Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres

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Men's 100 metres
at the Games of the X Olympiad
Venue Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DatesJuly 31, 1932 (heats, quarterfinals)
August 1, 1932 (semifinals, final)
Competitors33 from 17 nations
Winning time10.3 seconds
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Eddie Tolan US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Ralph Metcalfe US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Arthur Jonath Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany
  1928
1936  
Official Video on YouTube TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video on YouTube

The men's 100 metres sprint event at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, United States, were held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 31 and August 1. [1] Thirty-three runners from 17 nations competed. The 1930 Olympic Congress in Berlin had reduced the limit from 4 athletes per NOC to 3 athletes. [2]

The photo finish final was won by American Eddie Tolan in a world record-equalling time of 10.38 seconds. Teammate Ralph Metcalfe won the silver and was credited with the same time as Tolan. [3] It was the first American victory since 1920, after the United States was kept off the podium entirely in 1928. Germany won its second consecutive bronze medal in the event. Defending Olympic champion and world record holder Percy Williams of Canada did not advance past the semifinals. Takayoshi Yoshioka was the first Asian to make the final. [4]

Background

This was the ninth time the event was held, having appeared at every Olympics since the first in 1896. Notable entrants included Canada's Percy Williams, the defending gold medalist and world record holder, and American Ralph Metcalfe, NCAA champion and U.S. Olympic trial winner. [4]

Two electrical timing devices, one hand-operated and one camera-based, were introduced to "double check" the stop watches. [5] [6]

China was represented in the event for the first time. The United States was the only nation to have appeared at each of the first nine Olympic men's 100 metres events.

Competition format

The event retained the four round format from 1920–1928: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. There were 7 heats, of 4–6 athletes each, with the top 3 in each heat advancing to the quarterfinals. The 21 quarterfinalists (19 after two withdrawals) were placed into 4 heats of 4 or 5 athletes. Again, the top 3 advanced. There were 2 heats of 6 semifinalists, once again with the top 3 advancing to the 6-man final. [4]

Records

These are the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1932 Summer Olympics.

World Record10.3 Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Percy Williams Toronto (CAN)August 9, 1930
Olympic Record10.6 Flag of the United States.svg Donald Lippincott Stockholm (SWE)July 6, 1912
10.6 Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Paddock Antwerp (BEL)August 16, 1920
10.6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Harold Abrahams Paris (FRA)July 6/7 1924
10.6 Flag of the United States.svg Robert McAllister Amsterdam (NED)July 29/30 1928
10.6 Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Percy Williams Amsterdam (NED)July 30, 1928
10.6 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Wilfred Legg Amsterdam (NED)July 30, 1928

Arthur Jonath equalled the standing Olympic record with 10.6 in the third heat of the first round. Eddie Tolan set a new Olympic record with 10.4 in the first heat of the quarterfinals, and in the final, Tolan and Ralph Metcalfe equalled the world record of 10.3.

Results

Heats

Heat 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Eddie Tolan US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9Q
2 José de Almeida Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 11.0Q
3 Fernando Ortíz Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico 11.2Q
4 André Théard Flag of Haiti (1859-1964).svg  Haiti 11.4
5 António Rodrigues Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 11.5
Fred Reid Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain DNF

Heat 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 George Simpson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.9Q
2 Ernie Page Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.1Q
3 Andrej Engel Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 11.2Q
4 Bunoo Sutton British Raj Red Ensign.svg  India 11.4
5 Liu Changchun Flag of the Republic of China.svg China 11.5

Heat 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Arthur Jonath Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 10.6Q, =WR
2 Allan Elliot Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 10.8Q
3 Izuo Anno Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.9Q
4 Ronald Vernieux British Raj Red Ensign.svg  India 11.0
5 Samuel Giacosa Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 11.1

Heat 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Carlos Bianchi Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 10.8Q
2 Helmut Körnig Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 11.0Q
3 Percy Williams Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 11.1Q
4 Jesús Moraila Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico 11.2

Heat 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Ralph Metcalfe US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 11.0Q
2 Bert Pearson Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 11.1Q
3 Angelos Lambrou Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece 11.3Q
4 Fernando Ramírez Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico 11.4

Heat 6

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Danie Joubert Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 11.0Q
2 Harold Wright Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 11.2Q
3 Ernst Geerling Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 11.3Q
4 Ricardo Guimarães Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 11.4

Heat 7

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Takayoshi Yoshioka Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.9Q
2 Chris Berger Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 11.1Q
3 Héctor Berra Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 11.2Q
4 Stanley Fuller Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 11.3
5 Mario Marques Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 11.5

Quarterfinals

Berra and Lambrou withdrew before the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Eddie Tolan US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.53Q, OR
2 Carlos Bianchi Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 10.5Q
3 Percy Williams Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 10.7Q
4 Chris Berger Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 10.7
5 Fernando Ortíz Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico 11.0

Quarterfinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 George Simpson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.74Q
2 Harold Wright Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 10.9Q
3 Helmut Körnig Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 11.0Q
4 Andrej Engel Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 11.1

Quarterfinal 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Ralph Metcalfe US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.77Q
2 Takayoshi Yoshioka Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.8Q
3 Allan Elliot Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 10.9Q
4 Ernie Page Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.9
5 Ernst Geerling Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 11.1

Quarterfinal 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Arthur Jonath Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 10.68Q
2 Danie Joubert Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 10.6Q
3 Bert Pearson Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 10.7Q
4 José de Almeida Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 10.8
5 Izuo Anno Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.9

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

The finish was so close that the timing system displayed errors.

Film of the race indicates that Yoshioka won with Joubert second and Tolan third, while officials clocked Tolan at 10.81 seconds, with Joubert also at 10.81 seconds, and Yoshioka at 10.83 seconds.

However, this discrepancy was a moot point, as all three men advanced to the final in any event. [4]

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Eddie Tolan US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.81Q
2 Danie Joubert Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 10.81Q
3 Takayoshi Yoshioka Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.83Q
4 Percy Williams Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 10.91
5 Allan Elliot Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 11.0
6 Helmut Körnig Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 11.2

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Ralph Metcalfe US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.65Q
2 George Simpson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.70Q
3 Arthur Jonath Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 10.71Q
4 Carlos Bianchi Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 10.73
5 Bert Pearson Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 10.95
6 Harold Wright Flag of Canada (1921-1957).svg  Canada 11.1

Final

Under the rules in force at the time, runners were judged to have finished the race when they had crossed the line; in 1933, this was changed so that runners finished the race when they reached the line.

The final was close enough that had this rule been in force at the Games, Metcalfe would have been the winner: Melcalfe reached the finish line first, but Tolan, who was shorter, [7] crossed the line first. [8] [9]

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Eddie Tolan US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.38 =WR
Silver medal icon.svg Ralph Metcalfe US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.38 =WR
Bronze medal icon.svg Arthur Jonath Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany 10.50
4 George Simpson US flag 48 stars.svg  United States 10.53
5 Danie Joubert Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 10.60
6 Takayoshi Yoshioka Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.79

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References

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  2. Official Report, p. 377.
  3. "Tolan wins by two inches in Olympic 100 meters". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. August 2, 1932. p. 1.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "100 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  5. Official Report, p. 380.
  6. Official Report, pp. 384–85.
  7. "Friends and rivals". Milwaukee Journal. World Wide photo. August 3, 1932. p. 3, part 2.
  8. Wolf, Bob (July 26, 1984). "Olympic blunder". Milwaukee Journal. p. 3, part 3.
  9. Rice, Grantland (August 2, 1932). "Tolan-Metcalfe race greatest in Olympic history, says Rice". Milwaukee Journal. NANA. p. 4, part 2.