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1936 Olympic Games Berlin, Germany - Men's 4 x 100 m

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Details: Parent Category: Olympic Games (Athletics); Category: 1936 Olympic Games Berlin, Germany - (Athletics); Last Updated: 06 June 2016; Hits: 1531

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Host City: Berlin, Germany

Format: Top two in each heat advanced to the final.

Date Started: August 8, 1936

Date Finished: August 9, 1936

(Competitors: 60; Countries: 15; Finalists: 24/6)

Venue(s): Olympic Stadium, Imperial Sports Field, Berlin

Overview by IAAF

Originally, the US squad was to be composed of the men who placed third to sixth in the US Trials (Wykoff, Draper, Sam Stoller and Marty Glickman). When Owens and Metcalfe replaced Stoller and Glickman, a furor was caused as this was thought to be a move to appease the German’s anti-semitic qualities. However, as the xenophobic Nazis hated blacks as much as Jews, this seems a tenuous argument at best. More likely, the US wanted the fastest squad possible. Their heat time seemed to bear out the team selection, equalling the world record of 40.0, more than a second ahead of Italy – the next quickest team. In the final, Owens got the US off to a storming start, gaining 5m on the field, and each US member extended the lead, the reward being the first ever sub-40 second clocking. Italy won the battle for second place ahead of Germany, though Osendarp carried Holland across the line in third place, only to lose the bronze medal for dropping the baton 25m from the finish.

Summary by Sports-reference.com

The US team was expected to run a foursome of Frank Wykoff, Foy Draper, Marty Glickman, and Sam Stoller. But both Glickman and Stoller were Jewish, and for reasons not fully understood, American coach Lawson Robertson (himself an Olympian in 1904-08) elected to replace them by Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe. Many rumors have since circulated concerning this decision. Though Owens and Metcalfe were their fastest runners, they were not needed, and it is sometimes thought that Robertson did this so as not to offend the Nazis hatred of Jews. It is also stated that Robertson heard that the Germans had been “hiding” their fastest runners in the individual races, and would bring them onto the relay, and that Owens and Metcalfe would be needed to win the gold medal. Some stories also say that Owens asked Robertson not to change the line-up, but to let Glickman and Stoller run. In the end, Robertson’s decision stood, and Owens led off the US team. They won easily, breaking the world record with 39.8, and defeating Italy by almost 15 metres, with Germany, devoid of super runners, in third. It was Owens’ fourth gold medal of the 1936 Olympics, and Frank Wykoff won his third consecutive gold medal in the 4x100 relay. Glickman and Stoller never competed in the Olympics. Marty Glickman later became a well-known sportscaster in the US.

			Results

*4 x 100 m*	Men		Final	9 August

Rank	Mark		Team	Country	NOC	Records	Notes
1	39.8		Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalfe, Foy Draper, Frank Wykoff	United States	USA	WR
2	41.13		Orazio Mariani, Gianni Caldana, Elio Ragni, Tullio Gonnelli	Italy	ITA		41.1 h
3	41.3		Wilhelm Leichum, Erich Borchmeyer, Erwin Gillmeister, Gerd Hornberger	Germany	GER		41.2h
4	42.2		Sam Richardson, Bruce Humber, Lee Orr, Howard McPhee	Argentina	ARG
5	42.7		Tjeerd Boersma, Wijnand van Beveren, Christiaan Berger, Martinus Osendarp	Canada	CAN
AC	DQ		Tjeerd Boersma, Wil van Beveren, Chris Berger, Tinus Osendarp	Netherlands	NED		[41.2] / [41.28]
*4 x 100 m*	Men		Round One Heat One	8 August

Rank	Mark		Team	Country	NOC	Records	Notes
1	40.0	Q	Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalfe, Foy Draper, Frank Wykoff	United States	USA	(=)WR
2	41.1	Q	Orazio Mariani, Gianni Caldana, Elio Ragni, Tullio Gonnelli	Italy	ITA
3	41.7		Eric Grimbeek, Pat Dannaher, Tom Lavery, Marthinus Theunissen	South Africa	RSA
4	42.0		Toivo Ahjopalo, Toivo Sariola, Palle Virtanen, Aki Tammisto	Finland	FIN
AC	DQ		Takayoshi Yoshioka, Monta Suzuki, B. Taniguchi, Masao Yazawa	Japan	JPN
*4 x 100 m*	Men		Round One Heat Two	8 August

Rank	Mark		Team	Country	NOC	Records	Notes
1	41.3	Q	Tjeerd Boersma, Wil van Beveren, Chris Berger, Tinus Osendarp	Netherlands	NED
2	41.9	Q	Sam Richardson, Bruce Humber, Lee Orr, Howard McPhee	Argentina	ARG
3	42.0		Mario Minai, Gyula Gyenes, József Kovács, József Sír	Hungary	HUN
4	42.4		Charles Wiard, Don Finlay, Walter Rangeley, Alan Pennington	Great Britain	GBR
5	42.6		Maurice Carlton, Pierre Dondelinger, Paul Bronner, Robert Paul	France	FRA
6	44.8		Poh Kimseng, Huang Yingjie, Chen Kingkwan, Liu Changchun	China	CHN
*4 x 100 m*	Men		Round One Heat Three	8 August

Rank	Mark		Team	Country	NOC	Records	Notes
1	41.4	Q	Wilhelm Leichum, Erich Borchmeyer, Erwin Gillmeister, Gerd Hornberger	Germany	GER
2	41.5	Q	Tjeerd Boersma, Wijnand van Beveren, Christiaan Berger, Martinus Osendarp	Canada	CAN
3	41.5		Lennart Lindgren, Irvin Ternström, Östen Sandström,	Sweden	SWE
4	42.2		Åke Stenqvist	Switzerland	SUI