Helsinki 1952 1500m Josy Barthel (Amateur Footage)

OfficialReport Helsinki 1952 p 250 f

The 1 500 metres has often been one of the most electrifying events of the Olympic Games, and this was the case also in Helsinki. Before the Games the young German Werner Lueg had run the distance in his own country in the world record time of 3.43.0, and his compatriot Günther Dohrow in 3.44.8. The year before, however, the world had begun to regard England's Roger Bannister as prime favourite, and the Swedish milers, too, still held their world reputation although Henry Eriksson and Lennart Strand were not present to defend their double victory in London.

Already in the heats the third man in London, Willem Slijkhuis, dropped out by etiring from the track. The Hungarian Garay, one of the finalists in London, finished seventh in his heat. The best preferred not to show their cards in the heats, but the semifinals were contested in earnest. In both semi-finals the decision was left to a finishing spurt 300 metres long after three laps had been run watchfully. The winners, Johansson and Barthel, had been among the finalists in London in 1948, where neither finished among the first six. Now, seen from the stands, they ran with such ease that their shares soared as thoughts turned to the final to be run the next day.
Johansson's powers failed him in the final, but Barthel fulfilled the hopes of his closest acquaintances by carrying off the Gold Medal, a feat by which he himself was so overcome that he burst into tears. Boysen led over the first straight, after which Lamers took the lead for the next two laps. When about 900 metres had been covered Lueg relieved his countryman in the lead and at 1 200 metres tried to break away from the field, of whomBarthel, Bannister, El Mabrouk and Lamers in one solid bunch were in close pursuit. At the last bend Lueg seemed to be safely in front, but on the home straight his strength gave out. When Barthel came tearing up alongside, Lueg, past resistance and darting backward glances, was forced to surrender. McMillen, still lying eleventh when the bell sounded forthe last lap, finished superbly, thrusting himself right on the finishing line past Lueg for second place. Eight runners did better than the previous Olympic record.

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BARTHEL, J
McMILLEN, R
LUEG, W
Bannister, R
El Mabrouk, P
Lamers, R
Åberg, O
Ericsson, I
Macmillan, D
Johansson, D
Boysen, A
Druetzler, W
Luxemburg...
U.S.A
Germany. . . . .
Great Britain
France . . . . .
Germany . . . . .
Sweden . . . . .
Sweden . . . . .
Australia . . .
Finland . . . . .
Norway . . . . .
U.S.A
3.45.2*
3.45.2*
3.45.4
3.46.0
3.46.0
3.46.8
3.47.0
3.47.6
3.49.6
3.49.8
3.51.4
3.56.0
400 m 57.8 Lamers, 800 m 2.01.4 Lamers, 1000 m 2.32.8
Lueg, 1200 m 3.03.0 Lueg.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Olympics
• Athletics
• 1500m
• Barthel
• Olympic Games
• Athletics (sport)
• Gold

[DominicJones]

Glorious! Thank you so much for posting this. It's wonderful to finally see it after having read about it so often.