| Date | 3 August 1932 — 14:30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | |
| Format | Top 3 in each heat advanced to the final round. | |
| Olympic Record | 21.4 / Arthur Jonath  GER / 2 August 1932 / Details21.4 WRa / Carlos Bianchi  ARG / 2 August 1932 / Details | |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 445 | Ralph Metcalfe |  USA | 21.5 | 21.52 | ||
| 2 | 458 | George Simpson | USA | 21.5 | 21.54 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Carlos Bianchi | ARG | 21.6 | – | ||
| 4 | 374 | Danie Joubert |  RSA | 21.7 | – | ||
| 5 | 159 | Erich Borchmeyer | GER | 21.8 | – | ||
| 6 | 75 | Bert Pearson |  CAN | 21.9 | – |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 168 | Arthur Jonath | GER | 21.5 | 21.51 | ||
| 2 | 375 | Willie Walters | RSA | 21.7 | – | ||
| 3 | 461 | Eddie Tolan | USA | 21.7 | – | ||
| 4 | 83 | Harold Wright | CAN | 21.8 | – | ||
| 5 | 351 | Allan Elliot |  NZL | 21.9 | – | ||
| 6 | 6 | Roberto Genta | ARG | 22.0 | – |
