Finland and the Soviet Union each claimed their first men's 400 metres medals as well with a tie for bronze between Voitto Hellstén and Ardalion Ignatyev.

Four years later, both Malcolms would again make it to the semi-final round and each would leave that Olympics with a bronze medal.

Jones took off from the start of the race, pulling away from the field on the backstretch and reaching the half way point with a 3 metre lead on Ardalion Ignatyev.

The lead began to shrink through the final turn, to barely a metre by the time he reached the home stretch.

By that point, his American teammate, Charles Jenkins was only a metre behind Ignatyev and gaining.

With more speed down the final straightaway, in the next 40 metres, Jenkins caught Jones at the same time as Ignatyev.

As Jenkins ran away to gold, Hellstén closed rapidly, the next three runners hitting the finish line virtually at the same time.

The United States made its thirteenth appearance in the event, the only nation to compete in it at every Olympic Games to that point.