page_title: Patrick Flynn (athlete)
section_title: 1920 Antwerp Olympics
hierarchical_section_title: Patrick Flynn (athlete) / 1920 Antwerp Olympics
caption_attribution_description: English: 3,000 m steeplechase
context_page_description: Patrick J. Flynn was an accomplished Irish American athlete, an Olympic silver medalist and a war veteran.
context_section_description: Flynn recovered from his injury and returned to athletics the following year. His coach at the Paulist Athletics Club persuaded him to try the steeplechase rather than his beloved long distance. Soon afterwards he came second in the two mile steeplechase (3,200m) to defending champion Michael Devaney. While trying out for the US Olympic Team in 1920, he won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) title and set a new US record of 9:58.2 for the 3000 m steeplechase. Unsurprisingly he qualified for the US Olympic team bound for Belgium in both the 5,000m and 10,000m. He was also entered in the 3,000m steeplechase, an event at which he was still a novice. The 1920 Antwerp Olympics were the first games to include the 3,000m steeplechase, which was run on a grass course just inside the cinder track.
  Flynn won his qualifying heat comfortably, but the final didn't go as smoothly. He fell at one of the water jumps and was beaten to the tape by the favourite Percy Hodge (GBR); Flynn won the silver medal. There is little doubt that he would have been in contention for the gold had he not fallen. He also competed in the men's cross-country, individual; and men's cross-country, team, placing 9th and 4th respectively.
caption: 3,000m steeplechase, 1920 Olympics, Antwerp
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