Athletics at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games:

There were three rounds, and the biggest surprise was the failure of Germany’s Rudolf Harbig to get out of round one. The favorite in the final was America’s John Woodruff. As in 1932, the final pace was led out by Canada’s Phil Edwards, who had made his third consecutive final in the event. Woodruff took the lead at the bell, with Italy’s Mario Lanzi lagging in eighth place, despite the very slow pace (57.4). But he moved up on the last lap, getting to third by the straight. He would finish quickly for the silver medal, but there was no catching Woodruff, who had increased his lead on the final lap, only to ease up near the finish for a two-metre victory over Lanzi. In July 1939, Rudolf Harbig would shatter the world record, running 1:46.6, a mark which would last until 1955.