Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay

The men's 4 × 400 metres relay was a track and field athletics event held as part of the Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the debut of the event, which along with the 4 × 100 metre relay marked the first relays of equal legs in the athletics programme (a medley relay had been held in 1908). The competition was held on Sunday, July 14, 1912, and on Monday, July 15, 1912. Twenty-eight runners from seven nations competed.[1] NOCs could enter 1 team of 4 athletes, with up to 2 reserves.[2]

Men's 4 × 400 metres relay
at the Games of the V Olympiad
The winning American relay team.
VenueStockholm Olympic Stadium
DatesJuly 14, 1912 (semifinals)
July 15, 1912 (final)
Competitors28 from 7 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Edward Lindberg
Ted Meredith
Charles Reidpath
Mel Sheppard
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Pierre Failliot
Charles Lelong
Charles Poulenard
Robert Schurrer
 France
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Ernest Henley
George Nicol
Cyril Seedhouse
James Soutter
 Great Britain
1920 →

Records

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These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.

World Record 3:18.2   Harry Schaaf
  Harry Gissing
  James Rosenberger
  Mel Sheppard
New York (USA) September 4, 1911
Olympic Record none

Great Britain, in the first semifinal, set the inaugural Olympic record with 3:19.0.

In the final, the United States set a new world record with 3:16.6.

Results

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The final: Edward Lindberg passing over the baton to Ted Meredith.

Semifinals

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All semifinals were held on Sunday, July 14, 1912.

Semifinal 1

Place Athletes Time Qual.
1   George Nicol, Ernest Henley, James Soutter, Cyril Seedhouse (GBR) 3:19.0 OR QF
2   Mel Brock, John Howard, Thomas Gallon, John Tait (CAN) 3:22.2

Semifinal 2

Place Athletes Time Qual.
1   Mel Sheppard, Edward Lindberg, Ted Meredith, Charles Reidpath (USA) 3:23.3 QF
2   Hanns Braun, Max Herrmann, Heinrich Burkowitz, Erich Lehmann (GER) 3:28.5

Semifinal 3

Place Athletes Time Qual.
1   Charles Lelong, Robert Schurrer, Pierre Failliot, Charles Poulenard (FRA) 3:22.5 QF
2   Paul Zerling, John Dahlin, Eric Lindholm, Knut Stenborg (SWE) 3:25.0
3.   Ervin Szerelemhegyi, Ödön Bodor, István Déván, Frigyes Wiesner (HUN) 3:29.4

Final

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The final was held on Monday, July 15, 1912.

Place Athletes Time
1   Mel Sheppard, Edward Lindberg, Ted Meredith, Charles Reidpath (USA) 3:16.6 WR
2   Charles Lelong, Robert Schurrer, Pierre Failliot, Charles Poulenard (FRA) 3:20.7
3   George Nicol, Ernest Henley, James Soutter, Cyril Seedhouse (GBR) 3:23.2

References

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  1. ^ "Athletics at the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games: Men's 4 × 400 metres Relay". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  2. ^ Official report, p. 61.
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  • Bergvall, Erik (ed.) (1913). Adams-Ray, Edward (trans.). (ed.). The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912. Stockholm: Wahlström & Widstrand. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 1 January 2007.