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  5. 400 metres Freestyle, Men
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400 metres Freestyle, Men

Date28 – 30 July 1952
StatusOlympic
LocationHelsingin Uimastadion, Helsinki
Participants48 from 29 countries

Along with the returning 1948 medallists John Marshall and Jimmy McLane, McLane’s American compatriot Ford Konno, Sweden’s Per-Olof Östrand, Hironoshin Furuhashi of Japan and the Frenchman Jean Boiteux were tipped to be medal contenders. Marshall, the Australian world record holder, failed to reach the final and although McLane and Furuhashi both reached the final they filled the final two positions. The battle for the gold came to be decided between Boiteux, Konno and Östrand. The Frenchman led by a small margin over his American rival with the Swede always behind but keeping up the pressure on the leaders. Mindful of Konno’s noted sprint finish, Boiteux made his effort at the 200m mark. By 300m he held pulled out a second on Konno but the American began to fight back. Konno surged back and nearly brought himself level but with fifteen metres to go the American faltered and Boiteux held on to win. Östrand held on to finish third.

Boiteux came from a family of swimmers; his father had been a long distance swimmer whilst his mother and uncle both represented France in the Paris Olympics of 1924. One of the iconic photographs of the 1952 Olympics is of Papa Boiteux, complete with wet beret, being helped out of the pool by his son after he had jumped in to celebrate the victory.

PosNumberCompetitorNOCR1SFFinal
1435Jean BoiteuxFRA4:45.1 (1 h4)4:33.1 (1 h1)4:30.7 (1)Gold
2606Ford KonnoUSA4:47.9 (2 h5)4:38.6 (1 h3)4:31.3 (2)Silver
3464Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:38.6 (1 h6)4:33.6 (2 h1)4:35.2 (3)Bronze
4–Peter DuncanRSA4:44.0 (2 h8)4:41.7 (2 h3)4:37.9 (4)
5190Jack WardropGBR4:43.7 (1 h1)4:41.1 (3 h1)4:39.9 (5)
6604Wayne MooreUSA4:43.2 (1 h8)4:42.0 (1 h2)4:40.1 (6)
7605Jimmy McLaneUSA4:46.5 (1 h3)4:42.2 (4 h1)4:40.3 (7)
8279Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:43.3 (1 h2)4:44.2 (3 h3)4:42.1 (8)
9280Yasuo TanakaJPN4:44.3 (2 h1)4:44.9 (2 h2)–
10127Graham JohnstonRSA4:52.3 (2 h4)4:45.5 (5 h1)–
1175Tetsuo OkamotoBRA4:46.1 (1 h7)4:46.2 (4 h3)–
12320Gerry McNameeCAN4:53.5 (3 h7)4:46.7 (3 h2)–
13422Gotfryd GremlowskiPOL4:49.0 (3 h1)4:47.4 (6 h1)–
14281Yoshio TanakaJPN4:54.0 (3 h8)4:48.0 (7 h1)–
1593John MarshallAUS4:46.8 (2 h7)4:50.3 (4 h2)–
16321Allen GilchristCAN4:52.5 (3 h3)4:52.4 (5 h3)–
17125Dennis FordRSA4:50.2 (2 h3)4:53.6 (5 h2)–
18565Gusztáv KettesiHUN4:53.0 (2 h6)4:54.2 (6 h3)–
19436Jo BernardoFRA4:53.5 (4 h1)4:56.0 (6 h2)–
20115Enrique GranadosESP4:53.7 (4 h3)4:56.2 (7 h3)–
21143Joris TjebbesNED4:54.4 (3 h5)5:01.9 (8 h1)–
22566György CsordásHUN4:45.7 (1 h5)– (DNS h2)–
23–Alfredo YantornoARG4:54.5 (4 h7)– (DNS h2)–
24195Ronnie BurnsGBR4:55.2 (5 h7)– (DNS h3)–
2522Garrick AgnewAUS4:55.5 (3 h6)––
26515Pentti IkonenFIN4:55.7 (5 h1)––
27–Federico ZwanckARG4:56.4 (5 h3)––
28367Viktor DrobinskyURS4:56.5 (2 h2)––
29366Anatoly RaznochintsevURS4:56.8 (3 h4)––
30514Neo Chwee KokSGP4:57.5 (3 h2)––
31254Peter SteinwenderAUT5:03.6 (4 h4)––
32196Peter HeadGBR5:04.2 (5 h4)––
33233Angelo RomaniITA5:05.1 (4 h8)––
34–Carlos Alberto BonacichARG5:06.3 (4 h5)––
35437René MillionFRA5:07.0 (5 h8)––
=36404Per OlsenNOR5:08.6 (5 h5)––
=36417Fernando MadeiraPOR5:08.6 (6 h8)––
38520Pentti PaatsaloFIN5:09.3 (6 h5)––
3973Ricardo EsberardBRA5:09.5 (6 h3)––
40169Cheung Kin ManHKG5:11.4 (6 h4)––
41588Eduardo PriggioneURU5:12.1 (4 h2)––
42405Roar WoldumNOR5:14.4 (4 h6)––
4391Geoffrey MarksSRI5:15.2 (6 h1)––
4462Robert CookBER5:15.4 (7 h5)––
45519Einari AaltoFIN5:15.8 (5 h6)––
4663Walter BardgettBER5:18.0 (5 h2)––
47170Sonny MonteiroHKG5:21.6 (6 h2)––
48536Walter SchneiderSUI5:27.3 (7 h3)––
49488Georg MascettiSAA5:31.2 (7 h1)––
50–Nguyễn Văn PhanVNM5:36.5 (6 h7)––
51408Muhammad RamzanPAK5:45.7 (7 h8)––
DNS93Hernán AvilésCHI– (DNS h7)––
DNS97Jack HakimEGY– (DNS h3)––
DNS337Efrén FierroMEX– (DNS h8)––
DNS339Tonatiuh GutiérrezMEX– (DNS h2)––
DNS338César BorjaMEX– (DNS h6)––
DNS140Sambiao BasanungPHI– (DNS h4)––
DNS94Abdel Aziz El-ShafeiEGY– (DNS h7)––
DNS–Yury ShlyapinURS– (DNS h6)––

Round One

Date28 July 1952 — 17:00
FormatFastest 16 advanced to the semi-finals.
PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:38.6QOR
2–Wayne MooreUSA4:43.2Q
3–Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:43.3Q
4–Jack WardropGBR4:43.7Q
5–Peter DuncanRSA4:44.0Q
6–Yasuo TanakaJPN4:44.3Q
7–Jean BoiteuxFRA4:45.1Q
8–György CsordásHUN4:45.7Q
9–Tetsuo OkamotoBRA4:46.1Q
10–Jimmy McLaneUSA4:46.5Q
11–John MarshallAUS4:46.8Q
12–Ford KonnoUSA4:47.9Q
13–Gotfryd GremlowskiPOL4:49.0Q
14–Dennis FordRSA4:50.2Q
15–Graham JohnstonRSA4:52.3Q
16–Allen GilchristCAN4:52.5Q
17–Gusztáv KettesiHUN4:53.0Q
=18–Jo BernardoFRA4:53.5Q
=18–Gerry McNameeCAN4:53.5Q
20–Enrique GranadosESP4:53.7Q
21–Yoshio TanakaJPN4:54.0Q
22–Joris TjebbesNED4:54.4Q
23–Alfredo YantornoARG4:54.5Q
24–Ronnie BurnsGBR4:55.2Q
25–Garrick AgnewAUS4:55.5
26–Pentti IkonenFIN4:55.7
27–Federico ZwanckARG4:56.4
28–Viktor DrobinskyURS4:56.5
29–Anatoly RaznochintsevURS4:56.8
30–Neo Chwee KokSGP4:57.5
31–Peter SteinwenderAUT5:03.6
32–Peter HeadGBR5:04.2
33–Angelo RomaniITA5:05.1
34–Carlos Alberto BonacichARG5:06.3
35–René MillionFRA5:07.0
=36–Per OlsenNOR5:08.6
=36–Fernando MadeiraPOR5:08.6
38–Pentti PaatsaloFIN5:09.3
39–Ricardo EsberardBRA5:09.5
40–Cheung Kin ManHKG5:11.4
41–Eduardo PriggioneURU5:12.1
42–Roar WoldumNOR5:14.4
43–Geoffrey MarksSRI5:15.2
44–Robert CookBER5:15.4
45–Einari AaltoFIN5:15.8
46–Walter BardgettBER5:18.0
47–Sonny MonteiroHKG5:21.6
48–Walter SchneiderSUI5:27.3
49–Georg MascettiSAA5:31.2
50–Nguyễn Văn PhanVNM5:36.5
51–Muhammad RamzanPAK5:45.7
DNS–Tonatiuh GutiérrezMEX–
DNS–Jack HakimEGY–
DNS–Sambiao BasanungPHI–
DNS–César BorjaMEX–
DNS–Yury ShlyapinURS–
DNS–Hernán AvilésCHI–
DNS–Abdel Aziz El-ShafeiEGY–
DNS–Efrén FierroMEX–

Heat #1

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Jack WardropGBR4:43.7Q
2–Yasuo TanakaJPN4:44.3Q
3–Gotfryd GremlowskiPOL4:49.0Q
4–Jo BernardoFRA4:53.5Q
5–Pentti IkonenFIN4:55.7
6–Geoffrey MarksSRI5:15.2
7–Georg MascettiSAA5:31.2

Heat #2

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:43.3Q
2–Viktor DrobinskyURS4:56.5
3–Neo Chwee KokSGP4:57.5
4–Eduardo PriggioneURU5:12.1
5–Walter BardgettBER5:18.0
6–Sonny MonteiroHKG5:21.6
DNS–Tonatiuh GutiérrezMEX–

Heat #3

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Jimmy McLaneUSA4:46.5Q
2–Dennis FordRSA4:50.2Q
3–Allen GilchristCAN4:52.5Q
4–Enrique GranadosESP4:53.7Q
5–Federico ZwanckARG4:56.4
6–Ricardo EsberardBRA5:09.5
7–Walter SchneiderSUI5:27.3
DNS–Jack HakimEGY–

Heat #4

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Jean BoiteuxFRA4:45.1Q
2–Graham JohnstonRSA4:52.3Q
3–Anatoly RaznochintsevURS4:56.8
4–Peter SteinwenderAUT5:03.6
5–Peter HeadGBR5:04.2
6–Cheung Kin ManHKG5:11.4
DNS–Sambiao BasanungPHI–

Heat #5

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–György CsordásHUN4:45.7Q
2–Ford KonnoUSA4:47.9Q
3–Joris TjebbesNED4:54.4Q
4–Carlos Alberto BonacichARG5:06.3
5–Per OlsenNOR5:08.6
6–Pentti PaatsaloFIN5:09.3
7–Robert CookBER5:15.4

Heat #6

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:38.6QOR
2–Gusztáv KettesiHUN4:53.0Q
3–Garrick AgnewAUS4:55.5
4–Roar WoldumNOR5:14.4
5–Einari AaltoFIN5:15.8
DNS–César BorjaMEX–
DNS–Yury ShlyapinURS–

Heat #7

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Tetsuo OkamotoBRA4:46.1Q
2–John MarshallAUS4:46.8Q
3–Gerry McNameeCAN4:53.5Q
4–Alfredo YantornoARG4:54.5Q
5–Ronnie BurnsGBR4:55.2Q
6–Nguyễn Văn PhanVNM5:36.5
DNS–Hernán AvilésCHI–
DNS–Abdel Aziz El-ShafeiEGY–

Heat #8

PosLaneCompetitorNOCTime
1–Wayne MooreUSA4:43.2Q
2–Peter DuncanRSA4:44.0Q
3–Yoshio TanakaJPN4:54.0Q
4–Angelo RomaniITA5:05.1
5–René MillionFRA5:07.0
6–Fernando MadeiraPOR5:08.6
7–Muhammad RamzanPAK5:45.7
DNS–Efrén FierroMEX–

Semi-Finals

Date29 July 1952 — 10:00
FormatFastest eight advanced to the final.
PosCompetitorNOCTime
1Jean BoiteuxFRA4:33.1QOR
2Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:33.6Q
3Ford KonnoUSA4:38.6Q
4Jack WardropGBR4:41.1Q
5Peter DuncanRSA4:41.7Q
6Wayne MooreUSA4:42.0Q
7Jimmy McLaneUSA4:42.2Q
8Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:44.2Q
9Yasuo TanakaJPN4:44.9
10Graham JohnstonRSA4:45.5
11Tetsuo OkamotoBRA4:46.2
12Gerry McNameeCAN4:46.7
13Gotfryd GremlowskiPOL4:47.4
14Yoshio TanakaJPN4:48.0
15John MarshallAUS4:50.3
16Allen GilchristCAN4:52.4
17Dennis FordRSA4:53.6
18Gusztáv KettesiHUN4:54.2
19Jo BernardoFRA4:56.0
20Enrique GranadosESP4:56.2
21Joris TjebbesNED5:01.9
DNSGyörgy CsordásHUN–
DNSAlfredo YantornoARG–
DNSRonnie BurnsGBR–

Heat #1

PosCompetitorNOCTime
1Jean BoiteuxFRA4:33.1QOR
2Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:33.6Q
3Jack WardropGBR4:41.1Q
4Jimmy McLaneUSA4:42.2Q
5Graham JohnstonRSA4:45.5
6Gotfryd GremlowskiPOL4:47.4
7Yoshio TanakaJPN4:48.0
8Joris TjebbesNED5:01.9

Heat #2

PosCompetitorNOCTime
1Wayne MooreUSA4:42.0Q
2Yasuo TanakaJPN4:44.9
3Gerry McNameeCAN4:46.7
4John MarshallAUS4:50.3
5Dennis FordRSA4:53.6
6Jo BernardoFRA4:56.0
DNSGyörgy CsordásHUN–
DNSAlfredo YantornoARG–

Heat #3

PosCompetitorNOCTime
1Ford KonnoUSA4:38.6Q
2Peter DuncanRSA4:41.7Q
3Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:44.2Q
4Tetsuo OkamotoBRA4:46.2
5Allen GilchristCAN4:52.4
6Gusztáv KettesiHUN4:54.2
7Enrique GranadosESP4:56.2
DNSRonnie BurnsGBR–

Final

Date30 July 1952 — 17:00
PosCompetitorNOCTime100 m200 m300 m100-200 m Time (Rank)200-300 m Time (Rank)300-400 m Time (Rank)
1Jean BoiteuxFRA4:30.71:02.7 (=1)2:11.8 (1)3:21.7 (1)1:09.1 (1)1:09.9 (=1)1:09.0 (=2)OR
2Ford KonnoUSA4:31.31:02.7 (=1)2:11.9 (2)3:22.5 (2)1:09.2 (2)1:10.6 (3)1:08.8 (1)
3Per-Olof ÖstrandSWE4:35.21:03.7 (3)2:13.7 (3)3:23.6 (3)1:10.0 (3)1:09.9 (=1)1:11.6 (5)
4Peter DuncanRSA4:37.91:04.3 (7)2:15.6 (6)3:27.8 (6)1:11.3 (=6)1:12.2 (4)1:10.1 (4)
5Jack WardropGBR4:39.91:04.0 (=5)2:15.8 (7)3:30.9 (8)1:11.8 (8)1:15.1 (8)1:09.0 (=2)
6Wayne MooreUSA4:40.11:03.8 (4)2:14.4 (=4)3:27.4 (5)1:10.6 (5)1:13.0 (7)1:12.7 (7)
7Jimmy McLaneUSA4:40.31:04.0 (=5)2:14.4 (=4)3:27.0 (4)1:10.4 (4)1:12.6 (=5)1:13.3 (8)
8Hironoshin FuruhashiJPN4:42.11:05.6 (8)2:16.9 (8)3:29.5 (7)1:11.3 (=6)1:12.6 (=5)1:12.6 (6)