Swimming at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre freestyle
Encyclopedia
The men's 400 metre freestyle event at the 1952 Olympic Games
took place between July 28 and 30 at the Swimming Stadium
. This swimming
event used freestyle swimming
, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated (unlike backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events). Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl
or a variant of that stroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of eight lengths of the pool.
Key: OR = Olympic record
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
took place between July 28 and 30 at the Swimming Stadium
Helsinki Swimming Stadium
Helsinki Swimming Stadium is an outdoors swimming venue in Helsinki, Finland, located in the Eläintarha area to the northeast of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.-History:...
. This swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
event used freestyle swimming
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated (unlike backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events). Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl
Front crawl
The front crawl, forward crawl, or freestyle is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is nearly universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, hence the synonymously used term "freestyle". It is one of two...
or a variant of that stroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of eight lengths of the pool.
Medalists
Final
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Jean Boiteux Jean Boiteux Jean Boiteux was a French swimmer and Olympic champion.He was born in Marseilles.He competed at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he received a gold medal in 400 m freestyle... |
4:30.7 | OR | |
 |
Ford Konno Ford Konno Ford Hiroshi Konno is a former freestyle swimmer from the United States, who swam at McKinley High School and the Ohio State University.... |
4:31.3 | ||
 |
Per-Olof Östrand Per-Olof Östrand Per-Olof Östrand was a Swedish freestyle swimmer.He was born in Hofors and died in Skärholmen.He won a bronze medal in 400 m freestyle at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, with the time of 4:33.6. Östrand also competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics and 1956 Summer Olympics.-Clubs:*Hofors AIF*IF... |
4:35.2 | ||
| 4 | Peter Duncan | 4:37.9 | ||
| 5 | Jack Wardrop Jack Wardrop John Caldwell "Jack" Wardrop is a former Scottish swimmer. Wardrop won a silver and bronze medal at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver.... |
4:39.9 | ||
| 6 | Wayne Moore Wayne Moore (swimmer) Wayne Richard Moore is a former American swimmer. He represented the United States at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he won a gold medal is the 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Bill Woolsey, Ford Konno, and James McLane... |
4:40.1 | ||
| 7 | Jimmy McLane | 4:40.3 | ||
| 8 | Hironoshin Furuhashi Hironoshin Furuhashi was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. In 1948, he set world records in the 400 and 1,500 meter freestyles at the Japan national championships. Furuhashi and Japan were not allowed to compete at the 1948 Summer Olympics because of Japan's role in World War II.... |
4:42.1 |
Key: OR = Olympic record