Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres


The men's 1500 metres was a track and field athletics event held as part of the athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 9, 1912 and on Wednesday, July 10, 1912.
Forty-five runners from 14 nations competed, including the Olympic champion from 1908, Mel Sheppard. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
Arnold Jackson won the final by 0.1 second, ahead of an American trio, in what was acclaimed at the time as "the greatest race ever run". Aged 21, he remains the youngest ever winner of this event. This was the last Olympics where "private entries" were allowed, and Jackson was one such. His medal is still credited to the United Kingdom, though.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.
World Record3:55.8 Abel KiviatCambridge, MA June 8, 1912
Olympic Record4:03.4' Norman HallowsLondon July 13, 1908
Olympic Record4:03.4' Mel SheppardLondon July 14, 1908

This track was 536.45 metres= mile in circumference.
Abel Kiviat finished his semifinal only 1 second off the Olympic record time of 4:03.4; he and all six other finalists whose times are known broke that mark in the final. Kiviat took second behind Arnold Jackson, who set the new record at 3:56.8.

Results

Semifinals

All semi-finals were held on Tuesday, July 9, 1912.
Semifinal 1
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:27.6QF
24:27.9QF
34:39.4

Semifinal 2
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:25.5QF
24:26.0QF
34:27.0
4-5
4-5
—Did not finish

Semifinal 3
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:04.4QF
24:05.4QF
34:05.5
4
5
6-7
6-7
—Did not finish

Semifinal 4
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:10.8QF
24:12.4QF
34:12.7
4
5
6
7

Semifinal 5
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:05.5QF
24:07.2QF
34:07.6
4
5
6
7
—Did not finish

Semifinal 6
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:09.3QF
24:10.8QF
34:11.2
44:11.2
5-6
5-6
—Did not finish

Semifinal 7
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
14:06.0QF
24:07.3QF
3
4
5
—Did not finish

Final

The final was held on Wednesday, July 10, 1912.
PlaceAthleteTime
13:56.8 OR
23:56.9
33:56.9
43:57.2
53:57.6
64:01.0
74:02.0
8
9-14
9-14
9-14
9-14
9-14
9-14