The men's high jump event at the 1932 Olympic Games took place July 31. It was a final only format, no heats or qualifying jumps.
Fourteen athletes from 10 nations competed.
[ The 1930 Olympic Congress in Berlin had reduced the limit from 4 athletes per NOC to 3 athletes.][Official Report, p. 377.] The event was won by Duncan McNaughton
Duncan Anderson McNaughton (December 7, 1910 – January 15, 1998) was a Canadian athlete, who competed mainly in the high jump. He went on to a career in petroleum geology.
Biography
McNaughton was born in Cornwall, Ontario, and grew up in V ...
of Canada, breaking the United States' dominance over the event; McNaughton was the first non-American to win. Bob Van Osdel
Bob Van Osdel (''Robert Logan Van Osdel;'' April 1, 1910 – April 6, 1987) was an American athlete who competed mainly in the high jump.
He competed for the United States in the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, United States in the ...
of the United States took silver, while Simeon Toribio
Simeon Galvez Toribio (September 3, 1905 – June 5, 1969) was a Filipinos, Filipino high jumper. He competed at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1932. In 1928, he cleared the same height as the silver and bronze medal ...
earned the Philippines' first medal in any track & field athletics event.
Background
This was the ninth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The returning finalists from the 1928 Games were bronze medalist Claude Ménard of France, fourth-place finisher Simeon Toribio
Simeon Galvez Toribio (September 3, 1905 – June 5, 1969) was a Filipinos, Filipino high jumper. He competed at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1932. In 1928, he cleared the same height as the silver and bronze medal ...
of the Philippines, and sixth-place finisher Kazuo Kimura
; born 28 June 1909) was a Japanese high jumper who won silver medals at the 1927, 1930 and 1934 Far Eastern Championship Games, losing to Simeon Toribio on all occasions. He placed sixth at the 1928
Events January
* January – B ...
of Japan. American George Spitz
George Burton Spitz, Jr. (June 19, 1912 – April 1986) was an American high jumper. He jumped indoor world records in 1931 and 1932 and was a leading favorite for that summer's Olympics; however, an ankle injury troubled him there and he only plac ...
had been the best jumper in 1932 but was suffering from an ankle injury.
Competition format
Due to the small number of competitors (there were fewer entrants in 1932 than there had been finalists in 1928), the competition was a direct final. Athletes had three attempts at each height.[Official Report, p. 443.]
Records
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1932 Summer Olympics.
No new world or Olympic records were set during the competition.
Schedule
Results
Jump sequences are not known for the 1.80, 1.85, and 1.90 metres heights. Kimura's jump sequence for 1.94 metres is unknown, but he cleared that height.
There were two jump-offs. For first through fourth place, the jumpers had a jump-off that started at 6'7" (2.007 metres); none cleared that height or 1.99 metres. At 1.97 metres (where they had tied during the final itself), McNaughton cleared on the first attempt to win gold. Details of the jump-off after that are not known. A second jump-off for fifth and sixth place was held; details are not known.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics - Men's high jump
Men's high jump
High jump at the Olympics
Men's events at the 1932 Summer Olympics