The men's single sculls competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics took place at Meilahti, Helsinki, Finland.

[2] The event was won by Yuriy Tyukalov of the Soviet Union, in the nation's debut at the Games.

Defending champion Mervyn Wood took silver, the fourth medal in five Games for Australia.

Teodor Kocerka's bronze was Poland's first medal in the men's single sculls.

The winners of the two semifinal heats advanced directly to the final and the rest competed in the second repechage.