Under the rules of the International Skating Union, athletes raced in pairs in a straight time-trial event.

[3] Leading up the Games, the Finnish team was training in Davos where Clas Thunberg had set a time of 43.8 seconds, four tenths slower than Oscar Mathisen's world record.

Asser Wallenius of Finland, bettered Moore's time by six-tenths of a second to move into first position with 11 skaters remaining.

The world champion Clas Thunberg and Norway's Roald Larsen had to settle for sharing the bronze medal with a time of 44.8 seconds.

[1] Jewtraw's gold medal is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.[5] Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.