Competitors 33 from 17 nations | Winning time 10.3 seconds | |
Venue Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles, California, U.S. Dates July 31, 1932 (heats, quarterfinals)
August 1, 1932 (semifinals, final) | ||
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. 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. Defending Olympic champion and world record holder Percy Williams of Canada did not advance past the semifinals.
Contents
Final
Key: EWR = Equalled world record; names in blue qualified for next round; OR=Olympic record; EOR= Equalled Olympic record
Note that the runners were judged to have finished the race when they had crossed the line. In 1933, the rules were changed such that the runners finished the race when they reached the line. Had the current rules been in effect then Metcalfe would have been the winner. Melcalfe reached the finish line first, but Tolan, a shorter man, crossed the line first.
Records
These are the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1932 Summer Olympics.
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 equalled the world record of 10.3 in the final along with Ralph Metcalfe.
Heats
Heat one
Heat two
Heat three
Heat four
Heat five
Heat six
Heat seven
Quarterfinals
Heat one
Heat two
Heat three
Heat four
Semifinals
Heat one
Heat two
Key: EWR = Equalled world record; names in blue qualified for next round; OR=Olympic record; EOR= Equalled Olympic record; DNF = did not finish