Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
At the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne
, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. There were a total number of 720 participating athletes from 61 countries.
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. There were a total number of 720 participating athletes from 61 countries.
Men's events
| 100 metres |
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| 200 metres |
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| 400 metres |
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| 800 metres |
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| 1500 metres |
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| 5000 metres |
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| 10,000 metres |
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| 110 metres hurdles |
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| 400 metres hurdles |
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| 3000 metres steeplechase |
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| 4 × 100 metres relay |
Thane Baker Thane Baker Walter Thane Baker is a former American athlete and winner of the gold medal in the 4x100 m relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, with a new world record of 39.5 seconds. At those Olympics Baker also won a silver medal in the 100-meter and a bronze in the 200-meter... Leamon King Leamon King Leamon King was an American athlete who jointly held the world record for the 100 metre sprint for men from 1956 to 1960.... Bobby Morrow Ira Murchison Ira Murchison Ira James Murchison was an American athlete, winner of the gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics.... |
Leonid Bartenev Leonid Bartenev Leonid Vladimirovich Bartenev was a Soviet athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres. He trained at Burevestnik in Kiev. He competed for the USSR in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne in the 4 x 100 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Boris Tokarev, Yuriy... Yuriy Konovalov Vladimir Sukharev Boris Tokarev |
Heinz Fütterer Heinz Fütterer Heinrich Ludwig Fütterer is a West German athlete, who mainly competed in sprint events. He was born in Illingen... Manfred Germar Manfred Germar Manfred Germar is a West German athlete who mainly competed in sprint events.He competed for the United Team of Germany in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia where he won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metre relay with his team mates Lothar Knörzer, Leonhard Pohl and Heinz... Lothar Knörzer Lothar Knörzer Lothar Knörzer is a West German athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres.He competed for the United Team of Germany in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia in the 4 x 100 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Leonhard Pohl, Heinz Fütterer and Manfred... Leonhard Pohl Leonhard Pohl Leonhard Pohl Leonhard ("Leo") Pohl Leonhard ("Leo") Pohl (born July 18, 1929 in Allenstein (today Olsztyn, Poland) is a West German athlete who mainly competed in the 100 metres.... |
| 4 × 400 metres relay |
Tom Courtney Tom Courtney Thomas William Courtney is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1956 Summer Olympics.... Charles Jenkins Lou Jones Jesse Mashburn Jesse Mashburn Jesse William Mashburn is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics.... |
Graham Gipson Graham Gipson Graham Gipson was an Australian athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Australia in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the Silver medal with his team mates Leon Gregory, David Lean and Kevan Gosper... Kevan Gosper Kevan Gosper Kevan Gosper is a former Australian athlete who mainly competed in the 400 metres. He was formerly a Vice President of the International Olympic Committee.-1956 Summer Olympics:... Leon Gregory Leon Gregory Leon Gregory was an Australian athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Australia in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the Silver medal with his team mates Graham Gipson, David Lean and Kevan Gosper... David Lean David Lean (athlete) David Lean was an Australian athlete who competed mainly in the 440 metre hurdles and 400 metres relays.... |
Peter Higgins Derek Johnson Derek Johnson Derek Johnson was a British athlete, who was born in Chigwell, Essex. He did his National Service in Egypt before going up to Lincoln College, Oxford to read medicine in 1953... John Salisbury Michael Wheeler Michael Wheeler (athlete) Michael Keith Valentine "Mike" Wheeler is a former British athlete who competed in the 440 yards / 400 metres.He competed for Great Britain in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia where he won the bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metre relay with his team mates Peter Higgins, John... |
| Marathon |
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| 20 kilometres walk |
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| 50 kilometres walk |
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| Long jump |
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| Triple jump |
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| High jump |
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| Pole vault |
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| Shot put |
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| Discus throw |
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| Javelin throw |
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| Hammer throw |
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| Decathlon |
Women's events
| 100 metres |
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| 200 metres |
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| 80 metres hurdles |
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| 4 × 100 metres relay |
Norma Croker Norma Croker Norma Croker Fleming is a former Australian sprinter.At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, she placed 4th in the individual 200 metres race, but won the gold medal in 4 x 100 metres relay, together with Shirley Strickland, Fleur Mellor and Betty Cuthbert... Betty Cuthbert Betty Cuthbert Elizabeth Cuthbert AM, MBE is an Australian athlete, and a fourfold Olympic champion.... Fleur Mellor Fleur Mellor Fleur Mellor is an Australian athlete and olympic champion. She competed at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, where she received a gold medal in 4 x 100 m relay, with Shirley Strickland de la Hunty, Norma Croker and Betty Cuthbert. Their winning time was new world record.-References:... Shirley Strickland de la Hunty Shirley Strickland Shirley Barbara Strickland AO, MBE , later Shirley de la Hunty, was an Australian athlete. She won more Olympic medals than any other Australian in running sports.-Family:... |
Heather Armitage Heather Armitage Heather Joy Armitage is a British athlete who competed in sprint events.She competed for Great Britain in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia where she won the silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres with her team mates Anne Pashley, Jean Scrivens and June Foulds... Anne Pashley Anne Pashley Anne Pashley is a retired female track and field sprinter, who represented Great Britain at the 1956 Summer Olympics... June Foulds June Foulds June Foulds is a British athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres.She competed for Great Britain in the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland where she won the Bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres with her team mates Sylvia Cheeseman, Jean Desforges and Heather Armitage.She returned... Jean Scrivens Jean Scrivens Jean Scrivens is a British athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres.She competed for Great Britain in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia in the 4 x 100 metres where she won the Silver medal, behind host nation Australia, with her team mates Anne Pashley, June Foulds and... |
Isabelle Daniels Isabelle Daniels Isabelle Daniels is an American athlete, who mainly competed in the 100 metres.... Mae Faggs Mae Faggs Heriwentha Faggs Starr1 was an American athlete who mainly competed in the sprint events. She graduated from Bayside High School, and then went to Tennessee State University to run under Hall of Fame coach Ed Temple, one of the first U.S... Margaret Matthews Margaret Matthews Margaret Matthews is an American athlete who mainly competed in the 100 meters.She competed for United States in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia. Margaret Matthews native Atlantan and captain of the TSU Tigerbelles captured the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 meters with three of... Wilma Rudolph Wilma Rudolph Wilma Glodean Rudolph was an American athlete. Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s and competed in two Olympic Games, in 1956 and in 1960.... |
| Long jump |
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| High jump |
none awarded | ||
| Shot put |
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| Discus throw |
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| Javelin throw |
Medal table
| 1 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 31 | |
| 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 22 | |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | |
| 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 12 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | |
| 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |