Date July 26–27 | Competitors 116 from 76 nations | |
Venue Centennial Olympic Stadium | ||
These are the official results of the men's 100 metres event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. There were a total number of 106 participating athletes (plus two non-starters), with two rounds (twelve heats in round 1, five heats at round 2), two semifinals and a final.
Contents
Canada's Donovan Bailey won the gold medal, breaking the world record that Leroy Burrell of the United States had set in 1994. Namibia's Frankie Fredericks won the silver medal for a second consecutive Olympics, while Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Ato Boldon won the bronze. For Fredericks and Boldon, this was the second event where they both medaled behind a world record setting run; Fredericks took silver and Boldon bronze in the 200 metre event where Michael Johnson ran 19.32 to complete his Olympic goal of winning gold in the 200m and 400m events.
This marked the first time since 1976 that no American runner medaled in the 100 metres, with 1992 bronze medalist Dennis Mitchell placing fourth behind Boldon.
Defending gold medalist Linford Christie of Great Britain advanced to the final but was disqualified after false starting twice. This was his last major race before his retirement from athletics the next year.
Records
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics.