Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres
The men's 200 metre race was held for the third time at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The competition was held from 21 to 23 July 1908. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes. 43 sprinters from 15 nations competed.
The winner of each heat advanced, with all others eliminated. Heats were held on 21 July 1908. Heat 1 George led by ten yards when he crossed the finish line.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
John George
23.4 seconds
2
Victor Henny
Heat 2 In a tight race, Huff barely beat Duffy, crossing the line with a lead of less than two yards.
Heat 12 Sherman led by two yards when he finished.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Nathaniel Sherman
22.8 seconds
2
John W. Morton
3
Eduard Schönecker
Unknown
4
Cornelis den Held
Unknown
Heat 13 Reed won by two and a half yards.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Lionel Reed
23.2 seconds
2
Arthur Hoffmann
Heat 14 Guttormsen was the second runner to win without competition.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Oscar Guttormsen
walkover
Heat 15 The race was extremely tight until the final straightaway, where Hawkins pulled away to win.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
George Hawkins
22.8 seconds
2
Henri Meslot
3
Jacobus Hoogveld
Unknown
Semifinals
The semifinal round was held on 22 July 1908, a day after the heats. The winners of each semifinal advanced to the final, with the other runners being knocked out of competition. Semifinal 1 The first semifinal featured both of the runners who had won via walkover in the heats. There was very little room separating the lead three runners, with Kerr about nine inches in front of Hamilton and twelve ahead of Radoczy.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Robert Kerr
22.6 seconds
2
William Hamilton
3
Károly Radóczy
4
Oscar Guttormsen
Unknown
Semifinal 2 This all-American heat was also close, but not as close as the first. Cartmell won by about five feet.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Nate Cartmell
22.6 seconds
2
Nathaniel Sherman
3
Harold Huff
Semifinal 3 Cloughen finally pulled ahead of Reed three-quarters of the way into the race, holding onto the lead until the finish.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
Robert Cloughen
22.6 seconds
2
Lionel Reed
3
John George
Unknown
4
Samuel Hurdsfield
Unknown
Semifinal 4 Låftman was forced to scratch due to an injury. The three runners brokeapart in the last ten metres, with Hawkins winning by a foot.
Place
Name
Nation
Time
1
George Hawkins
22.6 seconds
2
Patrick Roche
3
Georges Malfait
Unknown
—
Sven Låftman
Did not start
Final
The final was held on 23 July 1908. The top three were within two feet of each other, as Kerr's early lead evaporated in the straight. He was able to hang onto nine inches, however, and defeated Cloughen by that small margin.
Jim Maybury