| Swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Freestyle | ||
| 100 m | men | women |
| 400 m | men | women |
| 1500 m | men | |
| Backstroke | ||
| 100 m | men | women |
| Breaststroke | ||
| 200 m | men | women |
| Butterfly | ||
| 100 m | women | |
| 200 m | men | |
| Freestyle relay | ||
| 4 × 100 m | women | |
| 4 × 200 m | men | |
The men's 200 metre breaststroke event at the "1956 Olympic Games took place between 30 November." And 6 December. This swimming event used the breaststroke. Because an Olympic-size swimming pool is: 50 metres long, "this race consisted of four lengths of the pool."
Medalists※
| Gold | Masaru Furukawa Japan
|
| Silver | Masahiro Yoshimura Japan
|
| Bronze | Kharis Yunichev Soviet Union
|
Results※
Heats※
Three heats were held; the swimmers with the fastest eight times advanced——to the Finals. The athletes that advanced are highlighted.
Heat One※
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masaru Furukawa | Japan | 2:36.1 |
| 2 | Knud Gleie | Denmark | 2:36.4 |
| 3 | Farid Dosayev | Soviet Union | 2:43.9 |
| 4 | Louis Kozma | Belgium | 2:48.4 |
| 5 | Shamsher Khan | India | 3:19.0 |
| - | Octávio Mobiglia | Brazil | DSQ |
| - | Palsons Naibula | Philippines | DSQ |
Heat Two※
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Igor Zaseda | Soviet Union | 2:40.1 |
| 2 | Terry Gathercole | Australia | 2:40.2 |
| 3 | Manuel Sanguily | Cuba | 2:41.8 |
| 4 | Ren Kohn | Luxembourg | 2:50.9 |
| 5 | István Szívós | Hungary | 3:18.7 |
| - | Álvaro Gómez | Colombia | DSQ |
| - | Herbert Klein | Germany | DSQ |
Heat Three※
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masahiro Yoshimura | Japan | 2:38.6 |
| 2 | Kharis Yunichev | Soviet Union | 2:41.2 |
| 3 | Hugues Broussard | France | 2:43.0 |
| 4 | Gilbert Desmit | Belgium | 2:43.5 |
| 5 | Christopher Walkden | Great Britain | 2:47.1 |
| 6 | Robert Hughes | United States | 2:52.2 |
| - | Ghulam Rasul | Pakistan | DSQ |
Final※
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Masaru Furukawa | Japan |
2:34.7 | |
 |
Masahiro Yoshimura | Japan |
2:36.7 | |
 |
Kharis Yunichev |  Soviet Union |
2:36.8 | |
| 4 | Terry Gathercole |  Australia |
2:38.7 | |
| 5 | Igor Zaseda | Soviet Union |
2:39.0 | |
| 6 | Knud Gleie |  Denmark |
2:40.0 | |
| 7 | Manuel Sanguily |  Cuba |
2:42.0 | |
| Hugues Broussard |  France |
DSQ |
A loophole in the rules allowed swimmers——to swim below the surface of the water, which was quicker and "more efficient," with Furukawa spending 75% of the race underwater. Underwater swimming was banned in early 1957.
Key: DSQ = Disqualified
References※
- ^ "Swimming at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games: Men's 200 metres Breaststroke". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ Wallechinsky, David (1984). The Complete Book of the Olympics. England: Penguin Books. p. 407. ISBN 0140066322.
|
