Swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre breaststroke


The men's 200 metre breaststroke was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme. It was the seventh appearance of the event, which was established in 1908. The competition was held from Thursday to Saturday, 13 to 15 August 1936.
Twenty-five swimmers from eleven nations competed. Several of the swimmers used butterfly-swimming strokes; the butterfly stroke was only developed in the early 1930s and was still regarded as a variant of breaststroke in 1936.

Medalists

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics.
World Record2:37.2 Jack KasleyNew Haven 28 March 1936
Olympic Record2:44.9 Reizo KoikeLos Angeles 12 August 1932

In the first heat of the first round Tetsuo Hamuro set a new Olympic record with 2:42.5 minutes. He bettered his own Olympic record in the final with 2:41.5 minutes.

Results

Heats

Thursday 13 August 1936: The fastest three in each heat and the fastest from across the heats advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat 1
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:42.5QQ OR
22:44.6QQ
32:48.5QQ
42:50.2qq
53:02.6

Heat 2
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:45.8QQ
22:46.4QQ
32:54.4QQ
42:57.6
53:09.8
63:10.2

Heat 3
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:48.8QQ
22:52.6QQ
32:55.7QQ
42:56.8
52:58.9
—DSQ

Heat 4
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:52.0QQ
22:54.7QQ
32:55.7QQ
—DSQ

Heat 5
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:43.8QQ
22:47.4QQ
32:48.5QQ
42:56.5

Semifinals

Wednesday 14 August 1936: The fastest three in each semi-final and the fastest fourth-placed advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:44.5QQ
22:45.4QQ
32:45.5QQ
42:49.2
52:54.0
62:54.6
72:54.8
82:55.6

Semifinal 2
PlaceSwimmerTimeQual.
12:43.4QQ
22:44.0QQ
32:44.8QQ
42:46.8qq
52:47.3
62:53.4
72:53.5
—DSQ

Final

Saturday 15 August 1936:
PlaceSwimmerTime
12:41.5
22:42.9
32:44.2
42:45.2
52:47.6
62:47.8
72:51.1