Arthur Wint earned Jamaica's first Olympic medal in their debut games with silver; he would take gold in the 400 metres a few days later.

The tall Arthur Wint worked his way through the crowd and moved into the marking position by the end of the turn.

Ingvar Bengtsson moved forward to challenge Hansenne, holding the edge through the final turn.

Noted contenders included Mal Whitfield of the United States, Arthur Wint of Jamaica, Doug Harris of New Zealand, and Marcel Hansenne of France.

[1] Egypt, Iceland, Jamaica, South Korea, and Trinidad and Tobago appeared in the event for the first time.