Great Britain at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Summary

Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. 234 competitors, 218 men and 16 women, took part in 84 events in 21 sports.[1] British athletes won fourteen gold medals (up from ten in 1912) and 43 medals overall, finishing third. It would be the last Olympic Games in which Irish athletes participated for Great Britain, after foundation of Irish Free State in 1922.

Great Britain at the
1920 Summer Olympics
IOC codeGBR
NOCBritish Olympic Association
in Antwerp
Competitors234 (218 men and 16 women) in 21 sports
Flag bearerPhilip Noel-Baker
Medals
Ranked 3rd
Gold
14
Silver
15
Bronze
13
Total
42
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

Aquatics edit

Diving edit

Five divers consisting of three men and two women, represented Great Britain in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. Just as in 1912, the women had the better showing for the country. Armstrong posted the country's best result to that point, taking the silver medal in the platform. White, who had won Great Britain's only previous medal in the sport, was unable to match her bronze from 1912 and took fourth place in the platform.

Men

Ranks given are within the semifinal group.

Diver Event Semifinals Final
Points Score Rank Points Score Rank
Harold Clarke Plain high dive 10 164.5 2 Q 40 142.0 9
Albert Dickin Plain high dive 17 140.5 4 Did not advance
Ernest Walmsley 3 m springboard 28 453.05 5 Did not advance
Women

Ranks given are within the semifinal group.

Diver Event Semifinals Final
Points Score Rank Points Score Rank
Beatrice Armstrong 10 m platform 7 158.0 1 Q 10 166.0  
Isabelle White 10 m platform 20 148.5 3 Q 18 158.5 4

Swimming edit

Eighteen swimmers, twelve men and six women, represented Great Britain in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in the sport. Great Britain won two medals, one in each of the relays. The men took bronze, while the women took silver. Jeans was the only individual finalist for the country, advancing to the finals in both of the women's events and taking fourth place each time.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Men
Swimmer Event Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Harold Annison 100 m free Unknown 4 Did not advance
400 m free 5:58.0 1 Q Unknown 4 Did not advance
1500 m free 24:28.2 1 Q 23:51.4 3 Did not advance
Albert Dickin 100 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
John Dickin 100 m free 1:10.0 3 Did not advance
Jack Hatfield 400 m free 5:50.6 3 Did not advance
1500 m free 23:56.6 3 Did not advance
Rex Lassam 200 m breast Unknown 4 Did not advance
400 m breast Unknown 4 Did not advance
Ernest Parker 200 m breast Unknown 6 Did not advance
Edward Peter 400 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
1500 m free 24:39.4 2 Q Unknown 5 Did not advance
George Robertson 100 m back N/A Unknown 6 Did not advance
200 m breast Unknown 6 Did not advance
400 m breast 7:28.0 3 Did not advance
Leslie Savage 100 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
William Stoney 200 m breast 3:20.8 3 Did not advance
Henry Taylor 400 m free 6:01.2 2 Q Unknown 4 Did not advance
1500 m free Did not finish Did not advance
George Webster 100 m back N/A Unknown 5 Did not advance
Harold Annison
Edward Peter
Leslie Savage
Henry Taylor
4 × 200 m free relay N/A 10:51.0 1 Q 10:37.2  
Women
Swimmer Event Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank
Lillian Birkenhead 100 m free Unknown 6 Did not advance
Hilda James 300 m free 5:07.2 4 Did not advance
Constance Jeans 100 m free 1:20.8 2 Q 1:22.8 4
300 m free 4:57.8 2 Q 4:52.4 4
Grace McKenzie 100 m free 1:27.4 3 Did not advance
300 m free Unknown 4 Did not advance
Charlotte Radcliffe 100 m free Unknown 7 Did not advance
Florence Sancroft 300 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
Hilda James
Constance Jeans
Grace McKenzie
Charlotte Radcliffe
4 × 100 m free relay N/A 5:40.8  

Water polo edit

Great Britain competed in the Olympic water polo tournament for the fourth time in 1920, the fifth appearance of the sport in the Olympics. Britain won its fourth (and final, through 2008) gold medal in the sport.

The Bergvall System was used in 1920. Great Britain won all three of its matches, taking the gold medal.

Quarterfinals
Great Britain   9–0   Spain Antwerp
Semifinals
Great Britain   7–2   United States Antwerp
Final
Great Britain   3–2   Belgium Antwerp
Final rank
  Gold

Athletics edit

41 athletes represented Great Britain in 1920. It was the nation's sixth appearance in athletics, having competed in the sport at every Olympics. With four medals of each type, Great Britain was the third most successful nation in athletics, behind the United States and Finland.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Athlete Event Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Harold Abrahams 100 m 11.0 1 Q 11.0 4 Did not advance
200 m 23.3 2 Q 23.0 3 Did not advance
Long jump 6.05 20 Did not advance
John Ainsworth-Davis 400 m 51.5 2 Q 50.7 2 Q 49.9 3 Q 50.6 5
Benjamin Howard Baker Triple jump 13.675 8 Did not advance
High jump 1.80 1 Q 1.85 6
Joe Blewitt 5000 m 15:19.8 1 Q 15:19.0 5
Guy Butler 400 m 53.2 2 Q 50.7 2 Q 50.2 2 Q 50.1  
Timothy Carroll High jump 1.80 1 Q 1.75 9
Charles Clibbon 10000 m 32:08.8 2 Q Did not finish
Laurence Cummins Cross country 26
Victor d'Arcy 100 m 11.1 2 Q 3 Did not advance
200 m 24.0 3 Did not advance
Charles Dowson 3 km walk 13:54.9 4 Q 13:28.0 6
10 km walk Did not finish Did not advance
Eric Dunbar 110 m hurdles 4 Did not advance
High jump 1.70 14 Did not advance
Harry Edward 100 m 10.9 2 Q 10.8 1 Q 10.8 1 Q 10.9  
200 m 22.8 1 Q 22.0 1 Q 22.5 2 Q 22.2  
Walter Freeman Cross country 22
George Gray 110 m hurdles 2 Q 4 Did not advance
400 m hurdles 58.8 3 Did not advance
Charles Gunn 3 km walk 5 Q 13:34.0 10
10 km walk 48:22.0 5 Q 49:43.9  
James Hatton 10000 m 32:23.0 5 Q 32:14.0 5
Anton Hegarty Cross country 27:57.0 5
William Hehir 3 km walk 5 Q 13:29.8 7
10 km walk 51:33.8 1 Q 50:11.8 5
Albert Hill 800 m 1:56.2 2 Q 1:56.4 1 Q 1:53.4  
1500 m 4:03.2 2 Q 4:01.8  
William Hill 100 m 11.0 1 Q 11.0 1 Q 11.3 5 Did not advance
200 m 23.8 2 Q 23.2 3 Did not advance
Percy Hodge 3000 m steeplechase 10:17.4 OR 1 Q 10:00.4 OR  
Leslie Housden Marathon 3:14:25.0 31
William Hunter 110 m hurdles 2 Q 5 Did not advance
Long jump 6.42 13 Did not advance
High jump No mark 21 Did not advance
Herbert Irwin 5000 m 15:17.8 2 Q 12
Robert Lindsay 400 m 52.0 1 Q 51.6 4 Did not advance
Charles Lively Long jump 5.87 22 Did not advance
Triple jump 13.15 14 Did not advance
Duncan McPhee 1500 m 4:07.2 2 Q Did not finish
Arthur Mills Marathon 2:48:05.0 14
Edgar Mountain 800 m 1:57.6 1 Q 1:58.2 2 Q 1:53.7 4
Alfred Nichols 5000 m 15:54.0 4 Q 15:24.0 8
Cross country 28:20.0 12
Tom Nicolson Hammer throw 45.70 6 45.70 6
Philip Noel-Baker 800 m 1:56.0 1 Q Did not start Did not advance
1500 m 4:14.0 2 Q 4:02.4  
George Piper Marathon 3:02:10.0 29
Eric Robertson Marathon 3:55:00.0 35
William Seagrove 5000 m 15:53.6 3 Q 15:21.06 6
Christopher Vose Cross country 19
Edward Wheller 400 m hurdles 58.4 2 Q 4 Did not advance
James Wilson 10000 m 33:40.2 1 Q 31:50.8  
Cross country 27:45.2 4
Hedges Worthington-Eyre 400 m 52.6 2 Q 53.2 5 Did not advance
Frank Hegarty
Alfred Nichols
James Wilson
Team cross country 21  
Harold Abrahams
Denis Black
Victor d'Arcy
William Hill
4 × 100 m relay 43.3 2 Q 43.0 4
John Ainsworth-Davis
Guy Butler
Cecil Griffiths
Robert Lindsay
4 × 400 m relay 3:40.9 2 Q 3:22.2  
Joe Blewitt
Albert Hill
Duncan McPhee
William Seagrove
3000 m team 11 1 Q 20  

Boxing edit

16 boxers represented Great Britain at the 1920 Games. It was the nation's second appearance in boxing. Great Britain was one of two countries to send two boxers in each of the eight weight classes, along with the United States. The British boxers won a total of six medals, one more than Canada and two more than the United States, but fell behind the Americans in number of gold medals three to two.

Boxer Weight class Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / Bronze match
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Rank
Frederick Adams Featherweight Bye   Erdal (NOR)
L
Did not advance 9
Daniel Bowling Bantamweight N/A   Hartman (USA)
L
Did not advance 9
Hugh Brown Light heavyweight N/A Bye   Andreasen (DEN)
W
  Sørsdal (NOR)
L
  Franks (GBR)
L
4
James Cater Featherweight Bye   Nielsen (DEN)
W
  Garzena (ITA)
L
Did not advance 5
William Cuthbertson Flyweight N/A   Jensen (DEN)
W
  Zegwaard (NED)
W
  Pedersen (DEN)
L
  Albert (FRA)
W
 
Frank Dove Heavyweight N/A Bye   Petersen (DEN)
L
Did not advance 5
Harold Franks Light heavyweight N/A Bye   Piochelle (FRA)
W
  Eagan (USA)
L
  Brown (GBR)
W
 
James Gilmour Lightweight N/A   Sæterhaug (NOR)
L
Did not advance 9
Frederick Grace Lightweight N/A   Nak (NED)
W
  Mosberg (USA)
L
Did not advance 5
Alexander Ireland Welterweight Bye   Reichenbach (SUI)
W
  Suhr (DEN)
W
  Clark (USA)
W
  Schneider (CAN)
L
 
Harry Mallin Middleweight Bye   Cranston (USA)
W
  Lagonia (USA)
W
  Herscovitch (CAN)
W
  Prud'Homme (CAN)
W
 
George McKenzie Bantamweight N/A Bye   Koss (NOR)
W
  Walker (RSA)
L
  Hébrants (BEL)
W
 
Ronald Rawson Heavyweight N/A Bye   Stewart (USA)
W
  Eluère (FRA)
W
  Petersen (DEN)
W
 
Frederic Virtue Flyweight N/A   Zegwaard (NED)
L
Did not advance 9
Frederick Whitbread Welterweight Bye   Gillet (FRA)
L
Did not advance 9
Edward White Middleweight Bye   Olsen (DEN)
L
Did not advance 9