Joe Healey (USA) with 54.2 and Tisdall with 54.8, in his fourth race at
the distance, were the fastest heat winners. Experts were greatly sur-
prised to see Tisdall then equal the Olympic record of 52.8 set by
Hardin in the first semi-final. Both races were close affairs, with Taylor
(52.9) and Burghley (53.0) following Hardin and edging out George
Golding (AUS), whose 53.1 was better than the previous Olympic
record. The second race was even closer behind Tisdall, with Areskoug,
Facelli and Healey all running 53.2.
Tisdall was ahead early in the final, and by the final hurdle was 5m
clear. He knocked over the last barrier, thereby losing a world and
Olympic record, and almost fell, recovering to struggle home 1.5m
ahead of Hardin. With a better hurdle clearance he would likely have
run 51.2. Taylor and Burghley, both at their third and final Olympics,
each ran lifetime bests, with the Briton losing bronze by just 0.05.
Tisdall’s weight had plummeted from 75kg to 71kg in Los Angeles and
he spent 15 hours a day asleep in the last eight days before racing, with-
out ever doing any training.
Ireland
United States
Great Britain
Italy
Sweden
Australia
Germany
France
Greece
Japan
Mexico
Brazil
Canada
