# 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.

## 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

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

## Athletics

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

## Cycling

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

## Fencing

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

## Shooting

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

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 | Final |
| Athlete | Event | 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 | did not advance | 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 | 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 | |