| Date | 2 – 4 August 1936 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympiastadion, Reichssportfeld, Berlin |
| Participants | 42 from 23 countries |
| Olympic Record | 1:49.7 WR / Tommy Hampson  GBR / 2 August 1932 / Details |
There were three rounds, and the biggest surprise was the failure of Germany’s Rudolf Harbig to get out of round one. The favorite in the final was America’s John Woodruff.
As in 1932, the final pace was led out by Canada’s Phil Edwards, who had made his third consecutive final in the event. Woodruff took the lead at the bell, with Italy’s Mario Lanzi lagging in eighth place, despite the very slow pace (57.4). However, he moved up on the last lap, getting to third by the straight. He would finish quickly for the silver medal, but there was no catching Woodruff, who had increased his lead on the final lap, only to ease up near the finish for a two-metre victory over Lanzi. In July 1939, Rudolf Harbig would shatter the world record, running 1:46.6, a mark which would last until 1955.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 745 | John Woodruff |  USA | 1:58.7 (3 h4) | 1:52.7 (1 h1) | 1:52.9 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 328 | Mario Lanzi |  ITA | 1:56.1 (2 h5) | 1:54.1 (2 h3) | 1:53.3 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 74 | Phil Edwards |  CAN | 1:53.7 (1 h1) | 1:53.2 (3 h2) | 1:53.6 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 541 | Kazimierz Kucharski |  POL | 1:55.7 (2 h6) | 1:54.7 (2 h1) | 1:53.8 (4) | |||
| 5 | 743 | Chuck Hornbostel | USA | 1:53.7 (2 h1) | 1:53.2 (1 h3) | 1:54.6 (5) | |||
| 6 | 744 | Harry Williamson | USA | 1:56.2 (1 h2) | 1:53.1 (1 h2) | 1:55.8 (6) | |||
| 7 | 31 | Juan Carlos Anderson |  ARG | 1:55.1 (1 h6) | 1:54.8 (3 h1) | – (7) | |||
| 8 | 35 | Gerald Backhouse |  AUS | 1:57.7 (1 h4) | 1:53.2 (2 h2) | – (8) | |||
| 9 | 254 | Brian MacCabe | GBR | 1:54.5 (1 h3) | 1:55.4 (3 h3) | – (9) | |||
| 4 h1 r2/3 | 708 | Miklós Szabó |  HUN | 1:57.8 (2 h4) | 1:55.1 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 4 h2 r2/3 | 255 | Jack Powell | GBR | 1:56.0 (1 h5) | 1:54.8 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 4 h3 r2/3 | 199 | Raymond Petit |  FRA | 1:54.8 (2 h3) | 1:55.7 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r2/3 | 827 | Wolfgang Dessecker |  GER | 1:56.0 (3 h6) | 1:55.3 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 5 h2 r2/3 | 828 | Ewald Mertens | GER | 1:55.1 (4 h3) | 1:54.9 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h3 r2/3 | 73 | Ab Conway | CAN | 1:56.2 (2 h2) | 1:55.9 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | 490 | Franz Eichberger |  AUT | 1:56.3 (3 h5) | 1:56.2 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | 200 | René Soulier | FRA | 1:56.1 (4 h6) | 1:56.8 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 6 h3 r2/3 | 470 | Hjalle Johannesen |  NOR | 1:54.9 (3 h3) | 1:56.0 (6 h3) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/3 | 466 | Pat Boot |  NZL | 1:56.6 (3 h2) | – (7 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/3 | 491 | Emil Hübscher | AUT | 1:57.3 (4 h2) | – (7 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h3 r2/3 | 709 | Ferenc Temesvári | HUN | 1:55.0 (4 h1) | – (7 h3) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 253 | Frank Handley | GBR | 1:58.9 (4 h4) | – (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | 706 | József Vadas | HUN | 1:56.5 (4 h5) | – (8 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h3 r2/3 | 42 | Jean Verhaert |  BEL | 1:54.3 (3 h1) | – (8 h3) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r1/3 | 456 | Pierre Hemmer |  LUX | 1:56.3 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r1/3 | 419 | Emil Goršek |  YUG | 1:59.5 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 5 h3 r1/3 | 652 | Clarke Scholtz |  RSA | 1:57.6 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 5 h4 r1/3 | 664 | Evžen Rošický |  TCH | 1:59.5 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 5 h5 r1/3 | 650 | Willie Botha | RSA | 1:57.0 (5 h5) | – | – | |||
| 5 h6 r1/3 | 651 | William Lindeque | RSA | 1:56.4 (5 h6) | – | – | |||
| 6 h1 r1/3 | 826 | Rudolf Harbig | GER | 1:56.8 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 6 h2 r1/3 | 525 | Carlos Marcenaro |  PER | 2:00.8 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 6 h3 r1/3 | 375 | Toshinao Tomie |  JPN | 1:59.9 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 6 h4 r1/3 | 616 | Paul Martin |  SUI | 2:00.0 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 6 h5 r1/3 | 4 | Grigorios Georgakopoulos |  GRE | 1:57.3 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 6 h6 r1/3 | 374 | Kumao Aochi | JPN | 1:56.8 (6 h6) | – | – | |||
| 7 h1 r1/3 | 526 | Francisco Valdez | PER | – (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 7 h3 r1/3 | 663 | Stanislav Otáhal | TCH | – (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 7 h4 r1/3 | 457 | Charles Stein | LUX | – (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 7 h5 r1/3 | 75 | Jack Liddle | CAN | – (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 8 h1 r1/3 | 5 | Stavros Velkopoulos | GRE | – (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 8 h3 r1/3 | 319 | Gyan Bhalla |  IND | – (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 94 | Miguel Castro |  CHI | – (DNS h5) | – | – | ||||
| 108 | Jia Lianren |  CHN | – (DNS h6) | – | – | ||||
| 22 | Abu Al-Yazid El-Halawani |  EGY | – (DNS h2) | – | – | ||||
| 640 | Enrique Piferrer |  ESP | – (DNS h6) | – | – | ||||
| 639 | Luis Pratmasó | ESP | – (DNS h5) | – | – | ||||
| 160 | Ossi Teileri |  FIN | – (DNS h2) | – | – | ||||
| 198 | René Morel | FRA | – (DNS h2) | – | – | ||||
| 562 | Francisc Nemeș |  ROU | – (DNS h4) | – | – | ||||
| 617 | Fritz Sollberger | SUI | – (DNS h3) | – | – | ||||
| 573 | Eric Ny |  SWE | – (DNS h4) | – | – | ||||
| 574 | Erik Wennberg | SWE | – (DNS h1) | – | – | ||||
| 420 | Karlo Nikhazi | YUG | – (DNS h6) | – | – |
| Date | 2 August 1936 — 16:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 4 in each heat advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 | Phil Edwards | CAN | 1:53.7 | ||
| 2 | 743 | Chuck Hornbostel | USA | 1:53.7 | ||
| 3 | 42 | Jean Verhaert | BEL | 1:54.3 | ||
| 4 | 709 | Ferenc Temesvári | HUN | 1:55.0 | ||
| 5 | 456 | Pierre Hemmer | LUX | 1:56.3 | ||
| 6 | 826 | Rudolf Harbig | GER | 1:56.8 | ||
| 7 | 526 | Francisco Valdez | PER | – | ||
| 8 | 5 | Stavros Velkopoulos | GRE | – | ||
| 574 | Erik Wennberg | SWE | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – |  | 56.4 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 744 | Harry Williamson | USA | 1:56.2 | ||
| 2 | 73 | Ab Conway | CAN | 1:56.2 | ||
| 3 | 466 | Pat Boot | NZL | 1:56.6 | ||
| 4 | 491 | Emil Hübscher | AUT | 1:57.3 | ||
| 5 | 419 | Emil Goršek | YUG | 1:59.5 | ||
| 6 | 525 | Carlos Marcenaro | PER | 2:00.8 | ||
| 22 | Abu Al-Yazid El-Halawani | EGY | – | |||
| 160 | Ossi Teileri | FIN | – | |||
| 198 | René Morel | FRA | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 57.8 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 254 | Brian MacCabe | GBR | 1:54.5 | ||
| 2 | 199 | Raymond Petit | FRA | 1:54.8 | ||
| 3 | 470 | Hjalle Johannesen | NOR | 1:54.9 | ||
| 4 | 828 | Ewald Mertens | GER | 1:55.1 | ||
| 5 | 652 | Clarke Scholtz | RSA | 1:57.6 | ||
| 6 | 375 | Toshinao Tomie | JPN | 1:59.9 | ||
| 7 | 663 | Stanislav Otáhal | TCH | – | ||
| 8 | 319 | Gyan Bhalla | IND | – | ||
| 617 | Fritz Sollberger | SUI | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 55.7 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 | Gerald Backhouse | AUS | 1:57.7 | ||
| 2 | 708 | Miklós Szabó | HUN | 1:57.8 | ||
| 3 | 745 | John Woodruff | USA | 1:58.7 | ||
| 4 | 253 | Frank Handley | GBR | 1:58.9 | ||
| 5 | 664 | Evžen Rošický | TCH | 1:59.5 | ||
| 6 | 616 | Paul Martin | SUI | 2:00.0 | ||
| 7 | 457 | Charles Stein | LUX | – | ||
| 562 | Francisc Nemeș | ROU | – | |||
| 573 | Eric Ny | SWE | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 58.9 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 255 | Jack Powell | GBR | 1:56.0 | ||
| 2 | 328 | Mario Lanzi | ITA | 1:56.1 | ||
| 3 | 490 | Franz Eichberger | AUT | 1:56.3 | ||
| 4 | 706 | József Vadas | HUN | 1:56.5 | ||
| 5 | 650 | Willie Botha | RSA | 1:57.0 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Grigorios Georgakopoulos | GRE | 1:57.3 | ||
| 7 | 75 | Jack Liddle | CAN | – | ||
| 94 | Miguel Castro | CHI | – | |||
| 639 | Luis Pratmasó | ESP | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 56.1 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 | Juan Carlos Anderson | ARG | 1:55.1 | ||
| 2 | 541 | Kazimierz Kucharski | POL | 1:55.7 | ||
| 3 | 827 | Wolfgang Dessecker | GER | 1:56.0 | ||
| 4 | 200 | René Soulier | FRA | 1:56.1 | ||
| 5 | 651 | William Lindeque | RSA | 1:56.4 | ||
| 6 | 374 | Kumao Aochi | JPN | 1:56.8 | ||
| 108 | Jia Lianren | CHN | – | |||
| 640 | Enrique Piferrer | ESP | – | |||
| 420 | Karlo Nikhazi | YUG | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 57.5 |
| Date | 3 August 1936 — 17:15 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 3 in each heat advanced to the final round. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (hand / automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 745 | John Woodruff | USA | 1:52.7 | ||
| 2 | 744 | Harry Williamson | USA | 1:53.1 | ||
| =3 | 35 | Gerald Backhouse | AUS | 1:53.2 | ||
| =3 | 74 | Phil Edwards | CAN | 1:53.2 | ||
| 5 | 743 | Chuck Hornbostel | USA | 1:53.2 | ||
| 6 | 328 | Mario Lanzi | ITA | 1:54.1 | ||
| 7 | 541 | Kazimierz Kucharski | POL | 1:54.7 | ||
| =8 | 31 | Juan Carlos Anderson | ARG | 1:54.8 | ||
| =8 | 255 | Jack Powell | GBR | 1:54.8 | ||
| 10 | 828 | Ewald Mertens | GER | 1:54.9 | ||
| 11 | 708 | Miklós Szabó | HUN | 1:55.1 | ||
| 12 | 827 | Wolfgang Dessecker | GER | 1:55.3 | ||
| 13 | 254 | Brian MacCabe | GBR | 1:55.4 | ||
| 14 | 199 | Raymond Petit | FRA | 1:55.7 | ||
| 15 | 73 | Ab Conway | CAN | 1:55.9 | ||
| 16 | 470 | Hjalle Johannesen | NOR | 1:56.0 | ||
| 17 | 490 | Franz Eichberger | AUT | 1:56.2 | ||
| 18 | 200 | René Soulier | FRA | 1:56.8 | ||
| 466 | Pat Boot | NZL | – | 7 | ||
| 491 | Emil Hübscher | AUT | – | 8 | ||
| 709 | Ferenc Temesvári | HUN | – | 9 | ||
| 253 | Frank Handley | GBR | – | 10 | ||
| 706 | József Vadas | HUN | – | 11 | ||
| 42 | Jean Verhaert | BEL | – | 12 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 745 | John Woodruff | USA | 1:52.7 | ||
| 2 | 541 | Kazimierz Kucharski | POL | 1:54.7 | ||
| 3 | 31 | Juan Carlos Anderson | ARG | 1:54.8 | ||
| 4 | 708 | Miklós Szabó | HUN | 1:55.1 | ||
| 5 | 827 | Wolfgang Dessecker | GER | 1:55.3 | ||
| 6 | 490 | Franz Eichberger | AUT | 1:56.2 | ||
| 7 | 466 | Pat Boot | NZL | – | ||
| 8 | 253 | Frank Handley | GBR | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | John Woodruff | | 52.0 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 744 | Harry Williamson | USA | 1:53.1 | ||
| 2 | 35 | Gerald Backhouse | AUS | 1:53.2 | ||
| 3 | 74 | Phil Edwards | CAN | 1:53.2 | ||
| 4 | 255 | Jack Powell | GBR | 1:54.8 | ||
| 5 | 828 | Ewald Mertens | GER | 1:54.9 | ||
| 6 | 200 | René Soulier | FRA | 1:56.8 | ||
| 7 | 491 | Emil Hübscher | AUT | – | ||
| 8 | 706 | József Vadas | HUN | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 56.4 |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 743 | Chuck Hornbostel | USA | 1:53.2 | ||
| 2 | 328 | Mario Lanzi | ITA | 1:54.1 | ||
| 3 | 254 | Brian MacCabe | GBR | 1:55.4 | ||
| 4 | 199 | Raymond Petit | FRA | 1:55.7 | ||
| 5 | 73 | Ab Conway | CAN | 1:55.9 | ||
| 6 | 470 | Hjalle Johannesen | NOR | 1:56.0 | ||
| 7 | 709 | Ferenc Temesvári | HUN | – | ||
| 8 | 42 | Jean Verhaert | BEL | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | – | | 56.3 |
| Date | 4 August 1936 — 17:45 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 745 | John Woodruff | USA | 1:52.9 | ||
| 2 | 328 | Mario Lanzi | ITA | 1:53.3 | ||
| 3 | 74 | Phil Edwards | CAN | 1:53.6 | ||
| 4 | 541 | Kazimierz Kucharski | POL | 1:53.8 | ||
| 5 | 743 | Chuck Hornbostel | USA | 1:54.6 | ||
| 6 | 744 | Harry Williamson | USA | 1:55.8 | ||
| 7 | 31 | Juan Carlos Anderson | ARG | – | ||
| 8 | 35 | Gerald Backhouse | AUS | – | ||
| 9 | 254 | Brian MacCabe | GBR | – |
| Time | Athlete(s) | NOC | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | John Woodruff | | 57.4 |
