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1908 Olympic Games London, Great Britain - Men's 3200 m Steeplechase

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Details: Parent Category: Olympic Games (Athletics); Category: 1908 Olympic Games London, Great Britain - (Athletics); Last Updated: 16 April 2016; Hits: 612

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Host City: London, Great Britain

Format: Winner in each heat advanced to the final.

Date Started: July 17, 1908

Date Finished: July 18, 1908

(Competitors: 24, Countries: 6; Finalists: 6)

Venue(s): White City Stadium, London

Overview by IAAF

There were six heats, with Russell the fastest winner in 10:56.2, and Lightbody and Bonhag the most notable names of those eliminated. Holdaway was the early leader, but was soon supplanted by Russell and Galbraith. The latter began to fade after halfway, and Eisele challenged Russell for the lead. The American led at the bell, but faded as Russell went away, with the Briton challenged by his teammate Robertson, who lost by two yards, with Eisele 25 yards behind.

Summary by Sports-reference.com

Steeplechase racing was mostly popular in Great Britain, although steeplechase events had been on the Olympic program in both 1900 and 1904. But because the event was not held frequently outside of Britain, it was difficult to consider any challenger other than the British runners. The last five AAA titles in steeplechase had been won by Arthur Russell (1904-06), Joseph English (1907), and Reginald Noakes (1908). Noakes would later win the 1909 and 1911 AAA titles and English won again in 1910. English competed at the 1908 Olympics but did not finish the second heat. Noakes did not compete due to injury.

Four Britons, one American, and one Canadian qualified for the final. A notable non-qualifier was Jim Lightbody (USA), the 1904 Olympic champion, who finished second to Harry Sewell in heat six. In the final, at the bell, Arthur Russell, Arthur Robertson, and John Eisele were together. Halfway through the last lap, Robertson took the lead, and Eisele was dropped with 220 yards remaining. Russell passed Robertson at the water jump and held on to win by 2 yards. Eisele did well to finish third as in training he had torn away a toe-nail and it was not certain he would compete.

			Results

*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Final	18 July
Holdaway was the first to lead, but did not do so for long. Galbraith and Russell were the leaders for most of the first half of the race, until Galbraith fell back and Eisele joined Russell at the front. After the bell, Robertson passed Eisele and nearly caught Russell, trailing by only two yards when the two crossed the finish line.
1908 Summer Olympics in London: The water jump in the steeplechase				Arthur Russell finishing first in front of Archie Robertson.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	10.47.8		Arthur Russell	Great Britain	GBR	22
2	10.48.8		Arthur Robertson	Great Britain	GBR	29		at 4 yds
3	11.00.8		John Eisele	United States	USA	24		at 35 yds
4	11.26.0		Guy Holdaway	Great Britain	GBR	22		11.26.0est
5			Harry Sewell	Great Britain	GBR
6			William Galbraith	Canada	CAN	23
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat One	17 July
Russell won easily, with Cartasegna being the only other competitor to finish. Downing was disqualified for incorrectly clearing the first water jump, Ragueneau retired on the second lap, and Carr injured his ankle.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	10.56.2	Q	Arthur Russell	Great Britain	GBR	22
2	11.15.0		Massimo Cartasegna	Italy	ITA	22
AC	DNF		Gaston Ragueneau	France	FRA	26
AC	DNF		Edward Carr	United States	USA	30
AC	DQ		Thomas Downing	Great Britain	GBR
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat Two	17 July
Eisele was the only one to finish. Fleurac led early, but was caught before the water jump and pulled up lame, while English fell.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	11.13.6	Q	John Eisele	United States	USA	24
AC	DNF		Antal Lovas	Hungary	HUN	23
AC	DNF		Louis Bonniot de Fleurac	France	FRA	31
AC	DNF		Frank Buckley	Great Britain	GBR
AC	DNF		Joseph English	Great Britain	GBR
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat Three	17 July
Barker pulled up lame, leaving Galbraith with the win
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	11.12.4	Q	William Galbraith	Canada	CAN	23
AC	DNF		Henry Barker	Great Britain	GBR
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat Four	17 July
With Yorke being disqualified for obstruction and Bonhag injured, the race was between Robertson and Dull. Dull led at first, but Robertson passed him and won by two hundred yards.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	11.10.0	Q	Arthur Robertson	Great Britain	GBR	29
2	11.50.0		Gayle Dull	United States	USA	24		11.50.0est / at 220 yds
AC	DNF		George Bonhag	United States	USA	26
AC	DQ		Richard Yorke	Great Britain	GBR	22
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat Five	17 July
The Americans had little chance of catching up with Holdaway and Kinchin; Holdaway was a hundred yards ahead at the finish.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	11.18.8	Q	Guy Holdaway	Great Britain	GBR	22
2	11.44.0		Joseph Kinchin	Great Britain	GBR	23		11.44.0est / at 100 yds
3			Roland Spitzer	United States	USA	22
4			Charles Hall	United States	USA	21
*3200 m Steeplechase*	Men		Round One Heat Six	17 July
Fitzgerald fell and Grantham pulled up lame. Sewell and Lightbody competed right up to the finish, and Sewell pulled away at the end to win a tight race by less than ten yards.
Rank	Mark		Athlete	Country	NOC	Age	Records	Notes
1	11.30.2	Q	Harry Sewell	Great Britain	GBR
2	11.41.0		Jim Lightbody	United States	USA	26		at 10 yds
AC	DNF		John Fitzgerald	Canada	CAN	21
AC	DNF		W. Grantham	Great Britain	GBR