Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres

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Men's 100 metres
at the Games of the VII Olympiad
Venue Olympisch Stadion
DatesAugust 15 (round 1 & quarterfinals)
August 16 (semifinals & final)
Competitors60 from 22 nations
Winning time10.8
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Charley Paddock US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Morris Kirksey US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Harry Edward Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
  1912
1924  

The men's 100 metres event was part of the athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on August 15 and 16, 1920. The event was won by Charley Paddock of the United States. Great Britain won its first medal in the event, a bronze by Harry Edward.

Sixty sprinters from 22 nations competed, while Estonia's sole athlete in the event, Reinhold Saulmann, was entered but did not start the 100 m. [1] No nation had more than 4 runners, suggesting the limit had been reduced from the 12 maximum in force in 1908 and 1912.

Background

This was the sixth time the event was held, having appeared at every Olympics since the first in 1896. None of the 1912 medalists returned in 1920. Notable entrants included Charley Paddock of the United States, the 1919 Inter-Allied Championship winner and Olympic favorite; fellow American Loren Murchison, who had defeated Paddock in the U.S. Olympic trials; and Harry Edward of Great Britain, the 1920 AAA Championships winner. [2]

Egypt, Luxembourg, Monaco, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland were represented in the event for the first time. The new nation of Czechoslovakia also appeared for the first time, though Bohemia had previously competed separately. For the first time, Hungary did not compete (a result of not being invited after World War I)—making the United States the only nation to have appeared at each of the first six Olympic men's 100 metres events.

Competition format

The event expanded from three rounds (in 1908 and 1912) to four rounds: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. There were 12 heats, of 4–6 athletes each, with the top 2 in each heat advancing to the quarterfinals. The 24 quarterfinalists were placed into 5 heats of 4 or 5 athletes. Again, the top 2 advanced. There were 2 heats of 5 semifinalists, this time with the top 3 advancing to the 6-man final. [2]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1920 Summer Olympics. [3]

World Record10.6(*)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  Donald Lippincott  (USA) Stockholm (SWE)July 6, 1912
Olympic Record10.6US flag 48 stars.svg  Donald Lippincott  (USA) Stockholm (SWE)July 6, 1912

(*) This was the only officially ratified world record in 1920, but there have been at least four runs in 10.5 seconds at that time. (see the records prior the 1912 Summer Olympics.)

Schedule

DateTime
Sunday, 15 August 192015:15
17:00
Round 1
Quarterfinals
Monday, 16 August 19209:30
16:00
Semifinals
Final

Results

Times were generally only published for the winners of each heat. Some of the times listed below are estimates based on contemporary reports of the races. [4]

Round 1

Heat 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 William Hill Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.0Q
2 Mario Riccoboni Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 11.2Q
3 Marcel Gustin Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 11.3
4 Jan de Vries Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
5 Ichiro Kaga Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
6 Paul Hammer Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg

Heat 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 René Mourlon Flag of France.svg  France 11.2Q
2 August Sørensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 11.3Q
3 Erik Lindvall Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
4 Ahmed Khairy Flag of Egypt (1882-1922).svg  Egypt
5 Purma Bannerjee British Raj Red Ensign.svg  India
František Skokan Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia DNS

Heat 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Loren Murchison US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Jacobus Bukes Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa 11.0Q
3 Albert Heijnneman Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 11.0
4 Vojtěch Plzák Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia

Heat 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 William Hunt Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 11.0Q
2 Félix Mendizábal Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 11.2Q
3 Francis Irvine Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa
4 Bjarne Guldager Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
5 Adolf Rysler Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
6 Nils Sandström Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden

Heat 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Vittorio Zucca Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 11.4Q
2 Cor Wezepoel Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 11.5Q
3 Leonard Dixon Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa
4 August Waibel Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
5 Alex Servais Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg

Heat 6

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Morris Kirksey US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.0Q
2 Josef Imbach Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 11.0Q
3 René Lorain Flag of France.svg  France 11.1
4 Johan Johnsen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 11.2
5 Jaime Camps Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain
6 Giovanni Orlandi Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy

Heat 7

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Paul Brochart Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 11.4Q
2 René Tirard Flag of France.svg  France 11.7Q
3 Diego Ordóñez Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain
4 Eduard Hašek Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia
5 Jean Colbach Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg

Heat 8

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charley Paddock US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Harry Edward Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.9Q
3 Carlos Botín Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 11.6
4 Shinichi Yamaoka Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 11.6
5 Edmond Médécin Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 11.8

Heat 9

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Émile Ali-Khan Flag of France.svg  France 11.0Q
2 Victor d'Arcy Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.1Q
3 Rolf Stenersen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
4 Dimitrios Karabatis Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece
5 Sven Malm Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden

Heat 10

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Harold Abrahams Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.0Q
2 Alexander Ponton Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada 11.1Q
3 Giorgio Croci Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 11.3
4 Harry van Rappard Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Reinhold Saulmann Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia DNS

Heat 11

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jack Oosterlaak Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa 11.0Q
2 George Davidson Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 11.1Q
3 Agne Holmström Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
4 Fritiof Andersen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
5 Jean Lefèbvre Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium

Heat 12

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jackson Scholz US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Marinus Sørensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 11.2Q
3 Cyril Coaffee Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
4 Julien Lehouck Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
5 Asle Bækkedal Flag of Norway.svg  Norway

Quarterfinals

Quarterfinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Harry Edward Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.8Q
2 Loren Murchison US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9Q
3 René Mourlon Flag of France.svg  France 11.0
4 William Hunt Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 11.0
5 Mario Riccobono Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 11.5

Quarterfinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 William Hill Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.0Q
2 Félix Mendizábal Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 11.1Q
3 Willie Bukes Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa
4 August Sørensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
5 Vittorio Zucca Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy

Quarterfinal 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charley Paddock US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Émile Ali-Khan Flag of France.svg  France 10.9Q
3 George Davidson Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 10.9
4 Harold Abrahams Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.0
5 Cor Wezepoel Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands

Quarterfinal 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jackson Scholz US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Jack Oosterlaak Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa 11.0Q
3 Josef Imbach Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 11.1
4 René Tirard Flag of France.svg  France 11.2
5 Alexander Ponton Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada 11.4

Quarterfinal 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Morris Kirksey US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8Q
2 Paul Brochart Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 10.9Q
3 Victor d'Arcy Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
4 Marinus Sørensen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Harry Edward Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.8Q
2 Jackson Scholz US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9Q
3 Morris Kirksey US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.0Q
4 Jack Oosterlaak Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa 11.0
5 Félix Mendizábal Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charley Paddock US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.0Q
2 Émile Ali-Khan Flag of France.svg  France 11.1Q
3 Loren Murchison US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.2Q
4 Paul Brochart Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 11.3
5 William Hill Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.3

Final

Murchison was affected badly by the start. The starter had told Paddock to adjust his position, causing Murchison to stand, thinking the full start sequence would be repeated. When it was not, Murchison was effectively eliminated as he was unprepared to run and could not catch the group. [2]

Scholz was in the lead at the halfway mark before falling back to the back of the group. Paddock won by half a metre over Kirksey, with Edward a "chest behind" the silver medalist. The finish between Scholz and Ali-Khan for 4th and 5th places was close enough that the judges originally ruled Ali-Khan 4th before determining that Scholz was 4th. [2]

RankLaneAthleteNationTime
Gold medal icon.svg3 Charley Paddock US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.8
Silver medal icon.svg1 Morris Kirksey US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9
Bronze medal icon.svg6 Harry Edward Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.9
45 Jackson Scholz US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9
54 Émile Ali-Khan Flag of France.svg  France 11.2
62 Loren Murchison US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.2

References

  1. Athletics at the 1920 Summer Games: Men's 100 metres. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "100 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  3. "World Record Progression of 100 Metres". World Athletics. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  4. "Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 3 June 2021.

Further reading