Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program includes track and field events, road running events, and race walking events. Cross country running was also on the program in earlier editions but it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Argentina at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France was the nation's fourth appearance out of seven editions of the Summer Olympic Games. Argentina sent to the 1924 Summer Olympics its first national team, under the auspices of the Argentine Olympic Committee, 77 athletes that competed in 39 events in 11 sports. They brought home Argentina's inaugural batch of Olympic medals, one gold in a team sport, three silver and two bronze; the latter five medals for individual achievement.
New Zealand competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The team consisted of four competitors: an athlete, a boxer, and two swimmers. Porritt was also the team's manager, and he won the nation's first medal in athletics.
The men's javelin throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Sunday, July 6, 1924. 29 javelin throwers from 15 nations competed.
The men's discus throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Sunday, July 13, 1924. 32 discus throwers from 18 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Bud Houser of the United States, the nation's fourth victory in the men's discus throw ; the Americans had medalled in each of the Olympic discus throw events to date. Houser had also won the shot put. Vilho Niittymaa took silver, keeping Finland on the podium in the event for the third straight Games. Thomas Lieb gave the United States its second discus throw medal of 1924, with his bronze.
The men's shot put event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 8, 1924. 28 shot putters from 15 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Bud Houser of the United States, the nation's sixth victory in the men's shot put. Glenn Hartranft took silver and Ralph Hills took bronze to complete the Americans' fourth medal sweep in the event.
The men's triple jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Saturday, July 12, 1924. Twenty triple jumpers from twelve nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Nick Winter of Australia, the nation winning gold in its debut in the event. Argentina also medaled in its first triple jump appearance, with Luis Brunetto taking silver. Defending champion Vilho Tuulos of Finland took bronze, the fourth man to win a second medal in the event.
The men's long jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 8, 1924. 34 long jumpers from 21 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by DeHart Hubbard of the United States, the nation's sixth title in the event. Sverre Hansen won Norway's first long jump medal with the bronze.
The men's 5000 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on July 8, 1924, and on July 10, 1924. 38 long-distance runners from 21 nations competed.
The men's high jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held from Sunday, July 6, 1924, and Monday, July 7, 1924. Twenty-seven high jumpers from 17 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Harold Osborn of the United States, the nation's seventh consecutive victory in the men's high jump. As in 1920, the Americans went 1–2 in the event, with Leroy Brown earning silver. France took its first high jump medal since 1908 with Pierre Lewden's bronze.
The men's 10,000 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Sunday, July 6, 1924.
The men's 1500 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, July 9, 1924, and on Thursday, July 10, 1924. As for all other races the track was 500 metres in circumference. Forty middle distance runners from 22 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4.
The men's 4 × 100 metres relay event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. It was the third appearance of this event. The competition was held on Saturday, July 12, 1924, and on Sunday, July 13, 1924.
The men's 10 kilometres walk event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. It was the only racewalking event at this Games. After 1924, the 10 kilometre walk would not be held again until 1948. The competition was held from Wednesday, July 9, 1924, to Sunday, July 13, 1924. The races were held on the track which was as for all other events of 500 metres in circumference. Twenty-five race walkers from 13 nations competed.
The men's 110 metres hurdles event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 8, 1924, and on Wednesday, July 9, 1924. Thirty-one hurdlers from 17 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Daniel Kinsey of the United States, the nation's sixth victory in the seven times the event had been held. South Africa and Sweden each won their first 110 metres hurdles medals with Sydney Atkinson's silver and Sten Pettersson's bronze, respectively.
The men's 200 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The first two rounds were held on 8 July, with the semifinals and final on 9 July. Sixty-five sprinters from 33 countries competed. Nations were limited to 4 athletes each. The event was won by Jackson Scholz of the United States, the nation's third consecutive victory in the event and fifth in six Games. For the third straight Games, the podium consisted of two Americans winning gold and silver and a Brit taking bronze. Paddock, the silver medalist in 1920 as well, was the second man to earn multiple medals in the 200 metres.
The men's 4 × 400 metres relay event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. It was the third appearance of this event. The competition was held on Saturday, July 12, 1924, and on Sunday, July 13, 1924.
The men's pole vault event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, July 9, 1924, on Thursday, July 10, 1924. Twenty pole vaulters from 13 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation was 4. The event was won by Lee Barnes of the United States, the nation's seventh consecutive victory in the men's pole vault. Americans Glen Graham (silver) and James Brooker (bronze) completed the sweep, the second time the United States had done so—though the Americans had taken two golds and a bronze in 1908 and a gold, two silvers, and a bronze in 1912.
The men's marathon event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France. The marathon was held on Sunday, July 13, 1924. It was only the second Olympic marathon to use the distance of 42.195 km which was first used in 1908 and is now the standard marathon distance. Fifty-eight runners from 20 nations competed, with no more than 6 runners per nation. The event was won by Albin Stenroos of Finland, the nation's second consecutive Olympic marathon victory.
Team races at the Summer Olympics were track running competitions contested at the multi-sport event from 1900 to 1924.
