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Paris 1900 Olympic Games

The Paris 1900 Olympic Games Games featured the second athletics programme of the modern Olympic era, although several events were later debated regarding their official Olympic status by historians and the IOC.

Competitions took place on an irregular grass field rather than a proper athletics track, with trees and uneven terrain affecting performances. The track itself measured 500 metres instead of the now-standard 400 metres. The schedule created controversy among athletes, particularly the Americans, as several finals were initially planned for Sunday, 15 July. Following protests and organisational confusion, some events were rescheduled.

The United States dominated the athletics competition, winning 16 of the 23 gold medals and establishing itself as the leading force in world athletics at the beginning of the 20th century. Alvin Kraenzlein became one of the stars of the Games, winning four individual gold medals (60m, 110m hurdles, 200m hurdles and long jump), an achievement unmatched in Olympic athletics for many decades.

The Games introduced several unusual events to Olympic athletics history, including standing jumps and team races, reflecting the experimental nature of the early Olympic programme. Despite the difficult conditions, Paris 1900 helped expand the international reach of athletics and contributed to the gradual evolution of modern Olympic competition standards.

Men’s 100m final_¹ Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Frank Jarvis	USA	11.0	Jarvis clocked 10.8 winning heat 3, WR (pre-IAAF era, WA 2024)
2	Walter Tewksburry	USA	11.1e	Tewksberry emulated 10.8 WR in the 2nd round (pre-IAAF era, WA 2024)
3	Stan Rowley	AUS	11.2e
	Arthur Duffley1	USA	DNF

1 Note: Duffey, the finest sprinter of his era, was leading the final by a mettre on the undulating grass surface, when he fell to the ground at the halfway point, cripped by a pulled tendon. (Sourcε: World Athletics, 2020)

Men’s 200m final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Walter Tewksburry	USA	22.2
2	Norman Prichard	GBR	22.5e	British India2
3	Stan RowleyGmelin	AUS	22.6e
4	William Holland	USA	22.6e-

² Note: The country for which Prichard competed is debatable. According to World Athletics (2020) on the basis of Ian Buchanan (Journal of Olympic History, vol.8, n.1, Jan. 2000) Prichard was selected to represent Great Britain after competing at the 1900 AAA Chamionships in London and was shown as being affiliated to both GBR and British India in the Paris 1900 Olympic Games programme.

Men’s 400m final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Maxie Long3	USA	49.4 OR
2	William Holland	USA	49.6e
3	Ernst Schultz	GER	52.4e

³ Note: Later that year Long ran 47.8 over 440y, which was ratified as the first official one-lap World Athletics record.

Men’s 800m final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Alfred Tysoe	GBR	2.01.2	Tysoe’s 400m splits were 64.2 and 57.0 (World Athletics, 2020)
2	John Cregan	USA	2.01.8e
3	David Hall	USA	2:05.0e
4	Henri Deloge	FRA		performances after 4th place are not recorded
5	Zoltán von Speidl	HUN
6	John Bray	USA

Men’s 1500m final- Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Charles Bennett	GER	4:06.2 WR
2	Henri Deloge	FRA	4:07.2e
3	John Bray	USA	4:10.0e	(20y behind 2nd)
4	David Hall	USA	4:10.5e	(2y behind 3rd)
5	Christian Christensen	DEN	4.11.0e
6	Hermann Wraschtil	AUT		performances after 5th place are not recorded
	Louis Segondi	FRA
	John Rimmer	GBR

Men’s Marathon⁴ – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Michel Théato	FRA	2:59:45
2	Emile Champion	FRA	3:04:17
3	Ernst Fast	SWE	3:37:14
4	Eugène Besse	FRA	4:00:43
5	Arthur Newton	USA	4:04:12
6	Dick Grant	USA
7	Ronald MacDonald	CAN

⁴ Note: 40,26 Kilometers. Later determined that the winner was, in fact, from Luxembourg.

Men’s 110m hurdles – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Alvin Kraenzlein	USA	15.4 OR	also 15.6 (OR) in heats
2	John McLean	USA	15.8e
3	Frederick Moloney	USA	15.9e
4	Jean Lécuyer	FRA	1.60
	Norman Pritchard	GBR	DNF

Men’s 400m hurdles final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Walter Tewksbury	USA	57.6 OR
2	Henri Tauzin	FRA	58.3
3	George Orton	CAN	58.9

Men’s High Jump final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Irving Baxter	USA	1.90 OR
2	Patric Leahy	GBR	1.78	(IRL)
3	Lagos Gönczy	HUN	1.75
4	Carl andersen	NOR	1.70
=4	Erik Lemming	SWE	1.70
=4	Waldemar Steffen	GER	1.70
7	Louis Monnier	FRA	1.60
8	Tore Blom	SWE	1.50

Men’s Pole Vault⁵ final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Irvin Baxter	USA	3.30 =OR
2	Meredith Colket	USA	3.25
3	Karl “Flisa” Andersen	NOR	3.20
4	Erik Lemming	SWE	3.10
=4	Jakab Krauser	HUN	3.10
=4	Emile Gontier	FRA	3.10
7	Karl Staaf	SWE	2.80
8	August Nilsson	SWE	2.60

⁵ Note: The event was held on Sunday, meaning two religious American, Walter Carroll and William Reminghton, by-passed the event (World Athletics, 2020)

Men’s Long Jump⁶ final – Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Alvin Kraenzlein	USA	7.185 OR
2	Myer Prinstein	USA	7.175	set in the qualif. round (2nd attept). Refused permission for him to jump on Sunday.
3	Patric Leahy	GBR	6.95	(IRL)
4	William Reminghton	USA	6.825
5	Alebert Delannoy	FRA	6.755	set in the qualif. round
6	John McClain	USA	6.655
7	Thaddeus McClain	USA	6.435	set in the qualif. ound
8	Waldemar Steffen	GER	6.30	set in the qualifying round

⁶ Note: Marks made in the qualifiying round counted towards the final results, as they would until 1936 Games.

Men’s Triple Jump final, Paris 1900 Olymic Results

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Myer Prinstein	USA	14.47 OR
2	James Connolly	USA	13.97
3	Lewis Sheldon	USA	13.64
4	Patrick Leahy	GBR	13.36	(IRL)
5	Albert Delannoy	FRA		performance not recorded
6	Alexandre Tuffère	FRA		(Alexandros Toufferis)7

⁷ Note: Greek-French athlete, who competed for France, following the refusal of the IOC allowing him to represent Greece. The first Olympic medallist for France, competed also for France in the Olympic Games 1900, while he participated as Greek in the 1906 Intercalated Olympics.

Men’s Shot Put final⁸, Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Richard Sheldon	USA	14.10 OR
2	Josiah McCracken	USA	12.85	set in the qualif. round
3	Robert Garrett	USA	12.35	set in the qualif. round
4	Rezső Crettier	HUN	12.07
5	Panayotis Paraskevopoulos	GRE	11.52
6	Gustav Söderström	SWE	11.18
7	Artur Coray	HUN	11.13
8	Tryxton Hare	USA	10.92

⁸ Note: Marks made in the qualifiying round counted towards the final results, as they would until 1936 Games. McCracken and Garrett refused to participate in Sunday’s final (World Athletics, 2020)

Men’s Discus Throw final ⁹, Paris 1900 Olympic Games

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Rudolf Bauer	HUN	36.04 OR
2	František Janda-Suk	BOH	35.25
3	Richard Sheldon	USA	34.60
4	Panayotis Paraskevopoulos	GRE	34.04
5	Rezső Crettier	HUN	33.65
6	Gustav Söderström	SWE	33.30
7	John Flanagan	USA	33.07
8	Eric Lemming	SWE	32.50
=8	Charles Winckler	DEN	32.50

⁹ Note: The only throwing event in Olympic history where tree and accuracy payed a major role in deciding the competition. The event was held in the Bois de Boulogne with throwing area lined by tress (World Athletics, 2020).

Paris 1900 Olympic Games – Discontinued events results

60 meters

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Alvin Kraenzlein	USA	7.00
2	Walter Tewksbury	USA	7.00e
3	Stan Rowley	AUS	7.1e
4	Edmud Minahan	USA	7.2e

200 meters hurdles

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Alvin Kraenzlein	USA	25.4
2	Norman Pritchard	GBR	26.0e	(British India)
3	Walter Tewksburry	USA	26.1
4	Eugène Choisel	FRA	26.5e

2500m. Steeplechase

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	George Orton	CAN	7.34.4
2	Sidney Robinson	GBR	7:35.8e
3	Jacques Chastanié	FRA	7:42.0e
4	Arthur Newton	USA		performance not recorded
5	Hermann Wraschtil	AUT		performance not recorded
6	Franz Duhne	GER		performance not recorded

4000 meters Steeplechase

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	John Rimmer	GBR	12:58.4
2	Charles Bennett	GBR	12:58.6e
3	Sidney Robinson	GBR	12:48.7e
4	Jacques Chastanié	FRA	13.00.4e
5	George Orton	CAN		performance not recorded
6	Franz Duhne	GER		performance not recorded
	Alexander Grant	USA		Unknown result. Probably DNF
	Thaddeus McClain	USA		Unknown result. Probably DNF

Standing High Jump

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Ray Ewry	USA	1.655 WR	also world best at 1.64
2	Irvin Baxter	USA	1.525
3	Lewis Sheldon	USA	1.50

Standing Long Jump

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Ray Ewry	USA	3.21
2	Irvin Baxter	USA	3.135
3	Emile Torcheboeuf	FRA	3.03
4	Lewis Sheldon	USA	3.02

Standing Triple Jump

Position	Athlete	Country	Performance	Notes
1	Ray Ewry	USA	10.58 WR
2	Irvin Baxter	USA	9.95
3	Robert Garrett	USA	9.50
4	Lewis Sheldon	USA	9.45

See also: [Athens 1986 Olympic Games][Stockholm 2012 Olympic Games]