Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics

At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. Three events made their Olympic debut at these Games: women's 200 metres, women's long jump and women's shot put. There were a total number of 745 participating athletes from 53 countries.

Medal summary

Men 100 metres 10.3 10.4 10.6 200 metres 21.1 21.1 21.2 400 metres 46.2 46.4 46.8 800 metres 1:49.2(OR) 1:49.5 1:49.8 1500 metres 3:49.8 3:50.4 3:50.4 5000 metres 14:17.6(OR) 14:17.8 14:26.8 10,000 metres 29:59.6(OR) 30:47.4 30:53.6 110 metres hurdles 13.9(OR) 14.1 14.1 400 metres hurdles 51.1(OR) 51.8 52.2 3000 metres steeplechase 9:04.6 9:08.2 9:11.8 4 × 100 metres relay Barney EwellLorenzo WrightHarrison DillardMel Patton 40.6 Alastair McCorquodaleJack GregoryKen JonesJack Archer 41.3 Michele TitoEnrico PerucconiCarlo MontiAntonio Siddi 41.5 4 × 400 metres relay Roy CochranCliff BourlandArthur HarndenMal Whitfield 3:10.4 Jean KerebelFrancis SchewettaRobert Chef d'HôtelJacques Lunis 3:14.8 Kurt LundquistLars-Erik WolfbrandtFolke AlnevikRune Larsson 3:16.0 Marathon 2:34:51.6 2:35:07.6 2:35:33.6 10 kilometres walk 45:13.2(OR) 45:43.8 46:00.2 50 kilometres walk 4:41:52 4:48:17 4:48:31 High jump 1.98 m 1.95 m 1.95 m Pole vault 4.30 m 4.20 m 4.20 m Long jump 7.825 m 7.55 m 7.54 m Triple jump 15.40 m 15.36 m 15.02 m Shot put 17.12 m(OR) 16.68 m 16.42 m Discus throw 52.78 m(OR) 51.78 m 50.77 m Hammer throw 56.07 m 54.27 m 53.73 m Javelin throw 69.77 m 67.56 m 67.03 m Decathlon 7139 6974 6950

Women 100 metres 11.9 12.2 12.2 200 metres 24.4(OR) 25.1 25.2 80 metres hurdles 11.2(OR) 11.2 11.4 4 × 100 metres relay Xenia Stad-de JongNetty Witziers-TimmerGerda van der Kade-KoudijsFanny Blankers-Koen 47.5 Shirley StricklandJune MastonBetty McKinnonJoyce King 47.6 Viola MyersNancy MackayDiane FosterPatricia Jones 47.8 High jump 1.68 m(OR) 1.68 m(OR) 1.61 m Long jump 5.695 m(OR) 5.60 m 5.575 m Shot put 13.75 m(OR) 13.09 m 13.08 m Discus throw 41.92 m 41.17 m 40.47 m Javelin throw 45.57 m(OR) 43.79 m 42.08 m

Participating Nations

Records broken 14 new Olympic records were set in the athletics events. No new world records were set.

Men's Olympic records Event Date Round Name Nationality Result 800 metres 2 August Final Mal Whitfield 1:49.2 5000 metres 2 August Final Gaston Reiff 14:17.6 10,000 metres 30 July Final Emil Zátopek 29:59.6 110 metres hurdles 4 August Final William Porter 13.9 400 metres hurdles 31 July Final Roy Cochran 51.1 10 kilometres walk 7 August Final John Mikaelsson 45:13.2 Shot put 3 August Final Wilbur Thompson 17.12 m Discus throw 2 August Final Adolfo Consolini 52.78 m

Women's Olympic records Event Date Round Name Nationality Result 200 metres 6 August Final Fanny Blankers-Koen 24.4 80 metres hurdles 4 August Final Fanny Blankers-KoenMaureen Gardner 11.2 High jump 7 August Final Alice CoachmanDorothy Tyler 1.68 m Long jump 4 August Final Olga Gyarmati 5.695 m Shot put 4 August Final Micheline Ostermeyer 13.75 m Javelin throw 31 July Final Herma Bauma 45.57 m

References 1948 Summer Olympics results: athletics, from https://www.sports-reference.com/; retrieved 2010-06-01. International Olympic Committee results database