Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle


The men's 100 metre freestyle was one of six swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the shortest of the three individual freestyle events, as the 50 yard freestyle had been dropped after its one appearance on the 1904 Summer Olympics programme. The 100 metre event was contested for the third time after it had been held at the 1896 and 1906 Olympics. The 1904 Olympics saw a 100-yard event. The competition was held on Friday July 17, 1908 and Monday July 20, 1908.
Thirty-four swimmers from twelve nations competed. Each nation was limited to 12 swimmers.
These were the first Olympic Games in which a 100-metre pool had been especially constructed. Previous Olympic events were swum in open water.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics.
World Record1:05.8 Zoltán HalmayVienna December 3, 1905
Olympic Record1:22.2 Alfréd HajósAthens April 11, 1896
Olympic Record1:13.0' Charles DanielsAthens April 26, 1906
Olympic Record1:02.8' Zoltán HalmaySt. Louis September 5, 1904

' Intercalated Games
' 100 yards
In the first heat Zoltán Halmay set a new Olympic record with 1:08.2. In the fifth heat Charles Daniels and in the seventh heat Wilfred Edwards equalized the standing world record of 1:05.8. Finally Charles Daniels set a new world record with 1:05.6 in the final.

Competition format

With a much larger field than in 1904, the 1908 competition expanded to three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The 1908 Games also restored the wild-card system from 1900, allowing the fastest swimmers who did not win their heat to advance. The nine heats consisted of between 1 and 6 swimmers, with the winner of the heat advancing along with the fastest loser from across the heats. There were two semifinals, intended to be of 5 swimmers each but one of which actually had 6 due to a tie in the heats; the top 2 finishers in each semifinal advanced to the 4-person final.
Each race involved a single length of the 100 metre pool, with no turns. Any stroke could be used.

Results

Heats

The fastest swimmer in each heat and the fastest loser advanced. Because there was a tie for fastest loser, both men advanced. Thus, 11 swimmers qualified for the semifinals.

Heat 1

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:08.2,
2Unknown
3–6Unknown
3–6Unknown
3–6Unknown
3–6Unknown

Heat 2

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:11.8
21:12.0
3–5Unknown
3–5Unknown
3–5Unknown

Heat 3

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:11.6
21:13.2
3–5Unknown
3–5Unknown
3–5Unknown

Heat 4

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:12.0
21:12.6
3–4Unknown
3–4Unknown

Heat 5

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:05.8. =
21:13.2
3Unknown
4–5Unknown
4–5Unknown

Heat 6

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:11.0
21:12.0
3–4Unknown
3–4Unknown

Heat 7

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:05.8, =
21:35.0

Heat 8

Dockrell had no competition in the eighth heat.
RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:13.2

Heat 9

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:14.6
21:18.0

Semifinals

The fastest two swimmers from each semifinal advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:09.4
21:10.2
31:11.8
4Unknown
5–6Unknown
5–6Unknown

Semifinal 2

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
11:10.2
21:10.8
31:11.4
4Unknown
5Unknown

Final

RankSwimmerNationTimeNotes
1:05.6
1:06.2
1:08.0
4Unknown