| | Event type
High Jump, Men
| Date | 2 August 1936 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympiastadion, Reichssportfeld, Berlin |
| Participants | 40 from 24 countries |
Corny Johnson was favored but barely over teammate Dave Albritton. They had tied for first at the US Trials with world records 2.07 (6-9½). Johnson won the gold medal without a miss, clearing the winning 2.03 (6-7¾) on his first attempt. He failed three tries at a world record 2.08 (6-9¾). Albritton took silver over teammates Delos Thurber in a jump-off, clearing 1.97, as the US swept the medals, with Finland’s Kalevi Kotkas missing out and finishing fourth.
Johnson was snubbed by Adolf Hitler, who had congratulated all the other winners on that day, but refused to shake the hand of a black man. He was then told by the IOC to congratulate all the winners or none of them, and chose none. This led to the rumors that he refused to acknowledge the victories of Jesse Owens but in reality, Johnson was the black American he had insulted. Silver medalist Dave Albritton was the first prominent high jumper to use the straddle technique, which became the dominant high jump style in the 1950s-60s.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Qualifying | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 773 | Corny Johnson |  USA | 1.85 (=1) | – | Gold | ||
| 2 | 772 | Dave Albritton | USA | 1.85 (=1) | 1.97 (1 h1) | Silver | 1 | |
| 3 | 774 | Delos Thurber | USA | 1.85 (=1) | 1.95 (2 h1) | Bronze | 2 | |
| 4 | 173 | Kalevi Kotkas |  FIN | 1.85 (=1) | - (3 h1) | 3 | ||
| 5 | 393 | Kimio Yada |  JPN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =6 | 172 | Lauri Kalima | FIN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =6 | 857 | Gustav Weinkötz |  GER | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =6 | 392 | Hiroshi Tanaka | JPN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =6 | 391 | Yoshiro Asakuma | JPN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =10 | 146 | Aksel Kuuse |  EST | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =10 | 855 | Günter Gehmert | GER | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 37 | Jack Metcalfe |  AUS | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 86 | Joe Haley |  CAN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 141 | Poul Otto |  DEN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 174 | Veikko Peräsalo | FIN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 716 | Mihály Bodosi |  HUN | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 305 | Jan Brasser |  NED | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 538 | Simeon Toribio |  PHI | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 660 | Edwin Thacker |  RSA | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 626 | Rudolf Eggenberg |  SUI | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =12 | 593 | Åke Ödmark |  SWE | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| 22 | 547 | Jerzy Pławczyk |  POL | 1.85 (=1) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 506 | Fritz Flachberger |  AUT | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 58 | Alfredo Mendes |  BRA | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 57 | Ícaro Mello | BRA | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 139 | Svend Aage Thomsen | DEN | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 280 | Robert Kennedy |  GBR | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 281 | Jack Newman | GBR | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 323 | Sigurður Sigurðsson |  ISL | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 306 | Gerard Carlier | NED | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | 475 | Edvard Natvig |  NOR | 1.80 (=23) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 505 | Fritz Neuruhrer | AUT | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 115 | Wu Bixian |  CHN | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 282 | Stan West | GBR | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 856 | Hans Martens | GER | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 10 | Konstantinos Pantazis |  GRE | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 546 | Karol Hoffmann | POL | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 678 | Břetislav Krátký |  TCH | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 679 | Zdeněk Sobotka | TCH | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | 428 | Hans Mohr |  YUG | 1.70 (=32) | – | |||
| 114 | Wang Shilin | CHN | – | – | ||||
| 133 | Pedro del Vecchio |  COL | – | – | ||||
| 221 | Christian Gillmann |  FRA | – | – | ||||
| 222 | René Poirier | FRA | – | – | ||||
| 223 | Louis Thiebert | FRA | – | – | ||||
| 592 | Kurt Lundqvist | SWE | – | – | ||||
| 677 | Vladimír Galanda | TCH | – | – | ||||
| 427 | Fritz Martini | YUG | – | – | ||||
| 429 | Nikola Vučević | YUG | – | – |
Qualifying Round
| Date | 2 August 1936 — 10:30 |
|---|---|
| Format | All those clearing 1.85 metres advanced to the final. |
Group A
| Date | 2 August 1936 — 10:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 1.60 m | Attempts at 1.70 m | Attempts at 1.80 m | Attempts at 1.85 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | 772 | Dave Albritton | USA | 1.85 | - | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 855 | Günter Gehmert | GER | 1.85 | - | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 547 | Jerzy Pławczyk | POL | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 393 | Kimio Yada | JPN | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 716 | Mihály Bodosi | HUN | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 174 | Veikko Peräsalo | FIN | 1.85 | - | o | xo | o | ||
| =1 | 305 | Jan Brasser | NED | 1.85 | o | o | o | xo | ||
| =1 | 146 | Aksel Kuuse | EST | 1.85 | o | o | o | xo | ||
| =1 | 538 | Simeon Toribio | PHI | 1.85 | - | xo | o | xo | ||
| =1 | 141 | Poul Otto | DEN | 1.85 | o | o | o | xxo | ||
| =11 | 58 | Alfredo Mendes | BRA | 1.80 | - | - | o | xxx | ||
| =11 | 139 | Svend Aage Thomsen | DEN | 1.80 | o | o | xo | xxx | ||
| =11 | 280 | Robert Kennedy | GBR | 1.80 | - | o | xo | xxx | ||
| =14 | 282 | Stan West | GBR | 1.70 | - | o | x-- | – | ||
| =14 | 505 | Fritz Neuruhrer | AUT | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =14 | 678 | Břetislav Krátký | TCH | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =14 | 428 | Hans Mohr | YUG | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =14 | 679 | Zdeněk Sobotka | TCH | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =14 | 856 | Hans Martens | GER | 1.70 | - | xo | xxx | – |
Group B
| Date | 2 August 1936 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 1.60 m | Attempts at 1.70 m | Attempts at 1.80 m | Attempts at 1.85 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | 173 | Kalevi Kotkas | FIN | 1.85 | - | o | - | o | ||
| =1 | 857 | Gustav Weinkötz | GER | 1.85 | - | - | o | o | ||
| =1 | 391 | Yoshiro Asakuma | JPN | 1.85 | o | - | o | o | ||
| =1 | 86 | Joe Haley | CAN | 1.85 | - | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 626 | Rudolf Eggenberg | SUI | 1.85 | - | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 773 | Corny Johnson | USA | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 774 | Delos Thurber | USA | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 593 | Åke Ödmark | SWE | 1.85 | o | o | o | o | ||
| =1 | 172 | Lauri Kalima | FIN | 1.85 | - | o | - | xo | ||
| =1 | 37 | Jack Metcalfe | AUS | 1.85 | o | o | o | xo | ||
| =1 | 392 | Hiroshi Tanaka | JPN | 1.85 | o | o | o | xo | ||
| =1 | 660 | Edwin Thacker | RSA | 1.85 | - | xo | o | xo | ||
| =13 | 57 | Ícaro Mello | BRA | 1.80 | - | o | o | xxx | ||
| =13 | 281 | Jack Newman | GBR | 1.80 | o | o | o | xxx | ||
| =15 | 306 | Gerard Carlier | NED | 1.80 | o | xo | o | xxx | ||
| =15 | 475 | Edvard Natvig | NOR | 1.80 | o | o | xo | xxx | ||
| =15 | 323 | Sigurður Sigurðsson | ISL | 1.80 | o | o | xxo | xxx | ||
| =15 | 506 | Fritz Flachberger | AUT | 1.80 | o | o | xxo | xxx | ||
| =19 | 10 | Konstantinos Pantazis | GRE | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =19 | 546 | Karol Hoffmann | POL | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – | ||
| =19 | 115 | Wu Bixian | CHN | 1.70 | o | o | xxx | – |
Final Round
| Date | 2 August 1936 — 15:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 1.70 m | Attempts at 1.80 m | Attempts at 1.85 m | Attempts at 1.90 m | Attempts at 1.94 m | Attempts at 1.97 m | Attempts at 2.00 m | Attempts at 2.03 m | Attempts at 2.08 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 773 | Corny Johnson | USA | 2.03 | o | o | o | o | o | o | o | o | xxx | ||
| 2 | 772 | Dave Albritton | USA | 2.00 | o | xo | o | o | o | xo | xxo | xxx | – | ||
| 3 | 774 | Delos Thurber | USA | 2.00 | o | - | o | o | o | o | xo | xxx | – | ||
| 4 | 173 | Kalevi Kotkas | FIN | 2.00 | - | o | - | o | xxo | o | xxo | xxx | – | ||
| 5 | 393 | Kimio Yada | JPN | 1.97 | o | o | o | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | ||
| =6 | 392 | Hiroshi Tanaka | JPN | 1.94 | o | o | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| =6 | 391 | Yoshiro Asakuma | JPN | 1.94 | o | o | o | o | xo | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| =6 | 172 | Lauri Kalima | FIN | 1.94 | o | o | o | o | xo | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| =6 | 857 | Gustav Weinkötz | GER | 1.94 | o | o | xo | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| =10 | 146 | Aksel Kuuse | EST | 1.90 | o | o | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| =10 | 855 | Günter Gehmert | GER | 1.90 | - | xo | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 37 | Jack Metcalfe | AUS | 1.85 | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 305 | Jan Brasser | NED | 1.85 | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 593 | Åke Ödmark | SWE | 1.85 | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 660 | Edwin Thacker | RSA | 1.85 | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 86 | Joe Haley | CAN | 1.85 | - | xo | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 538 | Simeon Toribio | PHI | 1.85 | o | xo | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 141 | Poul Otto | DEN | 1.85 | o | xo | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 174 | Veikko Peräsalo | FIN | 1.85 | xo | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 626 | Rudolf Eggenberg | SUI | 1.85 | - | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 716 | Mihály Bodosi | HUN | 1.85 | o | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 22 | 547 | Jerzy Pławczyk | POL | 1.80 | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Jump-Off for 2-4
| Time | 15:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 2.00 m | Attempts at 1.95 m | Attempts at 1.97 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 772 | Dave Albritton | USA | 1.97 | x | o | o | ||
| 2 | 774 | Delos Thurber | USA | 1.95 | x | o | x | ||
| 3 | 173 | Kalevi Kotkas | FIN | - | x | x | – |