Men 400m Freestyle Swimming Olympic Games 1948 London, Great Britain - Wednesday, 4th August

Men 400m Freestyle Swimming Olympic Games 1948 London, Great Britain - Wednesday, 4th August - Gold Medal: Bill Smith, United States

Final 20:00		time		gap	L	Y
1. Bill Smith	United States	4:41.0	OR		4	24
2. James McLane	United States	4:43.4		+2.4s	6	17
3. John Marshall	Australia	4:47.4		+6.4s	3	18
4. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:49.4		+8.4s	5	21
5. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:49.9		+8.9s	7	18
6. Alex Jany	France	4:51.4		+10.4s	2	19
7. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:55.9		+14.9s	8	26
8. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:58.7		+17.7s	1	24

41 Competitors from 19 Nations. Empire Pool.

World Record: Alex Jany, France 4:35.2 Monte Carlo, Monaco 12th September 1947

Olympic Record: Jack Medina, United States 4:44.5 Berlin, Germany 12th August 1936

Todor 66	index Swimming OG
index London 1948	index Swimming London 1948


Men 100m Freestyle	Women 100m Freestyle
Men 400m Freestyle	Women 400m Freestyle
Men 1500m Freestyle
Men 100m Backstroke	Women 100m Backstroke
Men 200m Breaststroke	Women 200m Breaststroke
Men 4x200m Freestyle Relay	Women 4x100m Freestyle Relay

1936 Men 400m Freestyle

Men 400m Freestyle History

1952 Men 400m Freestyle

Frenchman Alex Jany entered the competition as world record holder and a solid favourite for all three freestyle titles but he had disappointed in the sprint event and would withdraw from the 1500m. Jany did reach the final of the 400m but his qualification was overshadowed by a duo of Americans, Bill Smith and Jimmy McLane, and by the 100m bronze medallist, Hungary’s Géza Kádas.
It was Smith who set the pace in the final and only his team-mate McLane, who started slowly but then moved through the pack, could challenge him. At the 200m mark the two Americans battled for the lead but Smith had enough in hand to pull away to a comfortable victory breaking the Olympic record in the process. McLane finished in second with the Australian John Marshal holding off the Hungarian challenge for the bronze medal. Jany finished sixth in a time fully fifteen seconds off his best. Bill Smith had contracted Typhoid as a child and took to swimming as a way to rebuild his strength.
Hironoshi Furuhashi of Japan set a world record for this event in 1949 and would have been amongst the favourites if Japan had been permitted to compete.

Semi-Finals (1/2) - Monday, 2nd August 22:00

Best 8 times advanced to Final.

Semi 1		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. James McLane	United States	4:49.5	+1.7s	5	17	3.
2. John Marshall	Australia	4:50.0	+2.2s	4	18	4.
3. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:50.8	+3.0s	7	18	5.
4. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:51.4	+3.6s	6	26	7.
5. Marjan Stipetic	Yugoslavia	4:58.6	+10.8s	1	17	10.
6. Miroslav Bartusek	Czechoslovakia	4:58.7	+10.9s	2	26	11.
7. Branko Vidovic	Yugoslavia	4:59.4	+11.6s	8	24	13.
-. Per-Olof Ostrand	Sweden	DNS		3	18	15.

Semi 2		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:47.8		4	21	1.
2. Bill Smith	United States	4:48.4	+0.6s	5	24	2.
3. Alex Jany	France	4:51.3	+3.5s	6	19	6.
4. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:57.3	+9.5s	3	24	8.
5. William Heusner	United States	4:57.4	+9.6s	2	21	9.
6. Ivan Puhar	Yugoslavia	4:58.7	+10.9s	8	28	11.
7. Donald Johnston	South Africa	4:59.5	+11.7s	7	18	14.
-. Imre Nyeki	Hungary	DNS		1	19	16.

Heats - Saturday, 31st July 20:00

Best 16 times advanced to Semi-Finals (1/2).

Heat 6		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Bill Smith	United States	4:45.3	+3.1s	3	24	2.
2. John Marshall	Australia	4:51.4	+9.2s	7	18	3.
3. Ivan Puhar	Yugoslavia	5:00.8	+18.6s	5	28	14.
4. Luis Gonzalez	Colombia	5:02.1	+19.9s	2	_	17.
5. Ari Gudmundsson	Iceland	5:16.2	+34.0s	1	20	29.
6. Thomas Patrick Holt	Great Britain	5:20.7	+38.5s	6	24	31.

Heat 5		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:52.8	+10.6s	8	21	4.
2. Per-Olof Ostrand	Sweden	4:53.5	+11.3s	4	18	7.
3. Florbel Perez	Uruguay	5:04.7	+22.5s	1	20	20.
4. Rene Cornu	France	5:05.2	+23.0s	6	19	21.
6. Isidoro Perez Gonzalez	Spain	5:16.1	+33.9s	3	20	28.
7. Sambiao Basanung	Philippines	5:21.5	+39.3s	5	26	33.
-. Sachin Nag	India	DNS		2	28	-.
-. Angel Maldonado Campos	Mexico	DNS		7	_	-.

Heat 4		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:56.0	+13.8s	2	18	9.
2. William Heusner	United States	4:58.3	+16.1s	8	21	12.
3. Branko Vidovic	Yugoslavia	4:58.7	+16.5s	7	24	13.
4. Isidoro Martinez Ferry	Spain	5:10.0	+27.8s	1	23	25.
5. Juan Garay	Argentina	5:10.4	+28.2s	6	19	26.
6. Derek Oatway	Bermuda	5:20.9	+38.7s	4	17	32.
7. Bimal Chandra	India	5:38.6	+56.4s	3	_	38.
-. Taha Youssef El Gamal	Egypt	DNS		5	25	-.

Heat 3		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:53.3	+11.1s	1	26	5.
2. Alex Jany	France	4:53.3	+11.1s	3	19	5.
3. Marjan Stipetic	Yugoslavia	5:01.4	+19.2s	5	17	15.
4. Garrick Agnew	Australia	5:06.1	+23.9s	2	17	23.
5. Luis Child Velez	Colombia	5:08.5	+26.3s	6	_	24.
6. Allan Gilchrist	Canada	5:21.5	+39.3s	7	16	33.
7. Anwar Aziz Chaudhry	Pakistan	6:17.4	+1:35.2s	4	_	40.

Heat 2		time	gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:53.8	+11.6s	6	24	8.
2. Donald Johnston	South Africa	4:57.4	+15.2s	4	18	10.
3. Miroslav Bartusek	Czechoslovakia	4:57.9	+15.7s	5	26	11.
4. Joseph Bernardo	France	5:03.8	+21.6s	1	19	19.
5. Franklin Douglas Gibson	Canada	5:13.4	+31.2s	8	_	27.
6. Walter Schneider	Switzerland	5:25.5	+43.3s	3	20	35.
7. Walter Edward Bardgett	Bermuda	5:37.2	+55.0s	2	15	36.
-. Ramon Bravo Prieta	Mexico	DNS		7	22	-.

Heat 1		time		gap	L	Y	Rk
1. James McLane	United States	4:42.2	OR		3	17	1.
2. Imre Nyeki	Hungary	5:01.8		+19.6s	5	19	16.
3. Roy Botham	Great Britain	5:03.4		+21.2s	6	25	18.
4. Jose Duranona	Argentina	5:05.8		+23.6s	4	25	22.
5. Alejandro Febrero Lorenzo	Spain	5:16.9		+34.7s	8	23	30.
6. Robert James Cook	Bermuda	5:37.9		+55.7s	2	15	37.
7. Jack Hakim	Egypt	5:40.3		+58.1s	7	16	39.
7. Sultan Karim Aly	Pakistan	7:16.9		+2:34.7s	4	_	41.
-. W F Jones	Ireland	DNS			1	_	-.

Final 20:00		time		gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Bill Smith	United States	4:41.0	OR		4	24	1.
2. James McLane	United States	4:43.4		+2.4s	6	17	2.
3. John Marshall	Australia	4:47.4		+6.4s	3	18	3.
4. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:49.4		+8.4s	5	21	4.
5. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:49.9		+8.9s	7	18	5.
6. Alex Jany	France	4:51.4		+10.4s	2	19	6.
7. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:55.9		+14.9s	8	26	7.
8. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:58.7		+17.7s	1	24	8.
Semis		time		gap	L	Y	Rk
1. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:47.8			4	21	1.
2. Bill Smith	United States	4:48.4		+0.6s	5	24	2.
1. James McLane	United States	4:49.5		+1.7s	5	17	3.
2. John Marshall	Australia	4:50.0		+2.2s	4	18	4.
3. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:50.8		+3.0s	7	18	5.
3. Alex Jany	France	4:51.3		+3.5s	6	19	6.
4. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:51.4		+3.6s	6	26	7.
4. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:57.3		+9.5s	3	24	8.
5. William Heusner	United States	4:57.4		+9.6s	2	21	9.
5. Marjan Stipetic	Yugoslavia	4:58.6		+10.8s	1	17	10.
6. Miroslav Bartusek	Czechoslovakia	4:58.7		+10.9s	2	26	11.
6. Ivan Puhar	Yugoslavia	4:58.7		+10.9s	8	28	11.
7. Branko Vidovic	Yugoslavia	4:59.4		+11.6s	8	24	13.
7. Donald Johnston	South Africa	4:59.5		+11.7s	7	18	14.
-. Per-Olof Ostrand	Sweden	DNS			3	18	15.
-. Imre Nyeki	Hungary	DNS			1	19	16.
Heats		time		gap	L	Y	Rk
1. James McLane	United States	4:42.2	OR		3	17	1.
1. Bill Smith	United States	4:45.3		+3.1s	3	24	2.
2. John Marshall	Australia	4:51.4		+9.2s	7	18	3.
1. Geza Kadas	Hungary	4:52.8		+10.6s	8	21	4.
1. Jack Hale	Great Britain	4:53.3		+11.1s	1	26	5.
2. Alex Jany	France	4:53.3		+11.1s	3	19	5.
2. Per-Olof Ostrand	Sweden	4:53.5		+11.3s	4	18	7.
1. Severo Alfredo Yantorno	Argentina	4:53.8		+11.6s	6	24	8.
1. Gyorgy Mitro	Hungary	4:56.0		+13.8s	2	18	9.
2. Donald Johnston	South Africa	4:57.4		+15.2s	4	18	10.
3. Miroslav Bartusek	Czechoslovakia	4:57.9		+15.7s	5	26	11.
2. William Heusner	United States	4:58.3		+16.1s	8	21	12.
3. Branko Vidovic	Yugoslavia	4:58.7		+16.5s	7	24	13.
3. Ivan Puhar	Yugoslavia	5:00.8		+18.6s	5	28	14.
3. Marjan Stipetic	Yugoslavia	5:01.4		+19.2s	5	17	15.
2. Imre Nyeki	Hungary	5:01.8		+19.6s	5	19	16.
4. Luis Gonzalez	Colombia	5:02.1		+19.9s	2	_	17.
3. Roy Botham	Great Britain	5:03.4		+21.2s	6	25	18.
4. Joseph Bernardo	France	5:03.8		+21.6s	1	19	19.
3. Florbel Perez	Uruguay	5:04.7		+22.5s	1	20	20.
4. Rene Cornu	France	5:05.2		+23.0s	6	19	21.
4. Jose Duranona	Argentina	5:05.8		+23.6s	4	25	22.
4. Garrick Agnew	Australia	5:06.1		+23.9s	2	17	23.
5. Luis Child Velez	Colombia	5:08.5		+26.3s	6	_	24.
4. Isidoro Martinez Ferry	Spain	5:10.0		+27.8s	1	23	25.
5. Juan Garay	Argentina	5:10.4		+28.2s	6	19	26.
5. Franklin Douglas Gibson	Canada	5:13.4		+31.2s	8	_	27.
6. Isidoro Perez Gonzalez	Spain	5:16.1		+33.9s	3	20	28.
5. Ari Gudmundsson	Iceland	5:16.2		+34.0s	1	20	29.
5. Alejandro Febrero Lorenzo	Spain	5:16.9		+34.7s	8	23	30.
6. Thomas Patrick Holt	Great Britain	5:20.7		+38.5s	6	24	31.
6. Derek Oatway	Bermuda	5:20.9		+38.7s	4	17	32.
7. Sambiao Basanung	Philippines	5:21.5		+39.3s	5	26	33.
6. Allan Gilchrist	Canada	5:21.5		+39.3s	7	16	33.
6. Walter Schneider	Switzerland	5:25.5		+43.3s	3	20	35.
7. Walter Edward Bardgett	Bermuda	5:37.2		+55.0s	2	15	36.
6. Robert James Cook	Bermuda	5:37.9		+55.7s	2	15	37.
7. Bimal Chandra	India	5:38.6		+56.4s	3	_	38.
7. Jack Hakim	Egypt	5:40.3		+58.1s	7	16	39.
7. Anwar Aziz Chaudhry	Pakistan	6:17.4		+1:35.2s	4	_	40.
7. Sultan Karim Aly	Pakistan	7:16.9		+2:34.7s	4	_	41.
-. W F Jones	Ireland	DNS			1	_	-.
-. Ramon Bravo Prieta	Mexico	DNS			7	22	-.
-. Taha Youssef El Gamal	Egypt	DNS			5	25	-.
-. Sachin Nag	India	DNS			2	28	-.
-. Angel Maldonado Campos	Mexico	DNS			7	_	-.

Prepared and maintained by Todor Krastev

todor1966@yahoo.com
Last updated: 17 Apr 2023
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