Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre freestyle


The men's 400 metre freestyle was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event, which had been introduced in 1904. The competition was held from Thursday July 11, 1912 to Sunday July 14, 1912.
Twenty-six swimmers from 13 nations competed.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.
World Record5:28.4 Béla Las-TorresBudapest June 5, 1912
Olympic Record5:36.8 Henry TaylorLondon July 16, 1908

In the first heat Harold Hardwick set a new Olympic record with 5:36.0 minutes. In the fifth heat Cecil Healy improved the Olympic record with 5:34.0 minutes. In the first semi-final George Hodgson set a world record with 5:25.4 minutes and in the final he improved his record again with 5:24.4 minutes.

Results

Quarterfinals

The top two in each heat advanced along with the fastest loser overall.
Heat 1
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:36.0QS OR
25:37.0QS
36:10.2
46:23.4
5
—DNF

Heat 2
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
16:03.6QS
26:14.4QS
36:29.8
—DNF

Heat 3
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:44.6QS
25:46.0QS
35:50.4qs
—DNF
—DNF

Heat 4
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:36.2QS
25:48.4QS
—DNF

Heat 5
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:34.0QS OR
25:35.6QS
36:09.4

Heat 6
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:50.6QS
25:52.4QS
35:57.0
46:30.6
57:07.8

Semifinals

The top two from each heat and the faster of the two third place swimmers advanced.
Semifinal 1
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:25.4QF WR
25:25.6QF
35:49.0
45:51.0
55:51.2
6
—DNS

Semifinal 2
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
15:31.0QF
25:34.8QF
35:37.8qf
45:38.0
55:48.2
—DNS

Final

PlaceSwimmerTime
15:24.4 WR
25:25.8
35:31.2
45:37.8
55:42.0