Athletics at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games:

In 1955, American Lou Jones had set the world record of 45.4 in winning the Pan American Games. But that mark was specious, as it was set at the altitude of Ciudad de México. Still, Jones had won the US Olympic Trials and was favored. He was expected to be pushed by his teammate, Charlie Jenkins, the 1955 AAU Champion, and 1954 European Champion, Ardalion Ignatyev (URS). In the final, Jones was drawn in the outside lane and led by two metres at the 200 mark. But Ignatyev caught him by 300 metres as Jones tied up and was never again a factor. Jenkins had started slowly but had plenty left. He caught Ignatyev with 50 metres left and won by two metres over Germany's Karl-Friedrich Haas. Ignatyev tied for third with Finland's Voitto Hellstén. The final time (46.7 for Jenkins) was slow, but the day was windy and the final and semi-finals were held on the same day, for the last time at the Olympics.