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

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.[1]

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.

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.[1]

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 at first equalized the standing Olympic record in the first heat. In the final he set a new Olympic record with 21.6 seconds.

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