Swimming at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre backstroke

The men's 100 metre backstroke was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme.[1] It was the fourth appearance of the event.

Men's 100 meter backstroke
at the Games of the VII Olympiad
VenueStade Nautique d'Antwerp
DatesAugust 22–23
Competitors12 from 6 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Warren Kealoha  United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Ray Kegeris  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Gérard Blitz  Belgium
← 1912
1924 →

A total of 12 swimmers from six nations competed in the event, which was held on Sunday, August 22 and on Monday, August 23, 1920.

Records

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These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1920 Summer Olympics.

World Record 1:15.6   Otto Fahr Magdeburg (GER) April 29, 1912
Olympic Record 1:20.8   Harry Hebner Stockholm (SWE) July 10, 1912

In the first semi-final Ray Kegeris bettered the Olympic record to 1:17.8 minutes. In the second semi-final Warren Kealoha set a new world record with 1:14.8 minutes.

Results

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Semifinals

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Sunday, August 22, 1920: The fastest two in each semi-final and the faster of the two third-placed swimmer advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1   Ray Kegeris (USA) 1:17.8 Q OR
2   Harold Kruger (USA) 1:19.0 Q
3   Gaspard Lemaire (BEL) 1:28.0
4   Asbjørn Wang (NOR) 1:28.2
5   Henri Matter (FRA)
6   George Robertson (GBR)

Semifinal 2

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1   Warren Kealoha (USA) 1:14.8 Q WR
2   Gérard Blitz (BEL) 1:18.6 Q
3   Perry McGillivray (USA) 1:20.4 q
4   Per Holmström (SWE) 1:26.0
5   George Webster (GBR)
6   Daniel Lehu (FRA)

Final

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Monday, August 23, 1920:

Place Swimmer Time
1   Warren Kealoha (USA) 1:15.2
2   Ray Kegeris (USA) 1:16.8
3   Gérard Blitz (BEL) 1:19.0
4   Perry McGillivray (USA) 1:19.4
5   Harold Kruger (USA)

References

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  1. ^ "Swimming at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Backstroke". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2016.

Notes

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  • Belgium Olympic Committee (1957). Olympic Games Antwerp 1920: Official Report (in French).
  • Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 2 May 2008.