| Date | 26 October 1968 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez, Ciudad de México |
| Participants | 80 from 18 countries |
This was the final swimming event of the 1968 Olympics. The USA had won it in 1960 and 1964 and was again the clear favorite. On the opening leg, East Germany’s Roland Matthes put his team ahead with a world record of 58.0 for the 100 backstroke, with Charlie Hickcox of the US over two seconds behind. On the breaststroke leg, 100 gold medalist Don McKenzie picked up a little ground on East German Egon Henninger but the Americans were still a full two seconds back. That changed on the butterfly as Doug Russell stormed by Horst-Günter Gregor and gave Ken Walsh a 1.6 second lead for the anchor leg. Walsh opened further to bring the US home in the world record time of 3:54.9 with East Germany second and the Soviet Union winning bronze.
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | R1 | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States |  USA | 4:03.4 (1 h2) | 3:54.9 (1) | Gold | ||
| Backstroke | 15348 | Charlie Hickcox | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 15357 | Don McKenzie | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 15365 | Doug Russell | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 15371 | Ken Walsh | – | – | ||||
| Backstroke | 15359 | Ronnie Mills | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 15351 | Chet Jastremski | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 15364 | Carl Robie | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 15366 | Don Schollander | – | – | ||||
| 2 | – | East Germany |  GDR | 4:04.1 (2 h2) | 3:57.5 (2) | Silver | ||
| Backstroke | 23062 | Roland Matthes | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 23051 | Egon Henninger | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 23046 | Horst-Günter Gregor | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 23079 | Frank Wiegand | – | – | ||||
| 3 | – | Soviet Union |  URS | 4:04.8 (2 h1) | 4:00.7 (3) | Bronze | ||
| Backstroke | 21037 | Yury Gromak | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 21022 | Vladimir Kosinsky | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 21041 | Vladimir Nemshilov | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 21027 | Leonid Ilyichov | – | – | ||||
| Backstroke | 21038 | Viktor Mazanov | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 21023 | Nikolay Pankin | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 21040 | Yury Suzdaltsev | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 21036 | Sergey Gusev | – | – | ||||
| 4 | – | Australia |  AUS | 4:04.8 (1 h3) | 4:00.8 (4) | |||
| Backstroke | 12046 | Karl Byrom | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 13049 | Ian O'Brien | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 13047 | Robert Cusack | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 13052 | Mike Wenden | – | – | ||||
| 5 | – | Japan |  JPN | 4:04.3 (1 h1) | 4:01.8 (5) | |||
| Backstroke | 18149 | Kishio Tanaka | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 18142 | Nobutaka Taguchi | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 18151 | Satoshi Maruya | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | – | Kunihiro Iwasaki | – | – | ||||
| 6 | – | West Germany |  FRG | 4:04.7 (3 h2) | 4:05.4 (6) | |||
| Backstroke | 12236 | Reinhard Blechert | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 12235 | Gregor Betz | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 12255 | Lutz Stoklasa | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 12245 | Wolfgang Kremer | – | – | ||||
| 7 | – | Canada |  CAN | 4:06.0 (3 h1) | 4:07.3 (7) | |||
| Backstroke | 13940 | Jim Shaw | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 13942 | Bill Mahony | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 13941 | Tom Arusoo | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | – | Sandy Gilchrist | – | – | ||||
| 8 | – | Spain |  ESP | 4:06.8 (2 h3) | 4:08.8 (8) | |||
| Backstroke | 15082 | Santiago Esteva | – | – | ||||
| Breaststroke | 15080 | José Durán | – | – | ||||
| Butterfly | 15081 | Arturo Lang-Lenton | – | – | ||||
| Freestyle | 15078 | José Antonio Chicoy | – | – | ||||
| 9 | 5 | Great Britain |  GBR | 4:07.7 (3 h3) | – | |||
| 16690 | Neil Jackson | – | – | |||||
| 16758 | Roger Roberts | – | – | |||||
| 16688 | Martyn Woodroffe | – | – | |||||
| – | Bobby McGregor | – | – | |||||
| 10 | 7 | Argentina |  ARG | 4:08.4 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 12808 | Leonardo Barenboim | – | – | |||||
| 12811 | Alberto Forelli | – | – | |||||
| 12812 | Luis Nicolao | – | – | |||||
| 12814 | Carlos van der Maath | – | – | |||||
| 11 | 3 | Hungary |  HUN | 4:08.8 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 17290 | László Cseh, Sr. | – | – | |||||
| 17295 | Sándor Szabó | – | – | |||||
| 17296 | István Szentirmay | – | – | |||||
| 17293 | Gábor Kucsera | – | – | |||||
| 12 | 2 | Mexico |  MEX | 4:10.0 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 18764 | José Joaquín Santibáñez | – | – | |||||
| – | Felipe Muñoz | – | – | |||||
| 18758 | Mario Santibáñez | – | – | |||||
| 18757 | Rafaél Cal | – | – | |||||
| 13 | 6 | Italy |  ITA | 4:10.3 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 17854 | Franco Del Campo | – | – | |||||
| 17856 | Massimo Sacchi | – | – | |||||
| 17857 | Antonio Attanasio | – | – | |||||
| 17855 | Pietro Boscaini | – | – | |||||
| 14 | 6 | Brazil |  BRA | 4:11.1 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 13550 | César Filardi | – | – | |||||
| 13547 | José Sylvio Fiolo | – | – | |||||
| 13549 | Nikita | – | – | |||||
| 13548 | José Roberto Aranha | – | – | |||||
| 15 | 3 | Sweden |  SWE | 4:12.2 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 20409 | Hans Tegeback | – | – | |||||
| 20406 | Thomas Johnsson | – | – | |||||
| 20410 | Bo Westergren | – | – | |||||
| 20401 | Lester Eriksson | – | – | |||||
| 16 | 1 | Philippines |  PHI | 4:15.7 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 15865 | Tony Asamli | – | – | |||||
| 15884 | Amman Jalmaani | – | – | |||||
| 15887 | Leroy Goff | – | – | |||||
| – | Roosevelt Abdulgafur | – | – | |||||
| 17 | 7 | Switzerland |  SUI | 4:20.6 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 20568 | Gerald Evard | – | – | |||||
| 20567 | Nicolas Gilliard | – | – | |||||
| 20570 | Ayis Capéronis | – | – | |||||
| – | Pano Capéronis | – | – | |||||
| 18 | 2 | Puerto Rico |  PUR | 4:27.6 (7 h2) | – | |||
| – | Francisco Ramis | – | – | |||||
| 19844 | José Ferraioli | – | – | |||||
| – | Gary Goodner | – | – | |||||
| 19850 | Jorge González | – | – |
| Date | 26 October 1968 — 10:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest 8 advanced to the final round. |
| Pos | Lane | Team | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | United States | USA | 4:03.4 | ||
| 2 | 6 | East Germany | GDR | 4:04.1 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Japan | JPN | 4:04.3 | ||
| 4 | 5 | West Germany | FRG | 4:04.7 | ||
| =5 | 5 | Soviet Union | URS | 4:04.8 | ||
| =5 | 3 | Australia | AUS | 4:04.8 | ||
| 7 | 4 | Canada | CAN | 4:06.0 | ||
| 8 | 4 | Spain | ESP | 4:06.8 | ||
| 9 | 5 | Great Britain | GBR | 4:07.7 | ||
| 10 | 7 | Argentina | ARG | 4:08.4 | ||
| 11 | 3 | Hungary | HUN | 4:08.8 | ||
| 12 | 2 | Mexico | MEX | 4:10.0 | ||
| 13 | 6 | Italy | ITA | 4:10.3 | ||
| 14 | 6 | Brazil | BRA | 4:11.1 | ||
| 15 | 3 | Sweden | SWE | 4:12.2 | ||
| 16 | 1 | Philippines | PHI | 4:15.7 | ||
| 17 | 7 | Switzerland | SUI | 4:20.6 | ||
| 18 | 2 | Puerto Rico | PUR | 4:27.6 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Japan | JPN | 4:04.3 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Kishio Tanaka | – | 1:03.2 (4) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Nobutaka Taguchi | – | 1:08.6 (3) | 2:11.8 (1) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Satoshi Maruya | – | 58.1 (1) | 3:09.9 (1) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Kunihiro Iwasaki | – | 54.4 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 5 | Soviet Union | URS | 4:04.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Viktor Mazanov | – | 1:03.0 (3) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Nikolay Pankin | – | 1:08.3 (2) | 2:11.3 (2) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Yury Suzdaltsev | – | 59.4 (3) | 3:10.7 (2) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Sergey Gusev | – | 54.1 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 4 | Canada | CAN | 4:06.0 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Jim Shaw | – | 1:01.6 (1) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Bill Mahony | – | 1:09.8 (4) | 2:11.4 (3) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Tom Arusoo | – | 1:00.3 (4) | 3:11.7 (3) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Sandy Gilchrist | – | 54.3 (=2) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 7 | Argentina | ARG | 4:08.4 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Leonardo Barenboim | – | 1:03.8 (5) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Alberto Forelli | – | 1:10.3 (5) | 2:14.1 (4) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Luis Nicolao | – | 58.3 (2) | 3:12.4 (4) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Carlos van der Maath | – | 56.0 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 3 | Hungary | HUN | 4:08.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | László Cseh, Sr. | – | 1:02.6 (2) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Sándor Szabó | – | 1:10.4 (6) | 2:13.0 (5) | |||
| Butterfly | – | István Szentirmay | – | 1:01.5 (=5) | 3:14.5 (5) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Gábor Kucsera | – | 54.3 (=2) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | 6 | Brazil | BRA | 4:11.1 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | César Filardi | – | 1:06.7 (6) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | José Sylvio Fiolo | – | 1:07.0 (1) | 2:13.7 (6) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Nikita | – | 1:01.5 (=5) | 3:15.2 (6) | |||
| Freestyle | – | José Roberto Aranha | – | 55.9 (5) | – (–) |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | United States | USA | 4:03.4 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Ronnie Mills | – | 1:01.9 (1) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Chet Jastremski | – | 1:09.3 (3) | 2:11.2 (1) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Carl Robie | – | 59.1 (2) | 3:10.3 (1) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Don Schollander | – | 53.1 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 6 | East Germany | GDR | 4:04.1 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Roland Matthes | – | 1:02.1 (2) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Egon Henninger | – | 1:08.7 (2) | 2:10.8 (2) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Horst-Günter Gregor | – | 59.2 (3) | 3:10.0 (2) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Frank Wiegand | – | 54.1 (=3) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 5 | West Germany | FRG | 4:04.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Reinhard Blechert | – | 1:03.5 (3) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Gregor Betz | – | 1:08.5 (1) | 2:12.0 (3) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Lutz Stoklasa | – | 58.9 (1) | 3:10.9 (3) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Wolfgang Kremer | – | 53.8 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 3 | Sweden | SWE | 4:12.2 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Hans Tegeback | – | 1:06.7 (5) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Thomas Johnsson | – | 1:11.9 (5) | 2:18.6 (4) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Bo Westergren | – | 59.5 (4) | 3:18.1 (4) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Lester Eriksson | – | 54.1 (=3) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 1 | Philippines | PHI | 4:15.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Tony Asamli | – | 1:08.1 (7) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Amman Jalmaani | – | 1:09.7 (4) | 2:17.8 (5) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Leroy Goff | – | 1:01.7 (5) | 3:19.5 (5) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Roosevelt Abdulgafur | – | 56.2 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | 7 | Switzerland | SUI | 4:20.6 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Gerald Evard | – | 1:05.9 (4) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Nicolas Gilliard | – | 1:16.6 (6) | 2:22.5 (6) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Ayis Capéronis | – | 1:02.8 (7) | 3:25.3 (6) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Pano Capéronis | – | 55.3 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | 2 | Puerto Rico | PUR | 4:27.6 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Francisco Ramis | – | 1:07.7 (6) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | José Ferraioli | – | 1:18.7 (7) | 2:26.4 (7) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Gary Goodner | – | 1:01.9 (6) | 3:28.3 (7) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Jorge González | – | 59.3 (7) | – (–) |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Australia | AUS | 4:04.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Karl Byrom | – | 1:02.9 (2) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Ian O'Brien | – | 1:09.4 (2) | 2:12.3 (1) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Robert Cusack | – | 1:00.0 (3) | 3:12.3 (1) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Mike Wenden | – | 52.5 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 4 | Spain | ESP | 4:06.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Santiago Esteva | – | 1:02.1 (1) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | José Durán | – | 1:11.2 (5) | 2:13.3 (2) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Arturo Lang-Lenton | – | 59.4 (1) | 3:12.7 (2) | |||
| Freestyle | – | José Antonio Chicoy | – | 54.1 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 5 | Great Britain | GBR | 4:07.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Neil Jackson | – | 1:03.5 (4) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Roger Roberts | – | 1:11.1 (=3) | 2:14.6 (3) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Martyn Woodroffe | – | 59.5 (2) | 3:14.1 (=3) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Bobby McGregor | – | 53.6 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 2 | Mexico | MEX | 4:10.0 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | José Joaquín Santibáñez | – | 1:04.0 (5) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Felipe Muñoz | – | 1:08.8 (1) | 2:12.8 (4) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Mario Santibáñez | – | 1:01.3 (5) | 3:14.1 (=3) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Rafaél Cal | – | 55.9 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 6 | Italy | ITA | 4:10.3 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Franco Del Campo | – | 1:03.3 (3) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Massimo Sacchi | – | 1:11.1 (=3) | 2:14.4 (5) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Antonio Attanasio | – | 1:00.8 (4) | 3:15.2 (5) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Pietro Boscaini | – | 55.1 (4) | – (–) |
| Date | 26 October 1968 — 17:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | United States | USA | 3:54.9 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Charlie Hickcox | – | 1:01.4 (3) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Don McKenzie | – | 1:06.4 (1) | 2:07.8 (1) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Doug Russell | – | 55.0 (2) | 3:02.8 (1) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Ken Walsh | – | 52.1 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 5 | East Germany | GDR | 3:57.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Roland Matthes | – | 58.0 (1) | – (–) | IWR | ||
| Breaststroke | – | Egon Henninger | – | 1:07.8 (4) | 2:05.8 (2) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Horst-Günter Gregor | – | 58.6 (5) | 3:04.4 (2) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Frank Wiegand | – | 53.1 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 2 | Soviet Union | URS | 4:00.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Yury Gromak | – | 1:02.9 (8) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Vladimir Kosinsky | – | 1:07.1 (=2) | 2:10.0 (=3) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Vladimir Nemshilov | – | 58.0 (4) | 3:08.0 (3) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Leonid Ilyichov | – | 52.7 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 7 | Australia | AUS | 4:00.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Karl Byrom | – | 1:01.5 (4) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Ian O'Brien | – | 1:08.5 (5) | 2:10.0 (=3) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Robert Cusack | – | 59.4 (6) | 3:09.4 (4) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Mike Wenden | – | 51.4 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 3 | Japan | JPN | 4:01.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Kishio Tanaka | – | 1:02.8 (7) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Nobutaka Taguchi | – | 1:07.1 (=2) | 2:09.9 (5) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Satoshi Maruya | – | 57.8 (3) | 3:07.7 (5) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Kunihiro Iwasaki | – | 54.1 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | 6 | West Germany | FRG | 4:05.4 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Reinhard Blechert | – | 1:02.6 (6) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Gregor Betz | – | 1:18.6 (8) | 2:21.2 (6) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Lutz Stoklasa | – | 50.5 (1) | 3:11.7 (6) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Wolfgang Kremer | – | 53.7 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | 1 | Canada | CAN | 4:07.3 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Jim Shaw | – | 1:01.3 (2) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | Bill Mahony | – | 1:09.8 (6) | 2:11.1 (7) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Tom Arusoo | – | 1:00.5 (8) | 3:11.6 (7) | |||
| Freestyle | – | Sandy Gilchrist | – | 55.7 (8) | – (–) | |||
| 8 | 8 | Spain | ESP | 4:08.8 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Backstroke | – | Santiago Esteva | – | 1:02.4 (5) | – (–) | |||
| Breaststroke | – | José Durán | – | 1:12.0 (7) | 2:14.4 (8) | |||
| Butterfly | – | Arturo Lang-Lenton | – | 1:00.1 (7) | 3:14.5 (8) | |||
| Freestyle | – | José Antonio Chicoy | – | 54.3 (7) | – (–) |
