Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres


The men's 100 metres race was the first event run at the modern Olympics, on 6 April 1896. It was the shortest race on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. 15 athletes from 8 nations competed. The event was won by Thomas Burke of the United States.

Background

was probably the most prominent sprinter to enter the event; he had won the 1893 Championship of the Continent. Thomas Burke was the American champion in the 400 metres but had not distinguished himself yet in the 100 metres. Absent were top sprinters American Bernie Wefers and Englishman Charles Bradley.

Competition format

21 athletes were entered in the first round, divided into three heats of seven runners, but six of them later withdrew. The top two athletes in each heat advanced to the final, which took place on 10 April.

Records

This was the standing world record prior to the 1896 Summer Olympics.
World Record10.8 Luther CaryParis July 4, 1891
World Record10.8 Cecil LeeBrussels September 25, 1892
World Record10.8 Étienne De ReBrussels August 4, 1893
World Record10.8 L. AtcherleyFrankfurt/Main April 13, 1895
World Record10.8 Harry BeatonRotterdam August 28, 1895

In the first heat, Francis Lane set the inaugural Olympic Record of 12.2 seconds, tied in Heat 2 by Thomas Curtis. Thomas Burke then ran 11.8 seconds, which stood as the Olympic Record until the 1900 Olympics.

Schedule

The precise times of the events are not recorded. For the first round, the heats began shortly after the arrival of King George I of Greece at 3 p.m. and the brief opening ceremony. The final was the first competition of the afternoon session on Friday.

Results

Heats

The first round of heats took place on 6 April. The first heat of the 100 metres was the first competition held in the Games. Francis Lane won the first heat, thus becoming the first winner of a modern Olympic race. All heats were won by athletes from the United States.

Heat 1

The Official Report states that there were a total of 21 competitors, divided into three groups; there should therefore have been 7 athletes in each heat. The Official Report names only the top two runners, Lane and Szokolyi. Butler writes that the first heat had "two Hungarians, a Chilian, a Frenchman, a German, an Englishman and an American." Mallon & Widlund list Lane, Szokolyi, Gmelin, Grisel, and Doerry. Megede places André Tournois as the French competitor, rather than Grisel, omits Doerry, and includes Leonidasz Manno and Luis Subercaseaux. Olympedia follows Mallon & Widlund, also including Manno, Tournois, and Subercaseaux in a list of non-starters not attached to particular heats.
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Francis Lane12.2
2Alajos Szokolyi12.8
3Charles Gmelin12.9
4Adolphe GriselUnknown
5Kurt DoerryUnknown
—Leonidasz Manno
—Luis Subercaseaux

Heat 2

The Official Report states that there were a total of 21 competitors, divided into three groups; there should therefore have been 7 athletes in each heat. The Official Report names only the top two runners, Curtis and Chalkokondylis. Butler writes of the second heat that Curtis beat "a Greek, an Englishman, two Frenchmen, a Dane, and a Hungarian." Mallon & Widlund list Curtis, Chalkokondylis, Elliot, Schmidt, and Marshall. Megede places Alexandre Tuffère as the French competitor, including him at 3rd place above Elliott; Megede also has Kurt Doerry in this heat instead of the first one and omits Marshall entirely. Olympedia follows Mallon & Widlund, also including Tuffère in a list of non-starters not attached to particular heats. Other non-starters listed by Olympedia that could be a second Frenchman or a Hungarian to match Butler's list are André Tournois, Louis Adler, István Zachar, and Nándor Dáni.
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Thomas Curtis12.2
2Alexandros Chalkokondylis12.8
3Launceston Elliot12.9
4Eugen SchmidtUnknown
5George MarshallUnknown
—Alexandre Tuffère
—UnknownUnknown

Heat 3

Both Burke and Hofmann were more well known for middle-distance events rather than sprinting. Burke's time of 11.8s became the standing Olympic record. It is not clear which athlete received which place between the fourth and fifth finishers.
The Official Report states that there were a total of 21 competitors, divided into three groups; there should therefore have been 7 athletes in each heat. The Official Report names only the top two runners, "an American " and Hofmann. Butler writes of the final heat that Burke beat "a Swede, two Greeks, and three Germans." Mallon & Widlund list Burke, Hofmann, Traun, Gennimatas, and Sjöberg. Megede omits Traun, places Sjöberg 3rd and Gennimatas 5th, and includes Nándor Dáni at 4th. Olympedia follows Mallon & Widlund; non-starters include Flatow and Mouratis.
RankAthleteNationTimeNotes
1Thomas Burke11.8
2Fritz Hofmann12.6
3Friedrich Traun13.5
4–5Georgios GennimatasUnknown
4–5Henrik SjöbergUnknown
—Alfred Flatow
—Konstantinos Mouratis

Final

The final of the 100 metre race, run on 10 April, involved the six runners who had finished in the top two of their preliminary heats. Thomas Curtis withdrew to save himself for the 110 metre hurdles, which was the next race on the program and which he won. Burke beat his companion from the third heat, Hofmann, by two meters. Lane and Szokolyi dead-heated for third place, with Chalkokondylis six inches behind them. Lane and Szokolyi are both considered to be bronze medallists by the International Olympic Committee.
RankAthleteNationTime
Thomas Burke12.0
Fritz Hofmann12.2
Francis Lane12.6
Alajos Szokolyi12.6
5Alexandros Chalkokondylis12.6
–Thomas Curtis