Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw

The men's hammer throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, August 18, 1920. 12 throwers from 5 nations competed; four from Sweden, four from the United States, two from Canada, one from Great Britain, and one from Finland.[1] No nation had more than 4 athletes, suggesting the limit had been reduced from the 12 maximum in force in 1908 and 1912. The event was won by Patrick Ryan of the United States, the nation's fifth consecutive victory in the event. Carl Johan Lind took silver, earning Sweden's first medal in the hammer throw. Another American, Basil Bennett, earned bronze.

Men's hammer throw
at the Games of the VII Olympiad
Patrick Ryan
VenueOlympisch Stadion
DateAugust 18
Competitors12 from 5 nations
Winning distance52.875
Medalists
Patrick Ryan
 United States
Carl Johan Lind
 Sweden
Basil Bennett
 United States
Athletics at the
1920 Summer Olympics
Track events
100 mmen
200 mmen
400 mmen
800 mmen
1500 mmen
5000 mmen
10,000 mmen
110 m hurdlesmen
400 m hurdlesmen
3000 m steeplechasemen
4×100 m relaymen
4×400 m relaymen
3000 m team racemen
3 km walkmen
10 km walkmen
Road events
Marathonmen
Field events
Long jumpmen
Triple jumpmen
High jumpmen
Pole vaultmen
Shot putmen
Discus throwmen
Hammer throwmen
Javelin throwmen
56 lb weight throwmen
Combined events
Pentathlonmen
Decathlonmen
Cross-country events
Individualmen
Teammen

Background

This was the fifth appearance of the event, which has been held at every Summer Olympics except 1896. Four of the 14 competitors from the pre-war 1912 Games returned: gold medalist Matt McGrath of the United States and three Swedes: fourth-place finisher Robert Olsson, fifth-place finisher Carl Johan Lind, and seventh-place finisher Nils Linde. McGrath, who would earn seven AAU championships from 1908 to 1926, and fellow American and world-record holder Patrick Ryan, who would win eight AAU championships in that time, were expected to dominate the event.[2]

Finland made its debut in the event. The United States appeared for the fifth time, the only nation to have competed at each appearance of the event to that point.

Competition format

The competition continued to use the divided-final format used since 1908, with results carrying over between "rounds". The number of finalists expanded from three in previous Games to six in 1920. Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. The top six men advanced to the final, where they received an additional three throws. The best result, qualifying or final, counted.[2][3]

Records

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

World record Patrick Ryan (USA)57.77New York City, United States17 August 1913
Olympic record Matt McGrath (USA)54.74Stockholm, Sweden14 July 1912

No new world or Olympic records were set during the competition.

Schedule
Date Time Round
Wednesday, 18 August 192010:45
15:30		Qualifying
Final

Results

The best six hammer throwers qualified for the final. McGrath injured his knee during the second throw in qualifying and withdrew, though still had thrown far enough to take fifth place.

RankAthleteNationQualifyingFinalDistance
Patrick Ryan United States52.83052.87552.875
Carl Johan Lind Sweden48.00048.43048.430
Basil Bennett United States48.23048.25048.250
4Malcolm Svensson Sweden47.290Unknown47.290
5Matt McGrath United States46.670—46.670
6Tom Nicolson Great Britain—[4]45.70045.700
7Nils Linde Sweden44.885Unknown44.885
8James McEachern United States44.700Did not advance44.700
9Archie McDiarmid Canada44.660Did not advance44.660
10Robert Olsson Sweden44.190Did not advance44.190
11Johan Pettersson Finland41.760Did not advance41.760
—John Cameron CanadaNMDid not advanceNM

References
  1. "Athletics at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games: Men's Hammer Throw". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  2. "Hammer Throw, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. Official Report, p. 116.
  4. Nicolson missed the qualifying round but was allowed to compete in the final after the other competitors petitioned for him to receive the opportunity.

Sources
  • Belgium Olympic Committee (1957). Olympic Games Antwerp 1920: Official Report (in French).
  • Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 24 August 2007.
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