| Date | 1 – 3 December 1956 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Park Swimming and Diving Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Participants | 50 from 11 countries |
Barring 1948 when Japan did not participate, the last 30 years of the Olympic 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay had turned into a tussle between the Japanese and Americans for superiority. Things were different in Melbourne as the host nation, who had qualified for the Olympic final since 1924, were blessed with a golden generation of freestylers as their victories in all three individual freestyle events would testify. Another quartet to mention was that of the Soviet Union who had caused a sensation by breaking the world record a month before the Games began. Despite the performance of the Soviets, Australia were still considered favourites for the title as their strongest team consisted of four of the five fastest swimmers for 1956 over the 200 metre distance. The Aussies did not disappoint the home crowd and produced a dominant performance in which they led from start to finish. They come home eight seconds clear of America and in a time which broke the Soviet Union’s record. The USA took home the silver medal with the Soviets back in third.
| Date | 1 December 1956 — 14:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Lane | Team | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Japan |  JPN | 8:37.9 | ||
| 2 | 5 | United States |  USA | 8:38.3 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Great Britain |  GBR | 8:39.1 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Soviet Union |  URS | 8:39.5 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Australia |  AUS | 8:40.2 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Unified Team of Germany |  GER | 8:42.5 | ||
| 7 | 6 | South Africa |  RSA | 8:43.0 | ||
| 8 | 2 | Italy |  ITA | 8:43.1 | ||
| 9 | 4 | France |  FRA | 8:56.5 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Hungary |  HUN | 8:57.2 | ||
| 11 | 7 | Philippines |  PHI | 9:05.7 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Japan | JPN | 8:37.9 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Hiroshi Suzuki | – | 2:11.8 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Atsushi Tani | – | 2:08.8 (2) | 4:20.6 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Koji Nonoshita | – | 2:10.3 (2) | 6:30.9 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Tsuyoshi Yamanaka | – | 2:07.0 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 5 | United States | USA | 8:38.3 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Dick Hanley | – | 2:08.7 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Tim Jecko | – | 2:09.1 (3) | 4:17.8 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Sonny Tanabe | – | 2:12.2 (3) | 6:30.0 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Ford Konno | – | 2:08.3 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 3 | Unified Team of Germany | GER | 8:42.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Hans Köhler | – | 2:11.7 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Hans-Joachim Reich | – | 2:12.0 (4) | 4:23.7 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Hans Zierold | – | 2:07.8 (1) | 6:31.5 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | Horst Bleeker | – | 2:11.0 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 6 | South Africa | RSA | 8:43.0 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Billy Steuart | – | 2:09.6 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Tony Briscoe | – | 2:08.7 (1) | 4:18.3 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Dennis Ford | – | 2:12.5 (4) | 6:30.8 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Peter Duncan | – | 2:12.2 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 2 | Italy | ITA | 8:43.1 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Fritz Dennerlein | – | 2:09.7 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Paolo Galletti | – | 2:13.0 (5) | 4:22.7 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Guido Elmi | – | 2:12.7 (5) | 6:35.4 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Angelo Romani | – | 2:07.7 (2) | – (–) |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Great Britain | GBR | 8:39.1 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Kenneth Williams | – | 2:11.7 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Ronald Roberts | – | 2:13.1 (3) | 4:24.8 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Neil McKechnie | – | 2:06.6 (1) | 6:31.4 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jack Wardrop | – | 2:07.7 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 3 | Soviet Union | URS | 8:39.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Vladimir Struzhanov | – | 2:11.6 (=2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Gennady Nikolayev | – | 2:08.8 (2) | 4:20.4 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Vitaly Sorokin | – | 2:10.4 (2) | 6:30.8 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Boris Nikitin | – | 2:08.7 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 6 | Australia | AUS | 8:40.2 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | John Devitt | – | 2:07.5 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Gary Chapman | – | 2:08.4 (1) | 4:15.9 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Graham Hamilton | – | 2:15.4 (5) | 6:31.3 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Murray Garretty | – | 2:08.9 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 4 | France | FRA | 8:56.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Aldo Eminente | – | 2:11.6 (=2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Jacques Collignon | – | 2:13.4 (4) | 4:25.0 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Alex Jany | – | 2:13.4 (3) | 6:38.4 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jean Boiteux | – | 2:18.1 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 2 | Hungary | HUN | 8:57.2 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Gyula Dobay | – | 2:12.8 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | György Csordás | – | 2:16.5 (5) | 4:29.3 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Sándor Záborszky | – | 2:14.7 (4) | 6:44.0 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jenő Áts | – | 2:13.2 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | 7 | Philippines | PHI | 9:05.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Dakula Arabani | – | 2:15.9 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Agapito Lozada | – | 2:16.9 (6) | 4:32.8 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Bana Sailani | – | 2:15.5 (6) | 6:48.3 (6) | |||
| Anchor | – | Ulpiano Babol | – | 2:17.4 (5) | – (–) |
| Date | 3 December 1956 — 20:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Australia | AUS | 8:23.6 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Kevin O'Halloran | – | 2:06.8 (1) | – (–) | IOR | ||
| 2nd Leg | – | John Devitt | – | 2:06.4 (1) | 4:13.2 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Murray Rose | – | 2:06.0 (1) | 6:19.2 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jon Henricks | – | 2:04.4 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | 5 | United States | USA | 8:31.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Dick Hanley | – | 2:08.0 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | George Breen | – | 2:07.7 (2) | 4:15.7 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Bill Woolsey | – | 2:07.0 (2) | 6:22.7 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Ford Konno | – | 2:08.8 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | 6 | Soviet Union | URS | 8:34.7 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Vitaly Sorokin | – | 2:07.5 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Vladimir Struzhanov | – | 2:11.5 (4) | 4:19.0 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Gennady Nikolayev | – | 2:09.0 (4) | 6:28.0 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Boris Nikitin | – | 2:06.7 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | 4 | Japan | JPN | 8:36.6 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Manabu Koga | – | 2:10.0 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Atsushi Tani | – | 2:08.5 (3) | 4:18.5 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Koji Nonoshita | – | 2:10.5 (5) | 6:29.0 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | Tsuyoshi Yamanaka | – | 2:07.6 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | 7 | Unified Team of Germany | GER | 8:43.4 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Hans Köhler | – | 2:10.3 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Hans-Joachim Reich | – | 2:12.1 (6) | 4:22.4 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Hans Zierold | – | 2:08.4 (3) | 6:30.8 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Horst Bleeker | – | 2:12.6 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | 3 | Great Britain | GBR | 8:45.2 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Kenneth Williams | – | 2:11.4 (8) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Ronald Roberts | – | 2:13.8 (8) | 4:25.2 (8) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Neil McKechnie | – | 2:11.6 (6) | 6:36.8 (8) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jack Wardrop | – | 2:08.4 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | 8 | Italy | ITA | 8:46.2 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Fritz Dennerlein | – | 2:09.8 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Paolo Galletti | – | 2:13.4 (7) | 4:23.2 (7) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Guido Elmi | – | 2:13.5 (7) | 6:36.7 (7) | |||
| Anchor | – | Angelo Romani | – | 2:09.5 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 8 | 1 | South Africa | RSA | 8:49.5 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Billy Steuart | – | 2:11.2 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Tony Briscoe | – | 2:11.8 (5) | 4:23.0 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Dennis Ford | – | 2:13.6 (8) | 6:36.6 (6) | |||
| Anchor | – | Peter Duncan | – | 2:12.9 (8) | – (–) |
