100 metres, Men

The top British sprinter of the era was Jack Morton, who had won the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) championships four years consecutively, 1904-07, but he failed to make the Olympic final, finishing third and last in his semi-final. There was no dominant American sprinter, as since Bernie Wefers had won three straight titles in 1895-1897, 12 different sprinters had claimed the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) championship. South Africa sent two good sprinters, Eddie Duffy and the 1907 South African champion, Reggie Walker.

The Olympic record was 10.8, having been set in 1900 by Frank Jarvis (USA) and Walter Tewksbury (USA). The world mark was 10.6, set in 1906 by Sweden’s Kurt Lindberg. Though Lindberg competed in this event, he failed to get by the first round, finishing second in heat eight to Lester Stevens (USA).

James Rector (USA) and Reggie Walker both equalled the Olympic record, Rector doing it in both rounds. Walker’s record-equalling run came in the final when he beat Rector by one yard. At 19 years, 128 days, he set a record, which still stands, of being the youngest ever winner of the Olympic 100 metres.

It is often stated that Walker was not actually a member of the South African team in 1908, but travelled to London on his own. South African Olympic historian Lappe Laubscher has shown that this is not the case and that he was chosen for the team at the first opportunity. He notes that Walker was recommended for the team on 1 May 1908 at a meeting of the South African Amateur Athletic and Cycling Union, but he initially could not make the trip because of a lack of funds. Walker was a native of Natal and Jim Wallace, a Natal sportswriter, started a campaign to raise funds for Walker’s trip, which was successful.