| | Event type

400 metres, Men

Date	12 – 13 July 1912
Status	Olympic
Location	Stockholms Olympiastadion, Stockholm
Participants	49 from 16 countries

Three Americans were highly considered for this event. Ed Lindberg had won the AAU Championship in 1909 and 1911 and won the central U.S. Olympic Trial. Donnell Young won the 1911 IC4A title and the eastern U.S. Olympic Trial. The 1912 IC4A 440 yard champion had been Syracuse’s Charles Reidpath.

In the fifth semi-final, Young was involved in a controversial incident with Germany’s Hanns Braun. On the first curve, Braun tried to cut in front of Young, who reacted by pushing Braun violently to the outside of the track. Young finished first but was disqualified and Braun was advanced to the final, where he would compete against four Americans - Reidpath, Lindberg, Ted Meredith, and Carroll Haff.

The first round and semi-finals had been run without lanes. But the Braun/Young incident changed that and strings were put up for the final, and the runners ran in lanes. Braun took the lead until he was passed on the last curve by Reidpath. Reidpath held on to narrowly defeat Braun, with Lindberg taking the bronze medal.

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	–	Charles Reidpath	USA	51.2 (2 h15)	48.7 (1 h1)	48.2 (1)	Gold	OR
2	–	Hanns Braun	GER	50.6 (1 h3)	49.2 (1 h5)	48.3 (2)	Silver
3	–	Ed Lindberg	USA	50.6 (1 h10)	48.9 (1 h2)	48.4 (3)	Bronze
4	–	Ted Meredith	USA	– (2 h3)	48.8 (1 h3)	49.2 (4)
5	–	Carroll Haff	USA	50.4 (1 h7)	49.7 (1 h4)	49.5 (5)
2 h1 r2/3	–	Hec Edmundson	USA	50.2 (1 h11)	– (2 h1)	–
2 h2 r2/3	–	Eric Lindholm	SWE	51.4 (1 h9)	50.2 (2 h2)	–
2 h3 r2/3	–	Mel Sheppard	USA	1:06.6 (2 h2)	48.9est (2 h3)	–
2 h4 r2/3	–	Emilio Lunghi	ITA	50.5 (2 h7)	– (2 h4)	–
2 h5 r2/3	–	Ira Davenport	USA	– (2 h12)	– (2 h5)	–
3 h1 r2/3	–	George Nicol	GBR	50.0 (1 h12)	– (3 h1)	–
3 h2 r2/3	–	Charles Lelong	FRA	50.2 (1 h5)	– (3 h2)	–
3 h3 r2/3	–	George Patching	RSA	51.1 (1 h15)	50.5est (3 h3)	–
3 h4 r2/3	–	Ervin Szerelemhegyi	HUN	– (2 h14)	– (3 h4)	–
4 h1 r2/3	–	Frigyes Wiesner-Mezei	HUN	50.8 (1 h8)	– (4 h1)	–
4 h3 r2/3	–	Knut Stenborg	SWE	1:01.6 (1 h6)	50.5 (4 h3)	–
5 h1 r2/3	–	Charles Poulenard	FRA	50.7 (2 h1)	– (5 h1)	–
5 h3 r2/3	–	Ole Jacob Pedersen	NOR	51.6 (2 h9)	– (5 h3)	–
AC h2 r2/3	–	Cyril Seedhouse	GBR	51.5 (1 h14)	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h2 r2/3	–	Algernon Wells	GBR	1:01.2 (2 h13)	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h2 r2/3	–	Jacques Person	GER	55.4 (1 h13)	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h3 r2/3	–	Ernest Henley	GBR	– (2 h11)	– (DNF h3)	–
AC h4 r2/3	–	Ernest Haley	GBR	1:06.6 (1 h2)	– (DNF h4)	–
AC h4 r2/3	–	Jim Rosenberger	USA	50.6 (1 h1)	– (DNF h4)	–
AC h5 r2/3	–	James Soutter	GBR	– (2 h10)	– (AC h5)	–
AC h5 r2/3	–	Paul Zerling	SWE	55.4 (1 h4)	– (AC h5)	–
AC h5 r2/3	–	Donnell Young	USA	50.4 (2 h5)	– (DQ h5)	–
2 h4 r1/3	–	Yahiko Mishima	JPN	55.5 (2 h4)	–	–
2 h8 r1/3	–	Johan Dahlin	SWE	51.0 (2 h8)	–	–
3 h1 r1/3	–	Władysław Ponurski	AUT	– (3 h1)	–	–
3 h3 r1/3	–	Armando Cortesão	POR	– (3 h3)	–	–
3 h5 r1/3	–	István Déván	HUN	– (3 h5)	–	–
3 h7 r1/3	–	Max Herrmann	GER	– (3 h7)	–	–
3 h8 r1/3	–	Géo Malfait	FRA	– (3 h8)	–	–
3 h9 r1/3	–	Heinrich Burkowitz	GER	51.7est (3 h9)	–	–
3 h10 r1/3	–	Franco Giongo	ITA	– (3 h10)	–	–
3 h11 r1/3	–	Mel Brock	CAN	– (3 h11)	–	–
3 h12 r1/3	–	Tom Gallon	CAN	– (3 h12)	–	–
3 h15 r1/3	–	Heinrich Wenseler	GER	– (3 h15)	–	–
4 h5 r1/3	–	Gösta Möller	SWE	– (4 h5)	–	–
4 h9 r1/3	–	Václav Labík-Gregan	BOH	– (4 h9)	–	–
4 h11 r1/3	–	Pyotr Gayevsky	RUS	– (4 h11)	–	–
4 h12 r1/3	–	Erich Lehmann	GER	– (4 h12)	–	–
4 h15 r1/3	–	Alan Patterson	GBR	– (4 h15)	–	–
5 h12 r1/3	–	Georges Rolot	FRA	– (5 h12)	–	–
5 h15 r1/3	–	Robert Schürrer	FRA	– (5 h15)	–	–
6 h12 r1/3	–	Ödön Bodor	HUN	– (6 h12)	–	–
AC h1 r1/3	–	Claude Ross	ANZ	– (DNF h1)	–	–
AC h14 r1/3	–	Alex Pedersen	NOR	[51.9] (DQ h14)	–	–
DNS	–	James Hill	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Bernhard Vogel	RUS	–	–	–
DNS	–	Raymond Saladin	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Alexandre Correia Leal	POR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Naum Filimonov	RUS	–	–	–
DNS	–	Clément Mentrel	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Tivadar Kiss	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Jack Garland Skeet	ANZ	–	–	–
DNS	–	Tor Österlund	SWE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Maurice Colman	BEL	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ralph Craig	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Victor Jacquemin	BEL	–	–	–
DNS	–	Zdeněk Městecký	BOH	–	–	–
DNS	–	Army Howard	CAN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Bobby Kerr	CAN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Federico Mueller	CHI	–	–	–
DNS	–	Leopoldo Palma	CHI	–	–	–
DNS	–	Lauri Pihkala	FIN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Joseph Caullé	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Pierre Failliot	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	André Fouache	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Laurie Anderson	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Robert Burton	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Robert Lindsay	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Duncan Macmillan	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Károly Radóczy	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Jan Grijseels	NED	–	–	–
DNS	–	Herman Sotaaen	NOR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Herberts Baumanis	RUS	–	–	–
DNS	–	Aleksandr Schultz	RUS	–	–	–
DNS	–	Erik Frisell	SWE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Karl Haglund	SWE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Karl August Luther	SWE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ture Persson	SWE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Carl Cooke	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Hal Heiland	USA	–	–	–

Round One (12 July 1912 — 11:00)

Top two in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat One

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Jim Rosenberger	USA	50.6	Q
2	–	Charles Poulenard	FRA	50.7	Q
3	–	Władysław Ponurski	AUT	–
DNF	–	Claude Ross	ANZ	–

Heat Two

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Ernest Haley	GBR	1:06.6	Q
2	–	Mel Sheppard	USA	1:06.6	Q

Heat Three

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Hanns Braun	GER	50.6	Q
2	–	Ted Meredith	USA	–	Q
3	–	Armando Cortesão	POR	–

Heat Four

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Paul Zerling	SWE	55.4	Q
2	–	Yahiko Mishima	JPN	55.5	Q

Heat Five

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Charles Lelong	FRA	50.2	Q
2	–	Donnell Young	USA	50.4	Q
3	–	István Déván	HUN	–
4	–	Gösta Möller	SWE	–

Heat Six

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Knut Stenborg	SWE	1:01.6	Q

Heat Seven

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Carroll Haff	USA	50.4	Q
2	–	Emilio Lunghi	ITA	50.5	Q
3	–	Max Herrmann	GER	–

Heat Eight

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Frigyes Wiesner-Mezei	HUN	50.8	Q
2	–	Johan Dahlin	SWE	51.0	Q
3	–	Géo Malfait	FRA	–

Heat Nine

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Eric Lindholm	SWE	51.4	Q
2	–	Ole Jacob Pedersen	NOR	51.6	Q
3	–	Heinrich Burkowitz	GER	51.7est
4	–	Václav Labík-Gregan	BOH	–

Heat Ten

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Ed Lindberg	USA	50.6	Q
2	–	James Soutter	GBR	–	Q
3	–	Franco Giongo	ITA	–

Heat Eleven

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Hec Edmundson	USA	50.2	Q
2	–	Ernest Henley	GBR	–	Q
3	–	Mel Brock	CAN	–
4	–	Pyotr Gayevsky	RUS	–

Heat Twelve

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	George Nicol	GBR	50.0	Q
2	–	Ira Davenport	USA	–	Q
3	–	Tom Gallon	CAN	–
4	–	Erich Lehmann	GER	–
5	–	Georges Rolot	FRA	–
6	–	Ödön Bodor	HUN	–

Heat Thirteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Jacques Person	GER	55.4	Q
2	–	Algernon Wells	GBR	1:01.2	Q

Heat Fourteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Cyril Seedhouse	GBR	51.5	Q
2	–	Ervin Szerelemhegyi	HUN	–	Q
DQ	–	Alex Pedersen	NOR	[51.9]

Heat Fifteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	George Patching	RSA	51.1	Q
2	–	Charles Reidpath	USA	51.2	Q
3	–	Heinrich Wenseler	GER	–
4	–	Alan Patterson	GBR	–
5	–	Robert Schürrer	FRA	–

Semi-Finals (12 July 1912 — 16:15)

Winner in each heat advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Charles Reidpath	USA	48.7	Q
2	–	Hec Edmundson	USA	–
3	–	George Nicol	GBR	–
4	–	Frigyes Wiesner-Mezei	HUN	–
5	–	Charles Poulenard	FRA	–

Heat Two

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Ed Lindberg	USA	48.9	Q
2	–	Eric Lindholm	SWE	50.2
3	–	Charles Lelong	FRA	–
DNF	–	Cyril Seedhouse	GBR	–
DNF	–	Jacques Person	GER	–
DNF	–	Algernon Wells	GBR	–

Heat Three

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Ted Meredith	USA	48.8	Q
2	–	Mel Sheppard	USA	48.9est
3	–	George Patching	RSA	50.5est
4	–	Knut Stenborg	SWE	50.5
5	–	Ole Jacob Pedersen	NOR	–
DNF	–	Ernest Henley	GBR	–

Heat Four

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Carroll Haff	USA	49.7	Q
2	–	Emilio Lunghi	ITA	–
3	–	Ervin Szerelemhegyi	HUN	–
DNF	–	Ernest Haley	GBR	–
DNF	–	Jim Rosenberger	USA	–

Heat Five

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Hanns Braun	GER	49.2	Q
2	–	Ira Davenport	USA	–
AC	–	James Soutter	GBR	–
AC	–	Paul Zerling	SWE	–
DQ	–	Donnell Young	USA	–		1

Final (13 July 1912 — 15:00)

Pos	Lane	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	3	Charles Reidpath	USA	48.2	OR
2	2	Hanns Braun	GER	48.3
3	5	Ed Lindberg	USA	48.4
4	1	Ted Meredith	USA	49.2
5	4	Carroll Haff	USA	49.5