Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres

This was the eighth time the event was held, having appeared at every Olympics since the first in 1896. None of the 1924 finalists competed (bronze medalist Arthur Porritt entered, but did not start). Notable entrants included Frank Wykoff, winner of the U.S. Olympic trials and by default one of the favorites in a field that was "considered to be wide-open"; Great Britain's Jack London, and Germany's Georg Lammers.[3]

Cuba, Lithuania, and Romania were represented in the event for the first time. The United States was the only nation to have appeared at each of the first eight Olympic men's 100 metres events.

The event retained the four round format from 1920 and 1924: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. There were 16 heats, of 3–6 athletes each, with the top 2 in each heat advancing to the quarterfinals. The 32 quarterfinalists were placed into 6 heats of 5 or 6 athletes. Again, the top 2 advanced. There were 2 heats of 6 semifinalists, this time with the top 3 advancing to the 6-man final.[3]

These are the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1928 Summer Olympics.

World Record	10.4	Charlie Paddock	Redlands, California (USA)	April 23, 1921
Olympic Record	10.6	Donald Lippincott	Stockholm (SWE)	July 6, 1912
	10.6	Harold Abrahams	Paris (FRA)	July 6/7 1924

Percy Williams equalized the standing Olympic record with 10.6 seconds in the fourth heat of the second round. In the first semifinal, Williams, Robert McAllister, and Wilfred Legg all equalized the record.

• Official Report
• Results
• De Wael