The 1912 Olympic 1500 metre competition featured the greatest field of mile/1500 m runners ever assembled to that point. Besides Jones, the 1908 Olympic champion Mel Sheppard was entered, as was the speedy Arnold Jackson of Britain, and the promising miler Norman Taber from Providence, Rhode Island. Additionally, American Abel Kiviat, who held the world record in the 1500 m, was in the field.