The event was won by Emil Zátopek of Czechoslovakia, the nation's first Olympic marathon medal.

Sweden took its first marathon medal since 1900, as Gustaf Jansson matched the nation's best result to date in the event.

Returning runners from the 1948 marathon included defending champion Delfo Cabrera of Argentina and sixth- through eighth-place finishers Syd Luyt of South Africa, Gustav Östling of Sweden, and John Systad of Norway.

The favorite was Jim Peters of Great Britain, the 1951 and 1952 Polytechnic Marathon winner who had broken the world record at the 1952 race.

The marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards was run over a "straight out-and-back course, starting and finishing at the Olympic Stadium" and going to Korso.