[1] Finland (barely) missed the marathon podium for the first time since World War I, with its top two runners placing 4th and 5th.

After Sohn's victory, he bowed his head during the Japanese anthem at his medal ceremony and remarked that he was ashamed to compete for Japan, an occupying power, rather than an independent Korea.

Returning runners from 1932 included the defending champion, Juan Carlos Zabala of Argentina, and tenth-place finisher Anders Hartington Andersen of Denmark.

[1] Bulgaria, the Republic of China, Peru, Poland, and Switzerland each made their first appearance in Olympic marathons.

The United States made its tenth appearance, the only nation to have competed in each Olympic marathon to that point.

The course went on the race track to the Nordschleife, there returned to the rotor field and the previous route ran back to the Olympic Stadium.