The men's coxed pair event was part of the rowing programme at the 1928 Summer Olympics. It was one of seven rowing events for men and was the fourth appearance of the event.[1] It was held from 3 to 10 August near Sloten, Amsterdam.[2] There were 6 boats (18 competitors) from 6 nations, with each nation limited to one boat in the event.[2] The event was won by the Swiss team, the nation's second consecutive victory in the event. Brothers Hans Schöchlin and Karl Schöchlin rowed, with Hans Bourquin the coxswain. Another pair of brothers took silver: France's Armand Marcelle and Édouard Marcelle (along with cox Henri Préaux). The Belgian bronze medal team consisted of Léon Flament, François de Coninck, and Georges Anthony; it was the nation's first medal in the event.
This was the fourth appearance of the event. Rowing had been on the programme in 1896 but was cancelled due to bad weather. The men's coxed pair was one of the original four events in 1900, but was not held in 1904, 1908, or 1912. It returned to the programme after World War I and was held every Games from 1924 to 1992, when it (along with the men's coxed four) was replaced with the men's lightweight double sculls and men's lightweight coxless four.[2]
None of the crew members from the 1924 coxed pair event returned. The most accomplished crew was likely the Swiss Schöchlin brothers, who had won the European championship in double sculls in 1922 and had been members of the European champion eight team in 1925.[2]
No nations made their debut in the event; the field consisted of all six nations that had competed previously. Belgium and France each made their fourth appearance, the two nations to have competed in all three prior editions.
The coxed pair event featured three-person boats, with two rowers and a coxswain. It was a sweep rowing event, with the rowers each having one oar (and thus each rowing on one side). In a very unusual situation, the competition featured as many rounds as there were boats: six. There were four main rounds and two repechages. The course used the 2000 metres distance that became the Olympic standard in 1912.[3]
Source: Official results;[4] De Wael[5]
Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first repechage.
Winners advanced to the second round, but were ineligible for a second repechage if they lost there. Losers were eliminated.
Winners advanced to the semifinals. Losers competed in the second repechage, if they had advanced by winning in the first round, or were eliminated if they had advanced through the first repechage.
Italy had not finished the second round, so Belgium was the only team to qualify for the second repechage, receiving a bye to the semifinals.
Switzerland advanced uncontested to the gold medal final, and was joined by France after France won the only semifinal against Belgium. Belgium received the bronze.