South Africa at the 1912 Summer Olympics

The Union of South Africa competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. 21 competitors, all men, took part in 21 events in 6 sports.^[1]

South Africa at the 1912 Summer Olympics
IOC code	RSA (ZAF used at these Games)
NOC	South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
in Stockholm
Competitors	21 in 6 sports
Medals Ranked 7th	Gold 4 Silver 2 Bronze 0 Total 6
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964–1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

Medalists

Gold

• Ken McArthur — Athletics, Men's Marathon
• Rudolph Lewis — Cycling, Men's Individual Time Trial
• Harold Kitson and Charles Winslow — Tennis, Men's doubles outdoor
• Charles Winslow — Tennis, Men's singles outdoor

Silver

• Christian Gitsham — Athletics, Men's Marathon
• Harold Kitson — Tennis Men's singles outdoor

Aquatics

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics

A single swimmer competed for South Africa at the 1912 Games. It was the nation's debut in swimming. Godfrey competed in one event, placing fifth in his quarterfinal of the 400 metre freestyle and not advancing to the semifinals.

Ranks given for each swimmer are within the heat.

Men

Swimmer	Events	Heat		Quarterfinal		Semifinal		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
George Godfrey	400 m freestyle	N/A		6:30.6	4	did not advance

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Seven athletes represented South Africa. It was the nation's third appearance in both the sport and the Olympics. McArthur and Gitsham finished first and second, respectively, in the marathon to give South Africa its only athletics medals in 1912 as well as an Olympic record in the event with McArthur's mark. Richardson's Olympic record in the 10000 metres, set in the semifinals, was broken in the final; Richardson did not finish that race.

Ranks given are within that athlete's heat for running events.

Athlete	Events	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Christian Gitsham	Marathon	N/A				2:37:52.0
Ken McArthur	Marathon	N/A				2:36:54.8 OR
George Patching	100 m	?	2 Q	19.9	1 Q	11.0	4
	200 m	22.3	1 Q	did not finish		did not advance
	400 m	51.1	1 Q	50.5	3	did not advance
Reuben Povey	100 m	?	2 Q	?	2	did not advance
	200 m	?	2 Q	?	5	did not advance
Leonard Richardson	10000 m	N/A		32:30.3 OR	1	did not finish
	Marathon	N/A				did not start
	Ind. cross country	N/A				47:33.5	8
Arthur St. Norman	Marathon	N/A				did not finish
	10 km walk	N/A		50:17.9	2 Q	Disqualified
John Victor	800 m	?	3	did not advance
	1500 m	N/A		4:12.7	3	did not advance

Cycling

Main article: Cycling at the 1912 Summer Olympics

A single cyclist represented South Africa. It was the second appearance of the nation in cycling. Rudolph Lewis won the gold medal, South Africa's first cycling medal.

Road cycling

Cyclist	Events	Final
		Result	Rank
Rudolph Lewis	Ind. time trial	10:42:39.0

Fencing

Main article: Fencing at the 1912 Summer Olympics

A single fencer represented South Africa. It was the second appearance of the nation in fencing. Walter Gate, who had also been South Africa's only fencer in 1908, competed in all three weapons and was defeated in the first round of each competition.

Fencer	Event	Round 1		Quarterfinal		Semifinal		Final
		Record	Rank	Record	Rank	Record	Rank	Record	Rank
Walter Gates	Foil	4 losses	5	did not advance
	Épée	5 losses	7	did not advance
	Sabre	1 win	4	did not advance

Shooting

Main article: Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Eight shooters represented South Africa. It was the nation's first appearance in shooting. The South African team took fourth place in the team rifle competition; this was the closest the nation got to winning a medal in shooting. The best individual performance was Harvey's tenth place finish in the military rifle.

Shooter	Event	Final
		Result	Rank
Robert Bodley	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	806	55
	600 m free rifle	73	54
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	78	45
Charles Jeffreys	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	715	70
	600 m free rifle	76	42
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	82	34
Albert Johnstone	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	741	67
	600 m free rifle	75	43
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	62	77
George Harvey	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	874	40
	600 m free rifle	83	21
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	90	10
Ernest Keeley	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	800	56
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	89	13
Robert Patterson	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	810	51
	600 m free rifle	73	53
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	72	59
Arthur Smith	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	752	64
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	56	84
George Whelan	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	762	61
	300 m military rifle, 3 pos.	64	73
Robert Bodley George Harvey Charles Jeffreys Ernest Keeley Arthur Smith Robert Patterson	Team rifle	1531	4
Robert Bodley George Harvey Ernest Keeley Arthur Smith Robert Patterson George Whelan	Team free rifle	4897	6

Tennis

Main article: Tennis at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Three tennis players represented South Africa at the 1912 Games. It was the nation's second appearance in tennis.

Kitson and Winslow dominated the men's outdoor competitions. They met in the final of the singles tournament, with Winslow taking the championship and Kitson winning silver. The two also paired up for the doubles tournament, defeating all their opponents to add a third medal. Tapscott, competing in the singles only, advanced to the round of 16 before losing to an eventual semifinalist.

Men

Athlete	Event	Round of 128	Round of 64	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
		Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Harold Kitson	Outdoor singles	Bye	Leffler (SWE) W 6-2, 6-1, 6-0	Möller (SWE) W 6-2, 6-2, 6-3	Schomburgk (GER) W 6-2, 6-2, 6-3	von Salm (AUT) W 6-2, 6-2, 6-4	Žemla (BOH) W 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2	Winslow (RSA) L 7-5, 4-6, 10-8, 8-6
Lionel Tapscott	Outdoor singles	Kodl (BOH) W 6-4, 6-1, 6-2	Pipes (AUT) W 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5	Blanchy (FRA) W 1-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4	Žemla (BOH) L 6-1, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 2-6	did not advance			9
Charles Winslow	Outdoor singles	Bye	Frigast (DEN) W 7-5, 6-2, 6-3	Thayssen (DEN) W 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4	Ingerslev (DEN) W 6-4, 8-6, 6-4	Heyden (GER) W 6-2, 6-4, 8-10, 4-6, 6-3	Kreuzer (GER) W 9-7, 7-5, 6-2	Kitson (RSA) W 7-5, 4-6, 10-8, 8-6
Harold Kitson Charles Winslow	Outdoor doubles	N/A		Arenholt & Ingerslev (DEN) W 6-4, 6-1, 6-4	Kehrling & Zsigmondy (HUN) W 6-3, 6-3, 7-9, 6-2	Nylén & Wennergren (SWE) W 6-3, 7-5, 6-1	Just & Žemla (BOH) W 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4	Pipes & Zborzil (AUT) W 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2