Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's pentathlon


The men's pentathlon event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. It was the third and last appearance of a pentathlon at the Olympics. The competition was held on Monday, July 7, 1924. Thirty pentathletes from 17 nations competed.

Records

set a new world record in long jump during this competition. He improved the old records:
World Record7.69 Edward GourdinCambridge July 23, 1923
Olympic Record7.60 Albert GuttersonStockholm July 12, 1912

Results

[Long jump]

The long jump was the first event and started at 2:00 p.m.
Group 1
PlaceAthleteWidthOverall Rank
17.765 WR1
26.834
36.775
46.687
56.5459
66.4910
76.4013
86.2518
96.1721
105.9225
115.8826
125.48527
135.2930

Group 2
PlaceAthleteWidthOverall Rank
16.962
26.8953
36.726
46.568
56.4611
66.4312
76.3814
86.3215
96.2916
106.2517
116.2019
126.1920
136.0522
145.9923
155.9824
165.3728
175.34529

[Javelin throw]

The javelin throw was the second event and started at 2:45 p.m.
Group 1
PlaceAthleteWidthOverall Rank
152.072
251.723
351.174
450.935
549.007
648.968
748.0411
845.6016
942.5819
1041.1921
1140.1522
1238.9524
1332.4329

Group 2
PlaceAthleteWidthOverall Rank
154.121
250.206
348.769
448.4510
547.9112
647.5813
747.5814
847.4715
944.0717
1042.9818
1141.4820
1239.8223
1337.8825
1436.7826
1535.5827
1634.1828
1731.0030

[200 metres]

The third event was the 200 metres. The heats started at 3:45 p.m.
Heat 1
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.4=5
223.8=8
325.0=21

Heat 2
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.0=1
223.8=8
325.224

Heat 3
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
124.4=18
225.0=21
DNS

Heat 4
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.0=1
223.8=8
324.4=18

Heat 5
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.8=8
223.8=8
327.028

Heat 6
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.4=5
224.0=13
324.2=15

Heat 7
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
124.2=15
225.425
DNS

Heat 8
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.0=1
223.87
324.620

Heat 9
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
124.2=15
225.826
326.227

Heat 10
PlaceAthleteTimeOverall Rank
123.4=5
224.0=13
325.0=21

Standings after three events
After these three events only the top twelve competitors were allowed to participate in the following discus throw contest.
PlaceAthleteLong jumpJavelin200 mTotal
12619
261411
352512
475113
4111113
639719
7810826
8481830
9916833
101120536
111342138
1219121546
131228848
142318849
1416132049
162519852
1610291352
1620171552
1914261555
2017232161
2122152562
2221241863
2224132663
2415302166
2427251366
2626222472
2730212879
2829272783
183DNF
277DNF

After the determination of the twelve competitors who will participate in the next event all other results from the non-qualified pentathletes were deleted. This gave the following order and current standing at this point of the competition:
PlaceAthleteLong jumpJavelin200 mTotal
12518
219111
261411
474112
452512
637717
7461121
888824
91131226
101012527
11991128
1212101032

Eero Lehtonen and Elemér Somfay later gold and silver medalists tied in fourth place after three events. The biggest winner of the deletion of the results from the non-qualified competitors was Robert LeGendre. He came up from fourth and second place. The biggest loss had Denis Duigan who came from ninth back to eleventh.

[Discus throw]

The discus throw was the fourth event and started at 4:30 p.m.
The leader after three events Mort Kaer was able to finish only in tenth place. While Eero Lehtonen, Olympic champion in pentathlon at the 1920 Games, won the discus throw competition.
PlaceAthleteWidth
140.44
237.76
337.70
436.76
536.08
635.11
734.69
833.62
933.45
1032.70
1127.26
DNS

After the fourth event again only the best six pentathletes from the overall standings advanced to the last contest. Mort Kaer who only managed to finish in tenth place in the discus throw came back to fourth place overall - enough to participate in the final 1500 metres run. Brutus Hamilton who finished third in the discus throw did not improve his seventh place overall and failed to qualify for the 1500 metres run. So the first six places were unchanged and three Finns, two US-Americans, and one Hungarian started in the final.
PlaceAthleteLong jumpJavelin200 mDiscusTotal
1741113
2525214
3191415
42511018
5614119
6377522
74611324
8888630
911312935
1099111139
10121010739
10125DNSDNF

At this point of the competition the results from the non-qualified competitors were not deleted so the results stand for the final event.

[1500 metres]

The 1500 metres run was the fifth and final event and started at 5:15 p.m.
PlaceAthleteTime
14:47.1
24:48.4
34:52.6
44:55.4
54:55.6
65:38.6

Final standings

The medal ranks were unchanged after the 1500 metres run. Eero Lehtonen was able to win his second gold medal in Olympic pentathlon. He also became the last Olympic champion in pentathlon as this event was discontinued. The new world record holder in long jump Robert LeGendre finished third and won the bronze medal. He would have won the gold medal if this contest were scored by points tables. But his ninth place in the javelin throw pushed him back. And he did not participate in the Olympic long jump event held the next day, because he did not compete in this event at the US Olympic trials.
PlaceAthleteLong jumpJavelin200 mDiscus1500 mTotal
17411114
25252216
31914318
46141423
525110624
63775527