Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres

The men's 200 metres was a track and field athletics event held as part of the Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second time the 200 metres was contested. All races of this competition was held on a straight course. 5 athletes from 3 nations participated. The competition was held on August 31, 1904. The United States swept the medals, with Archie Hahn earning the second of his three sprint medals in St. Louis. Nathaniel Cartmell took silver and William Hogenson earned bronze. It was the second consecutive American victory in the event.

Men's 200 metres at the Games of the III Olympiad
Archie Hahn
Venue	Francis Field
Date	August 31
Competitors	5 from 2 nations
Winning time	21.6 OR
Medalists
Archie Hahn  United States Nathaniel Cartmell  United States William Hogenson  United States

Background

This was the second appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Olympics in 1896 but has been on the program ever since. None of the runners from the 1900 Games returned. The favorite was Archie Hahn, who had already won the 60 metres and was attempting to triple in the sprint events with the 100 metres held a few days later. All five of the runners had been in the top 8 of the 60 metres.

Canada made its debut in the event. The United States made its second appearance, the only nation to have competed at both of the first two 200 metres races.

Competition format

There were two rounds, semifinals and a final. The top two runners in each of the two semifinals advanced to the final. The track was a 1⁄3-mile cinder track with one straightaway longer than the other three straights.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1904 Summer Olympics.

World record	Jim Maybury (USA)*	21.4	Chicago, United States	5 June 1897
Olympic record	Walter Tewksbury (USA)**	22.2	Paris, France	22 July 1900

^* unofficial 220 yards (= 201.17 m)

^** This track was 500 metres in circumference.

Archie Hahn first equalled the standing Olympic record in the first heat, and then set a new Olympic record with 21.6 seconds in the final.

Schedule

Date	Time	Round
Wednesday, 31 August 1904		Semifinals Final

Results

Semifinals

The top two finishers in each heat advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Time	Notes
1	Archie Hahn	United States	22.2	Q, =OR
2	Nathaniel Cartmell	United States	Unknown	Q

Semifinal 2

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Time	Notes
1	William Hogenson	United States	22.8	Q
2	Fay Moulton	United States	Unknown	Q
3	Robert Kerr	Canada	Unknown

Final

Cartmell, Hogenson, and Moulton were all penalized one yard for false starts. Hahn lead from the start, with Cartmell well behind within the first 20 metres. Cartmell began to gain on the field after 75 metres, catching Moulton and Hogenson but not Hahn.

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Time	Notes
	Archie Hahn	United States	21.6	OR
	Nathaniel Cartmell	United States	21.9
	William Hogenson	United States	Unknown
4	Fay Moulton	United States	Unknown

Results summary

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Semifinals	Final	Notes
	Archie Hahn	United States	22.2	21.6	OR
	Nathaniel Cartmell	United States	Unknown	21.9
	William Hogenson	United States	22.8	Unknown
4	Fay Moulton	United States	Unknown	Unknown
5	Robert Kerr	Canada	Unknown	Did not advance
—	Clyde Blair	United States	DNS
	Frank Castleman	United States	DNS
	Clay Foster	United States	DNS
	Herman Groman	United States	DNS
	Harry Hillman	United States	DNS
	Frank Lukeman	Canada	DNS
	William Marshall	United States	DNS
	Béla Mező	Hungary	DNS
	Percival Molson	Canada	DNS
	Myer Prinstein	United States	DNS
	Lawson Robertson	United States	DNS
	Charles Turner	United States	DNS

Sources

• Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 13 December 2006.