The men's 400 metres race was the second-shortest of the flat-track events on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics

At the 1896 Summer Olympics, twelve athletics events were contested. All of the events except the marathon were held in the Panathinaiko Stadium, which was also the finish for the marathon. Events were held on 6 April, 7 April, 9 April, and 10 April 1896 . 64 athletes, all men, from ten nations...

 programme. The competition's preliminary round was the last held on the first day, 6 April. The competitors were split into two groups. The top two runners in each heat advanced to the final, which was held on the second day, 7 April.

7 athletes from 4 nations competed. 5 of those athletes were also in the 100 metres

Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metres

The men's 100 metres race was the first event run at the modern Olympics, on 6 April 1896. It was the shortest race on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. 21 athletes were entered in the first round, divided into three heats of seven runners, but six of them later withdrew...

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Heats

The first round heats were held on 6 April. The top two placers in each of the two groups advanced.

Heat 1

Place	Athlete	Time
1		56.8 s
2		58.6 s
3-4		Unknown
		Unknown

Jamison won by 13½ yards. Hofmann and Grisel both had to run 401.83 metres after being penalized for false starts.

NOTE: The final positions of Grisel and Dörry are unclear.

Heat 2

Place	Athlete	Time
1		58.4 s
2		(1:00.5)
3		(1:02.3)

Burke won by 15 yards, despite being tired from already having run in the heats of the 100 metres. Gmelin beat Reichel by 12 yards for second place.

Final

Place	Athlete	Time
1		54.2 s
2		55.2 s
3		(56.7)
4		(56.7)

Burke beat Jamison by eight yards, with Gemiln beating Hofmann by a foot for third.