0, a world record for that distance. After winning the race in 22:00.0, Hodgson continued on in an attempt to set a new world record for the mile (1,609 metres), which he did with a time of 23:34.5. Hodgson’s world record for 1,500 metres lasted for 11 years, until it was broken by Arne Borg (SWE), with a time of 21:35.3 at Göteborg on 8 July 1923. In addition to his gold medal, Hodgson also earned possession of the Challenge Trophy for the 1,500 metre freestyle event, which had been donated in 1908 by the Italian Count and IOC Member, Eugenio Brunetta d’Usseaux.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	George Hodgson	CAN	22:23.0 (1 h3)	22:26.0 (1 h1)	22:00.0 (1)	Gold
2	Jack Hatfield	GBR	23:16.6 (2 h2)	22:33.4 (2 h1)	22:39.0 (2)	Silver
3	Harold Hardwick	ANZ	23:23.2 (1 h5)	23:14.0 (3 h1)	23:15.4 (3)	Bronze
AC r3/3	Malcolm Champion	ANZ	23:34.0 (2 h1)	23:24.2 (2 h2)	– (DNF)		DNF
AC r3/3	Béla Las-Torres	HUN	22:58.0 (1 h2)	23:09.8 (1 h2)	– (DNF)		DNF
3 h2 r2/3	Willie Foster	GBR	23:52.2 (2 h5)	23:32.2 (3 h2)	–
4 h1 r2/3	Wille Andersson	SWE	23:12.2 (1 h1)	23:14.4 (4 h1)	–
4 h2 r2/3	Sydney Battersby	GBR	23:58.0 (1 h4)	– (4 h2)	–
AC h1 r2/3	Henry Taylor	GBR	24:06.4 (3 h1)	– (DNF h1)	–		DNF
2 h3 r1/3	Bill Longworth	ANZ	23:03.6 (2 h3)	– (DNS h2)	–
2 h4 r1/3	Franz Schuh	AUT	25:19.8 (2 h4)	– (DNS h1)	–
3 h3 r1/3	Harry Hedegaard	DEN	28:32.4 (3 h3)	–	–
3 h4 r1/3	Eskil Wedholm	SWE	27:38.0 (3 h4)	–	–
3 h5 r1/3	John Johnsen	NOR	25:45.6 (3 h5)	–	–
4 h5 r1/3	Gustav Collin	SWE	27:05.2 (4 h5)	–	–
AC h1 r1/3	Herbert Wetter	NOR	– (DNF h1)	–	–		DNF
AC h2 r1/3	Auguste Caby	FRA	– (DNF h2)	–	–		DNF
AC h4 r1/3	Mario Massa	ITA	– (DNF h4)	–	–		DNF
AC h5 r1/3	Pavel Avksentyev	RUS	– (DNF h5)	–	–		DNF
DNS	Wolfgang Siller	AUT	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Joseph Pletincx	BEL	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Alois Broft	BOH	– (DNS h3)	–	–
DNS	Georges Rigal	FRA	– (DNS h2)	–	–
DNS	Émile-Georges Drigny	FRA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Jean Thorailler	FRA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Émile Bangerter	FRA	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	Louis Bonzom	FRA	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	André Chenriet	FRA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Henri Dubois	FRA	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Georges Hermant	FRA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Marcel Pernot	FRA	– (DNS h3)	–	–
DNS	Alfred Vieilledent	FRA	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	René Voisard	FRA	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Otto Fahr	GER	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	Otto Kühne	GER	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Alajos Kenyéry	HUN	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Imre Zachár	HUN	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	Davide Baiardo	ITA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Virgilio Bellezza	ITA	– (DNS h4)	–	–
DNS	Attilio Bellezza	ITA	– (DNS h2)	–	–
DNS	Aldo Cigheri	ITA	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	Mario Pratolongo	ITA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	George Godfrey	RSA	– (DNS h5)	–	–
DNS	Nikolay Voronkov	RUS	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Budd Goodwin	USA	– (DNS h3)	–	–
DNS	Jim Reilly	USA	– (DNS h2)	–	–
DNS	Jack Mantell	USA	– (DNS h1)	–	–
DNS	Joseph Morris	USA	– (DNS h5)	–	–

Round One1 (6 – 7 July 1912)

Top two in each heat and the fastest third-place advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat One (6 July 1912 — 19:45)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	Wille Andersson	SWE	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:12.2	Q
2	–	Malcolm Champion	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:34.0	Q
3	–	Henry Taylor	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	24:06.4	q
DNF	–	Herbert Wetter	NOR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Émile-Georges Drigny	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		2
DNS	–	Jean Thorailler	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		3
DNS	–	André Chenriet	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		4
DNS	–	Georges Hermant	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		5
DNS	–	Davide Baiardo	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		6
DNS	–	Mario Pratolongo	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		7
DNS	–	Nikolay Voronkov	RUS	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		8
DNS	–	Jack Mantell	USA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		9

Heat Two (6 July 1912 — 20:30)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	Béla Las-Torres	HUN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:58.0	Q
2	–	Jack Hatfield	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:16.6	Q
DNF	–	Auguste Caby	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Georges Rigal	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Attilio Bellezza	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Jim Reilly	USA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–

Heat Three (6 July 1912 — 21:15)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	George Hodgson	CAN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:23.0	QWR
2	–	Bill Longworth	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:03.6	Q
3	–	Harry Hedegaard	DEN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	28:32.4
DNS	–	Alois Broft	BOH	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Marcel Pernot	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Budd Goodwin	USA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–

Heat Four (7 July 1912 — 14:15)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	Sydney Battersby	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:58.0	Q
2	–	Franz Schuh	AUT	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	25:19.8	Q
3	–	Eskil Wedholm	SWE	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	27:38.0
DNF	–	Mario Massa	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Wolfgang Siller	AUT	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		10
DNS	–	Joseph Pletincx	BEL	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		11
DNS	–	Louis Bonzom	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		12
DNS	–	Henri Dubois	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		13
DNS	–	René Voisard	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		14
DNS	–	Otto Kühne	GER	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		15
DNS	–	Alajos Kenyéry	HUN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		16
DNS	–	Virgilio Bellezza	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		17

Heat Five (7 July 1912 — 20:20)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	Harold Hardwick	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:23.2	Q
2	–	Willie Foster	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:52.2	Q
3	–	John Johnsen	NOR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	25:45.6
4	–	Gustav Collin	SWE	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	27:05.2
DNF	–	Pavel Avksentyev	RUS	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Émile Bangerter	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		18
DNS	–	Alfred Vieilledent	FRA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		19
DNS	–	Otto Fahr	GER	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		20
DNS	–	Imre Zachár	HUN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		21
DNS	–	Aldo Cigheri	ITA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		22
DNS	–	George Godfrey	RSA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		23
DNS	–	Joseph Morris	USA	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–		24

Semi-Finals (9 July 1912 — 12:35)

Top two in each heat and the fastest third-place advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	George Hodgson	CAN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:26.0	Q
2	–	Jack Hatfield	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:33.4	Q
3	–	Harold Hardwick	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:14.0	q
4	–	Wille Andersson	SWE	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:14.4
DNF	–	Henry Taylor	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Franz Schuh	AUT	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–

Heat Two

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	Béla Las-Torres	HUN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:09.8	Q
2	–	Malcolm Champion	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:24.2	Q
3	–	Willie Foster	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:32.2
4	–	Sydney Battersby	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNS	–	Bill Longworth	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–

Final (10 July 1912 — 19:40)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	100 m	200 m	300 m	400 m	500 m	600 m	700 m	800 m	900 m	1,000 m	1,100 m	1,200 m	1,300 m	1400 m	Time
1	–	George Hodgson	CAN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:00.0	WR
2	–	Jack Hatfield	GBR	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	22:39.0
3	–	Harold Hardwick	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	23:15.4
DNF	–	Béla Las-Torres	HUN	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–
DNF	–	Malcolm Champion	ANZ	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	– –	–