Venue White City Stadium | Competitors 24 from 6 nations | |
 | ||
Dates July 17 (semifinals)
July 18 (final) | ||
The men's 3,200 metres steeplechase was held for the only time at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The competition was held on July 17, 1908 and July 18, 1908. The races were held on a track of 536.45 metres= 1⁄3 mile in circumference. There were six heats of the first round, with the winners of those heats competing in the final.
Contents
24 runners from 6 nations competed; eleven from Great Britain, eight from the United States, two from Canada, two from France, one from Hungary, and one from Italy.
Records
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics.
(*) The distance of this race was 2500 metres and the track was 500 metres in circumference.
(**) The distance of this race was 2590 metres and the track was 536.45 metres= 1⁄3 mile in circumference.
First round
All first round heats were held on Friday, July 17, 1908.
Heat 1
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.
Heat 2
Eisele was the only one to finish. Fleurac led early, but was caught before the water jump and pulled up lame, while English fell.
Heat 3
Barker pulled up lame, leaving Galbraith with the win.
Heat 4
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.
Heat 5
The Americans had little chance of catching up with Holdaway and Kinchin; Holdaway was a hundred yards ahead at the finish.
Heat 6
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.
Final
The final was held on Saturday, July 18, 1908.
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.