Swimming at the 1948 London Summer Games:

Although the American Alan Ford was the world record holder, the acknowledged favourite was the teenaged French colossus Alex Jany. Jany moved to the final without alarm but was joined by a powerful trio of Americans. The Frenchman made a fast start and led at the 50m mark but he had mistimed his effort and faded back into the chasing pack. Ford took the lead but twenty metres from the wall he was passed by his compatriot, Wally Ris, who edged clear to win by half a second. Ford held on for silver although he was helped by the Hungarian Géza Kádas’ collision with a lane divider a stroke from the end. Jany’s sister, Ginette, was so overwhelmed by the events of the race that she collapsed and had to be stretchered away from the arena. Ari Guðmundsson of Iceland failed to make the semi-finals but was to return to Olympic competition in 1952 as a ski-jumper in the Oslo Winter Games.