Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres

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Men's 100 metres
at the Games of the XIX Olympiad
Venue Estadio Olímpico Universitario
Mexico City, Mexico
DatesOctober 13, 1968 (heats, quarterfinals)
October 14, 1968 (semifinals, final)
Competitors65 from 42 nations
Winning time9.95 seconds
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Jim Hines
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Lennox Miller
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica
Bronze medal icon.svg Charles Greene
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
  1964
1972  
Official Video Highlights TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video Highlights

The men's 100 metres sprint event at the 1968 Olympic Games took place at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City, Mexico, on October 13 and 14. Sixty-five athletes from 42 nations took part. Each nation was limited to 3 runners by rules in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by American Jim Hines, the second consecutive time the event was won by an American (and the nation's 12th title in the event overall). Jamaica won its first medal in the event since 1952. [1]

Background

This was the sixteenth time the event was held, having appeared at every Olympics since the first in 1896. The gold medalist from 1964, American Bob Hayes, did not return (playing in the National Football League instead), but Tokyo silver medalist Cuban Enrique Figuerola and bronze medalist Canadian Harry Jerome did. The American team was led by Jim Hines and Charles Greene, two of the three men to establish the world record at 9.9 seconds during the Night of Speed; Mel Pender, a 1964 finalist, was the third member of the team. Jamaican Lennox Miller was the strongest challenger to the Americans. [2]

El Salvador, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Tanzania were represented in the event for the first time. East and West Germany also competed separately for the first time. The United States was the only nation to have appeared at each of the first sixteen Olympic men's 100 metres events.

Competition format

The event retained the same basic four round format from 1920–1964: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. A significant change, however, was the introduction of the "fastest loser" system. Previously, advancement depended solely on the runners' place in their heat. The 1968 competition added advancement places to the fastest runners across the heats in the first round who did not advance based on place.

The first round consisted of nine heats, most with 7–8 athletes but the first having only 5. The top three runners in each heat advanced, along with the next five fastest runners overall. This made 32 quarterfinalists, who were divided into four heats of 8 runners. The top four runners in each quarterfinal advanced (with no "fastest loser" provision in rounds after the first). The 16 semifinalists competed in two heats of 8, with the top four in each semifinal advancing to the eight-man final. [2] [3]

Records

Prior to the competition, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.

World record 9.9 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hines Sacramento, United States 20 June 1968
9.9 Flag of the United States.svg Ronnie Ray Smith Sacramento, United States 20 June 1968
9.9 Flag of the United States.svg Charles Greene Sacramento, United States 20 June 1968
Olympic record10.0 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Hayes Tokyo, Japan 15 October 1964

Jim Hines had a time of 9.9 seconds (hand-timed) or 9.95 seconds (auto-timed) in the final. This equalled the world record and set a new Olympic record, which were measured by hand-timing at that point. The 9.95 second time was recognized as the initial world record for electronic timed results when the IAAF changed its records rules in 1977.

Results

Heats

The top three runners in each of the nine heats, and the next fastest five, advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Heat 1

The 2.8 m/s tailwind made this heat ineligible for records.

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charles Greene Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.09Q
2 Hideo Iijima Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.24Q
3 Canagasabai Kunalan Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 10.47Q
4 Wiesław Maniak Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 10.49
5 Barka Sy Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 10.61

Heat 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jim Hines Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.26Q
2 Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 10.30Q
3 Gaoussou Koné Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 10.37Q
4 Amos Omolo Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 10.50q
5 Porfirio Veras Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 10.51
6 Julius Sang Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 10.64
7 Jorge Vizcarrondo Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 10.71
8 Manuel Planchart Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).png  Venezuela 10.80

Heat 3

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Enrique Figuerola Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.40Q
2 Iván Moreno Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 10.53Q
3 Barrie Kelly Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.55Q
4 Yevgeny Sinyayev Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 10.56
5 Zenon Nowosz Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 10.57
6 Charles Asati Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 10.63
7 Jimmy Sierra Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 10.88

Heat 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Pablo Montes Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.14Q
2 Mel Pender Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.35Q
3 Ron Jones Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.45Q
4 Oleksiy Khlopotnov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 10.49
5 Norris Stubbs Flag of the Bahamas (1964-1973).svg  Bahamas 10.67
6 Chen Chuan-show Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan 10.91
7 Philippe Housiaux Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 10.94

Heat 5

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Roger Bambuck Flag of France.svg  France 10.18Q
2 Heinz Erbstößer Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.42Q
3 Michael Ahey Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 10.59Q
4 Bernard Nottage Flag of the Bahamas (1964-1973).svg  Bahamas 10.64
5 Ennio Preatoni Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 10.65
6 Hansruedi Wiedmer Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 10.75
7 Su Wen-ho Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan 10.81

Heat 6

The tailwind of 3.8 m/s made this heat ineligible for records.

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Lennox Miller Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.15Q
2 Hartmut Schelter Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.34Q
3 Manikavasagam Jegathesan Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 10.35Q
4 Robert Ojo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 10.47q
5 Ron Monsegue Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 10.56
6 Rogelio Onofre Flag of the Philippines (1936-1985, 1986-1998).svg  Philippines 10.58
- Tom Robinson Flag of the Bahamas (1964-1973).svg  Bahamas DNF

Heat 7

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Harry Jerome Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 10.35Q
2 Karl-Peter Schmidtke Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 10.38Q
3 Harald Eggers Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.38Q
4 Kola Abdulai Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 10.45q
5 Miguel Angel González Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 10.59
6 Pablo McNeil Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.62
7 Hassan El-Mech Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 10.79
8 Morgan Gesmalla Flag of Sudan (1956-1970).svg  Sudan 11.09

Heat 8

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Gérard Fenouil Flag of France.svg  France 10.42Q
2 Gerhard Wucherer Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 10.42Q
3 Marian Dudziak Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 10.46Q
4 Vladislav Sapeya Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 10.46q
5 Eddy Monsels Flag of Dutch Guyana.svg  Suriname 10.48q
6 Greg Lewis Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 10.55
7 Félix Bécquer Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 10.72
8 Rafael Santos Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 11.22

Heat 9

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Hermes Ramírez Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.30Q
2 Andrés Calonge Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 10.44Q
3 Jocelyn Delecour Flag of France.svg  France 10.45Q
4 Gert Metz Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 10.55
5 Norman Chihota Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 10.57
6 Horacio Esteves Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).png  Venezuela 10.65
7 José Luis Sánchez Paraíso Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 10.69
8 Juan Argüello Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 11.18

Quarterfinals

The top four runners in each of the four heats advanced to the semifinal round.

Quarterfinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Lennox Miller Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.11Q
2 Jim Hines Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.14Q
3 Enrique Figuerola Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.23Q
4 Iván Moreno Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 10.37Q
5 Andrés Calonge Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 10.39
6 Ron Jones Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.42
7 Karl-Peter Schmidtke Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 10.48
8 Vladislav Sapeya Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 10.51

Quarterfinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Hermes Ramírez Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.10Q
2 Mel Pender Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.16Q
3 Roger Bambuck Flag of France.svg  France 10.17Q
4 Harry Jerome Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 10.22Q
5 Heinz Erbstößer Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.28
6 Gerhard Wucherer Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 10.33
7 Kola Abdulai Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 10.38
8 Michael Ahey Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 10.49

Quarterfinal 3

The 4.2 m/s tailwind made this heat ineligible for records.

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Pablo Montes Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.16Q
2 Hartmut Schelter Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.29Q
3 Hideo Iijima Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.31Q
4 Gérard Fenouil Flag of France.svg  France 10.31Q
5 Marian Dudziak Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 10.32
6 Manikavasagam Jegathesan Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 10.38
7 Amos Omolo Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 10.45
8 Robert Ojo Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 10.45

Quarterfinal 4

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charlie Greene Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.02Q
2 Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 10.18Q, NR
3 Gaoussou Koné Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 10.22Q
4 Harald Eggers Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.25Q
5 Barrie Kelly Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 10.35
6 Jocelyn Delecour Flag of France.svg  France 10.36
7 Canagasabai Kunalan Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 10.38
8 Eddy Monsels Flag of Dutch Guyana.svg  Suriname 10.45

Semifinals

The top four runners in each of the two heats advanced to the final round.

Semifinal 1

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jim Hines Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.08Q
2 Roger Bambuck Flag of France.svg  France 10.11Q
3 Harry Jerome Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 10.17Q
4 Mel Pender Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.21Q
5 Enrique Figuerola Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.23
6 Hermes Ramírez Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.25
7 Harald Eggers Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.29
8 Hideo Iijima Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 10.34

Semifinal 2

RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Charlie Greene Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.13Q
2 Lennox Miller Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.15Q
3 Pablo Montes Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.19Q
4 Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 10.26Q
5 Gaoussou Koné Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 10.27
6 Iván Moreno Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 10.37
7 Gérard Fenouil Flag of France.svg  France 10.40
8 Hartmut Schelter Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  East Germany 10.40

Final

Mel Pender and Charlie Greene were known for their fast starts. In the final, while Greene reacted to the gun noticeably slower, Pender did not disappoint, taking a quick lead. Greene, Lennox Miller and Jim Hines were the next chase group, the three outer lanes already left behind. The diminutive Pender's lead disappeared, the much larger Miller leading the group in passing by the halfway point. Hines was just getting into gear, exploding past Miller and putting a gap on the field to take the race by two metres. Miller leaned but he already had a metre on Green who was a metre ahead of Pablo Montes, Roger Bambuck and Pender to take the bronze.

RankLaneAthleteNationTime (h)Time (a)Notes
Gold medal icon.svg3 Jim Hines Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9.99.95 =WR (h), WR (a)
Silver medal icon.svg4 Lennox Miller Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.010.04
Bronze medal icon.svg1 Charlie Greene Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.010.07
42 Pablo Montes Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 10.110.14
56 Roger Bambuck Flag of France.svg  France 10.110.14
65 Mel Pender Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10.110.17
77 Harry Jerome Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 10.210.20
88 Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 10.210.28Photo-finish shows 10.275

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games: Men's 100 metres". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 "100 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  3. Official Report, vol. 3, p. 521.