World record: 3:52.6 Paavo Nurmi, Finland Helsinki, Finland 19 June 1924
Olympic record: 3:56.8 Arnold Jackson, Great Britain Stockholm, Sweden 10 July 1912
Nurmi had run the event just twice in 1924 before the Games - 4:00.5
on May 24 as an opening foray, and then a 3:52.6 on June 19, the same
day that he later ran 14:28.2 for 5000m - both world records. This was
done to convince the selectors that he could deal with the Olympic
schedule which had just one hour between the two finals.
After a routine win in his heat - 4:07.6, the second quickest after
Schärer’s 4:06.6 - Nurmi lined up against the other 11 finalists with
stopwatch in hand. He passed 400m in 58.0 and 800m in 1:58.5, after
looking at his watch at the end of the first 500m lap (1:13.2). He slowed
to 2:32.0 at 1000m, throwing his timepiece onto the infield after glanc-
ing at it a second time. Only Watson had dared to stay with the maestro,
and he had to let go after 800m. At the bell, Nurmi was 40m clear of
Buker, Hahn and the British duo. Stallard and Lowe passed the
Americans in the back straight, and Lowe faded in the finishing straight
as Schärer came up to battle with Stallard. The Swiss eventually won
the battle for silver from the exhausted Briton in the last few strides.
Nurmi was 10m clear, and clearly capable of running much quicker had
it been required.
Finland
Switzerland
Great Britain
United States
France
Austria
Egypt
Hungary
Belgium
India
South Africa
Denmark
Estonia
Italy
Mexico
Poland
Netherlands
Australia
Canada
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
Turkey
Italy
