# Swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre freestyle

The women's 400 metre freestyle was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event, which was established in 1924 after 1920 a 300 metre event was held. The competition was held from Thursday to Saturday, 13 to 15 August 1936.
Twenty swimmers from ten nations competed.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Rie Mastenbroek Netherlands | Ragnhild Hveger Denmark | Lenore Wingard United States |

## Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics.
| World Record | 5:16.0 | Willy den Ouden | Rotterdam (NED) | 12 July 1934 |
| Olympic Record | 5:28.5 | Helene Madison | Los Angeles (USA) | 13 August 1932 |
Ragnhild Hveger set a new Olympic record in the first heat with 5:28.0 minutes. In the final Rie Mastenbroek bettered the Olympic record with 5:26.4 minutes.

## Results
### Heats

Thursday 13 August 1936: The fastest three in each heat and the fastest fourth-placed from across the heats advanced to the semi-finals. Only two swimmers competed in heat two therefore only 15 swimmers advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat 1
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Ragnhild Hveger (DEN) | 5:28.0 | QQ OR |
| 2 | Lenore Wingard (USA) | 5:34.0 | QQ |
| 3 | Piedade Coutinho (BRA) | 5:35.5 | QQ |
| 4 | Gladys Morcom (GBR) | 6:00.8 | |
| 5 | Vera Harsányi (HUN) | 6:14.7 | |
Heat 2
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Tini Wagner (NED) | 5:57.5 | QQ |
| 2 | Borbála Sóthy (HUN) | 6:14.8 | QQ |
Heat 3
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Grete Frederiksen (DEN) | 5:39.5 | QQ |
| 2 | Ans Timmermans (NED) | 5:42.5 | QQ |
| 3 | Louisette Fleuret (FRA) | 5:46.8 | QQ |
| 4 | Hatsuko Morioka (JPN) | 5:51.0 | qq |
| 5 | Evelyn de Lacy (AUS) | 5:51.9 | |
Heat 4
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Inger Carlsen (DEN) | 5:57.1 | QQ |
| 2 | Margaret Jeffery (GBR) | 6:12.7 | QQ |
| 3 | Mary Lou Petty (USA) | 6:16.6 | QQ |
Heat 5
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Rie Mastenbroek (NED) | 5:38.6 | QQ |
| 2 | Irma Schrameková (TCH) | 5:47.5 | QQ |
| 3 | Kazue Kojima (JPN) | 5:50.4 | QQ |
| 4 | Ágnes Bíró (HUN) | 6:14.3 | |
| 5 | Scylla Venancio (BRA) | 6:23.0 | |

### Semifinals

Friday 14 August 1936: The fastest three in each semi-final and the fastest fourth-placed from across the heats advanced to the final. As both fourth placed swimmers set the same time both advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Rie Mastenbroek (NED) | 5:40.3 | QQ |
| 2 | Lenore Wingard (USA) | 5:42.2 | QQ |
| 3 | Grete Frederiksen (DEN) | 5:42.5 | QQ |
| 4 | Tini Wagner (NED) | 5:45.9 | qq |
| 5 | Irma Schrameková (TCH) | 5:46.0 | |
| 6 | Hatsuko Morioka (JPN) | 5:49.1 | |
| 7 | Borbála Sóthy (HUN) | 6:11.2 | |
Semifinal 2
| Place | Swimmer | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Ragnhild Hveger (DEN) | 5:33.7 | QQ |
| 2 | Piedade Coutinho (BRA) | 5:42.5 | QQ |
| 3 | Kazue Kojima (JPN) | 5:43.5 | QQ |
| 4 | Mary Lou Petty (USA) | 5:45.9 | qq |
| 5 | Louisette Fleuret (FRA) | 5:46.1 | |
| 6 | Ans Timmermans (NED) | 5:49.4 | |
| 7 | Inger Carlsen (DEN) | 5:55.0 | |
| 8 | Margaret Jeffery (GBR) | 6:07.2 | |

### Final

Saturday 15 August 1936:
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Rie Mastenbroek (NED) | 5:26.4 OR |
| 2 | Ragnhild Hveger (DEN) | 5:27.5 |
| 3 | Lenore Wingard (USA) | 5:29.0 |
| 4 | Mary Lou Petty (USA) | 5:32.2 |
| 5 | Piedade Coutinho (BRA) | 5:35.2 |
| 6 | Kazue Kojima (JPN) | 5:43.1 |
| 7 | Grete Frederiksen (DEN) | 5:45.0 |
| 8 | Tini Wagner (NED) | 5:46.0 |