At the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London, England, 26 athletics events were contested, all for men only.

In the 3 mile team race, five athletes from each nation ran with only three counting.

The 60 metre short sprint was dropped from the programme, as was the middle hurdle distance.

The multi-discipline triathlon and decathlon events that had been held at the 1904 Games were both absent.

An event featuring the discus, which had become a staple of Olympic athletics, was held in which throwers had to follow a very specific throwing style.