ATHLETICS IN OLYMPIC GAMES

The History of 100 meters. 

The 100-meters dash is run in lanes on a straightway. Each lane is between 1.22 and 1.25 meters wide. According to current rules, each runner is allowed one false start, a second false start results in disqualification. False starts are determined with the aid of pressure plates build into each runner`s starting blocks. Although every finalists in the last four Olympics has been black, historically, the major division in this event has been not racial but linguistic. Since the modern Olympics were first held in 1896, 22 of 24 winners at 100 meters had been from English speaking countries, as have 62 of the 72 medalists (until 1996 in Atlanta Games). When a tailwind is measured at more than 2.0 meters per second (4.473m.p.h), times are not counted for record purposes. A runner is considered to have finished a race when his or her torso-from shoulder to waist-reaches the finish line. Heads, arms, legs, and feet do not count. 

1896 Athens 

The very first race of the modern Olympics was the opening heat of the 100-meters dash. It was won by Frank Lane of Princeton in the time of 12. 1/3 sec. The European crowd was fascinated by the "crouch" start of the Americans, as Thomas Curtis and quarter-mile specialist Thomas Burke, both of Boston, won the other two qualifying heats. Their teammates celebrating by chanting, "B.A" ! Rah! Rah! Rah!" The Greek spectators had never heard organized cheering before. They liked so much that the Boston men were called on to repeat it frequently throughout the remainder of their stay in Athens. The first two finishers in each of the heats qualified for the final four days later, but Curtis chose not to start, preferring to save himself for the 110 m/hurdles, which was the next race. Burke who has registered the faster time (12.0) in the heats, equaled his time in the final and defeated Hofmann by two meters. The other runners were bunched four meters further back. Although Hofmann was a champion sprinter, his athletic specialty was actually rope climbing. Thomas Burke also won the Olympic 400-meters final. The following year he served as the official starter for the inaugural Boston Marathon. He later became a lawyer and also wrote part-time for the Boston Journal and the Boston Post. Burke died on Valentine`s Day, 1929 at the age of 53. 

100 -meters Table Results 1. Thomas Burke (USA) 12.0 2. Fritz Hofmann (GER) 12.2 3. Francis Lane (USA) 12.6 4. Alajos Szokolyi (HUN/SLV) 12.6 5. Alexandros Chalkokondilis (GRE) 12.6 DNS: Thomas Curtis (USA)