Swimming at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre freestyle

Women's 400 metre freestyle
at the Games of the VIII Olympiad
Date13–15 July
Competitors18 from 8 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Martha Norelius  United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Helen Wainwright  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Gertrude Ederle  United States
1928 →
Swimming at the
1924 Summer Olympics
Freestyle
100 mmenwomen
400 mmenwomen
1500 mmen
Backstroke
100 mmenwomen
Breaststroke
200 mmenwomen
Freestyle relay
4 × 100 mwomen
4 × 200 mmen

The women's 400 metre freestyle was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1924 Summer Olympics programme.[1] It was the first appearance of the event, in 1920 a 300-metre race was contested. The competition was held from Sunday 13 July 1924, to Tuesday 15 July 1924.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1924 Summer Olympics.

World Record 5:53.2 United States Gertrude Ederle Indianapolis (USA) 4 August 1922
Olympic Record - none - -

In the first heat Gertrude Ederle set the first Olympic record for this event with 6:12.2 minutes. In the final Martha Norelius won with the new Olympic record of 6:02.2 minutes.

Results

Heats

Sunday 13 July 1924: The fastest two in each heat and the fastest third-placed from across the heats advanced.

Heat 1

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1  Gertrude Ederle (USA) 6:12.2 QQ OR
2  Doris Molesworth (GBR) 6:28.6 QQ
3  Hedevig Rasmussen (DEN) 6:58.2 qq
4  Gurli Ewerlund (SWE) 7:05.4
5  Ernestine Lebrun (FRA) 7:06.4

Heat 2

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1  Martha Norelius (USA) 6:23.2 QQ
2  Constance Jeans (GBR) 6:34.6 QQ
3  Truus Klapwijk (NED) 7:15.0
4  Gilberte Mortier (FRA) 7:35.0

Heat 3

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1  Helen Wainwright (USA) 6:46.8 QQ
2  Mariette Protin (FRA) 6:58.2 QQ
3  Vibeke Møller (DEN) 7:02.2
4  Jane Gylling (SWE) 7:55.0
5  Eva Chaloupková (TCH) 8:14.0

Heat 4

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1  Gwitha Shand (NZL) 6:23.6 QQ
2  Iris Tanner (GBR) 6:35.4 QQ
3  Hjördis Töpel (SWE) 6:59.8
4  Maria Vierdag (NED) 7:02.4

Semifinals

Monday 14 July 1924: 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  Helen Wainwright (USA) 6:19.6 QF
2  Doris Molesworth (GBR) 6:19.8 QF
3  Gwitha Shand (NZL) 6:24.4 qf
4  Constance Jeans (GBR) 6:37.8
5  Mariette Protin (FRA) 6:56.6

Semifinal 2

Place Swimmer Time Qual.
1  Gertrude Ederle (USA) 6:23.8 QF
2  Martha Norelius (USA) 6:26.6 QF
3  Iris Tanner (GBR) 6:34.0
4  Hedevig Rasmussen (DEN) 6:55.2

Final

Tuesday 15 July 1924:

Place Swimmer Time
1  Martha Norelius (USA) 6:02.2 OR
2  Helen Wainwright (USA) 6:03.8
3  Gertrude Ederle (USA) 6:04.8
4  Doris Molesworth (GBR) 6:25.4
—  Gwitha Shand (NZL) DNF

References

  1. ^ "Swimming at the 1924 Paris Summer Games: Women's 400 metres Freestyle". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2016.