Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres

This was the first appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Olympics in 1896 but has been on the program ever since. American Walter Tewksbury had taken silver in the shorter sprint events in 1900 (the 60 metres and 100 metres), but the winners of those events did not compete in the 200 metres; he had also won the 400 metres hurdles. Stan Rowley of Australia had finished third in both of those events as well. Norman Pritchard of India had finished second in the 200 metres hurdles, beating Tewksbury who finished third.[1]

The seven nations that contested the first 200 metres race were Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Norway, and the United States.

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 grass field with a 500 metre long course winding through trees.[1]

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1900 Summer Olympics.

World record	Jim Maybury (USA)*	21.4	Chicago, United States	5 June 1897
Olympic record		—

^* unofficial

Bill Holland set the first Olympic record when he won the first heat of the first round in 24.0 seconds. In the final Walter Tewksbury set a new Olympic record with 22.2 seconds.

• International Olympic Committee.
• De Wael, Herman. Herman's Full Olympians: "Athletics 1900". Accessed 18 March 2006. Available electronically at .
• Mallon, Bill (1998). The 1900 Olympic Games, Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-7864-0378-0.