| | Event type

200 metres, Men

Date	21 – 23 July 1908
Status	Olympic
Location	White City Stadium, London
Participants	43 from 15 countries

The Olympic record was 22.2, set by Walter Tewksbury (USA) in winning the gold medal at Paris in 1900. Though there was no official body to recognize world records, the fastest time on record was the 21.4 by John Maybury of the United States, set at the Western Intercollegiate Athletic Meet in 1897. Neither the United States nor Great Britain had produced a dominant long sprinter, as the most recent AAA and AAU championships had been spread among several different runners. But the 1908 AAA title had recently been won by the Irish-born Canadian, Bobby Kerr, who had also won the Canadian AAU title from 1906-08. Kerr’s family had moved to Hamilton, Ontario when he was 17 years old, in 1899. By 1907 he was the greatest Canadian sprinter to date, winning over 40 events in that year alone.

The two fastest heat winners were Kerr (22.2) and the American Bill Hamilton (22.4). Both runners were drawn in the same heat in the semi-finals where Kerr was the winner in a close race and Hamilton was eliminated. Kerr went on to win the final and with the South African, Reggie Walker, winning the 100 metres, the United States failed to win either sprint for the first time. This is a relatively rare occurrence at the Olympics and has only been repeated in 1928, 1960, 1972, and 1980.

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	–	Bobby Kerr	CAN	22.2 (1 h11)	22.6 (1 h1)	22.6 (1)	Gold
2	–	Bobby Cloughen	USA	23.4 (1 h8)	22.6 (1 h3)	22.6est / at 2 feet (2)	Silver
3	–	Nate Cartmell	USA	23.0 (1 h4)	22.6 (1 h2)	22.7est (3)	Bronze
4	–	George Hawkins	GBR	22.8 (1 h15)	22.6 (1 h4)	22.9est (4)
2 h1 r2/3	–	Frank Hamilton	USA	22.4 (1 h10)	22.7est (2 h1)	–
2 h2 r2/3	–	Nate Sherman	USA	22.8 (1 h12)	22.9est / at 1½ yards (2 h2)	–
2 h3 r2/3	–	Lionel Reed	GBR	23.2 (1 h13)	22.8est / at 1 yard (2 h3)	–
2 h4 r2/3	–	Paddy Roche	GBR	22.8 (1 h3)	22.6est / at 1 foot (2 h4)	–
3 h1 r2/3	–	Károly Radóczy	HUN	– (1 h7)	22.8est / at 1 foot (3 h1)	–
3 h2 r2/3	–	Harry Huff	USA	22.8 (1 h2)	23.0est / close behind (3 h2)	–
3 h3 r2/3	–	Jack George	GBR	23.4 (1 h1)	– (3 h3)	–
3 h4 r2/3	–	Géo Malfait	FRA	22.6 (1 h5)	– (3 h4)	–
4 h1 r2/3	–	Oscar Guttormsen	NOR	– (1 h14)	– (4 h1)	–
4 h3 r2/3	–	Sam Hurdsfield	GBR	23.6 (1 h9)	– (4 h3)	–
1 h6 r1/3	–	Sven Låftman	SWE	23.8 (1 h6)	–	–
2 h1 r1/3	–	Victor Henny	NED	24.6est / at 10 yards (2 h1)	–	–
2 h2 r1/3	–	Eddie Duffy	RSA	23.2est / at 1½ yards (2 h2)	–	–
2 h3 r1/3	–	Lawson Robertson	USA	23.0est / at 1 yard (2 h3)	–	–
2 h4 r1/3	–	Vilmos Rácz	HUN	23.3est / at 2 yards (2 h4)	–	–
2 h5 r1/3	–	Robert Duncan	GBR	23.1est / at 4 yards (2 h5)	–	–
2 h6 r1/3	–	Frigyes Wiesner-Mezei	HUN	24.0est / at 2 yards (2 h6)	–	–
2 h8 r1/3	–	Umberto Barozzi	ITA	24.1est / at 6 yards (2 h8)	–	–
2 h9 r1/3	–	Michail Paschalidis	GRE	24.0est / at 1½ yards (2 h9)	–	–
2 h10 r1/3	–	Lou Sebert	CAN	22.8est / at 3 yards (2 h10)	–	–
2 h11 r1/3	–	Willie May	USA	22.7est / at 2½ yards (2 h11)	–	–
2 h12 r1/3	–	Jack Morton	GBR	23.1est / at 2 yards (2 h12)	–	–
2 h13 r1/3	–	Arthur Hoffmann	GER	23.5est / at 2½ yards (2 h13)	–	–
2 h15 r1/3	–	Henri Meslot	FRA	23.2est / at 3 yards (2 h15)	–	–
3 h2 r1/3	–	Henk van der Wal	NED	– (3 h2)	–	–
3 h3 r1/3	–	Frank Lukeman	CAN	– (3 h3)	–	–
3 h4 r1/3	–	Ragnar Stenberg	FIN	– (3 h4)	–	–
3 h6 r1/3	–	Ernestus, Jonkheer Greven	NED	– (3 h6)	–	–
3 h10 r1/3	–	Henry Pankhurst	GBR	– (3 h10)	–	–
3 h11 r1/3	–	Jimmy Stark	GBR	– (3 h11)	–	–
3 h12 r1/3	–	Edi Schönecker	AUT	– (3 h12)	–	–
3 h15 r1/3	–	Jacobus Hoogveld	NED	– (3 h15)	–	–
4 h2 r1/3	–	Knut Stenborg	SWE	– (4 h2)	–	–
4 h3 r1/3	–	Evert Koops	NED	– (4 h3)	–	–
4 h10 r1/3	–	Pál Simon	HUN	– (4 h10)	–	–
4 h11 r1/3	–	Knut Lindberg	SWE	– (4 h11)	–	–
4 h12 r1/3	–	Cornelis den Held	NED	– (4 h12)	–	–
5 h10 r1/3	–	Fernand Halbart	BEL	– (5 h10)	–	–
5 h11 r1/3	–	Emilio Brambilla	ITA	– (5 h11)	–	–
DNS	–	Jay Whitham	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Gaszton Toldy	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Jenő Bartkó	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Kornél Scheer	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ludwig Hussak	AUT	–	–	–
DNS	–	Sandór Veres	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Charles Hervoche	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Uuno Railo	FIN	–	–	–
DNS	–	C. Vondracek	BOH	–	–	–
DNS	–	Géza Gráber	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	László Lichteneckert	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Richard Mason	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ervin Déry	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Georges Dubois	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Pierre Failliot	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Gaston Lamotte	FRA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Wyndham Halswelle	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	William Murray	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Harry Watson	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	–	Karl Bechler	GER	–	–	–
DNS	–	Willy Kohlmey	GER	–	–	–
DNS	–	Heinrich Rehder	GER	–	–	–
DNS	–	Otto Trieloff	GER	–	–	–
DNS	–	Hermann von Bönninghausen	GER	–	–	–
DNS	–	Dimitrios Muller	GRE	–	–	–
DNS	–	Ernő Schubert	HUN	–	–	–
DNS	–	Bertie Phillips	RSA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Reggie Walker	RSA	–	–	–
DNS	–	John Atlee	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Edgar Kiralfy	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	James Rector	USA	–	–	–
DNS	–	Vincent Duncker	RSA	–	–	–

Round One (21 July 1908 — 11:00)

Winner in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Heat One

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Jack George	GBR	23.4	Q
2	–	Victor Henny	NED	24.6est / at 10 yards

Heat Two

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Harry Huff	USA	22.8	Q
2	–	Eddie Duffy	RSA	23.2est / at 1½ yards
3	–	Henk van der Wal	NED	–
4	–	Knut Stenborg	SWE	–

Heat Three

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Paddy Roche	GBR	22.8	Q
2	–	Lawson Robertson	USA	23.0est / at 1 yard
3	–	Frank Lukeman	CAN	–
4	–	Evert Koops	NED	–

Heat Four

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Nate Cartmell	USA	23.0	Q
2	–	Vilmos Rácz	HUN	23.3est / at 2 yards
3	–	Ragnar Stenberg	FIN	–

Heat Five

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Géo Malfait	FRA	22.6	Q
2	–	Robert Duncan	GBR	23.1est / at 4 yards

Heat Six

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Sven Låftman	SWE	23.8	Q
2	–	Frigyes Wiesner-Mezei	HUN	24.0est / at 2 yards
3	–	Ernestus, Jonkheer Greven	NED	–

Heat Seven

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Károly Radóczy	HUN	–	Qwalkover

Heat Eight

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Bobby Cloughen	USA	23.4	Q
2	–	Umberto Barozzi	ITA	24.1est / at 6 yards

Heat Nine

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Sam Hurdsfield	GBR	23.6	Q
2	–	Michail Paschalidis	GRE	24.0est / at 1½ yards

Heat Ten

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Frank Hamilton	USA	22.4	Q
2	–	Lou Sebert	CAN	22.8est / at 3 yards
3	–	Henry Pankhurst	GBR	–
4	–	Pál Simon	HUN	–
5	–	Fernand Halbart	BEL	–

Heat Eleven

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Bobby Kerr	CAN	22.2	QOR
2	–	Willie May	USA	22.7est / at 2½ yards
3	–	Jimmy Stark	GBR	–
4	–	Knut Lindberg	SWE	–
5	–	Emilio Brambilla	ITA	–

Heat Twelve

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Nate Sherman	USA	22.8	Q
2	–	Jack Morton	GBR	23.1est / at 2 yards
3	–	Edi Schönecker	AUT	–
4	–	Cornelis den Held	NED	–

Heat Thirteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Lionel Reed	GBR	23.2	Q
2	–	Arthur Hoffmann	GER	23.5est / at 2½ yards

Heat Fourteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Oscar Guttormsen	NOR	–	Qwalkover

Heat Fifteen

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	George Hawkins	GBR	22.8	Q
2	–	Henri Meslot	FRA	23.2est / at 3 yards
3	–	Jacobus Hoogveld	NED	–

Semi-Finals (22 July 1908 — 10:15)

Winner in each heat advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Bobby Kerr	CAN	22.6	Q
2	–	Frank Hamilton	USA	22.7est
3	–	Károly Radóczy	HUN	22.8est / at 1 foot
4	–	Oscar Guttormsen	NOR	–

Heat Two

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Nate Cartmell	USA	22.6	Q
2	–	Nate Sherman	USA	22.9est / at 1½ yards
3	–	Harry Huff	USA	23.0est / close behind

Heat Three

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	Bobby Cloughen	USA	22.6	Q
2	–	Lionel Reed	GBR	22.8est / at 1 yard
3	–	Jack George	GBR	–
4	–	Sam Hurdsfield	GBR	–

Heat Four

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	–	George Hawkins	GBR	22.6	Q
2	–	Paddy Roche	GBR	22.6est / at 1 foot
3	–	Géo Malfait	FRA	–

Final (23 July 1908 — 16:00)

Pos	Lane	Athlete	NOC	Time
1	3	Bobby Kerr	CAN	22.6
2	4	Bobby Cloughen	USA	22.6est / at 2 feet
3	2	Nate Cartmell	USA	22.7est
4	1	George Hawkins	GBR	22.9est