The men's 100 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics.

While the basic story is accurate, the true timeline was less dramatic, as "Liddell knew about the Olympic schedule several months in advance and never intended to run the 100 in Paris.

For the first time (excluding the 1906 Intercalated Games), a defending gold medalist (Charley Paddock) attempted to retain his title.

Other notable entrants included Great Britain's Harold Abrahams, a favorite along with Paddock.

[2] Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Estonia, Haiti, Ireland (newly independent from Great Britain), Latvia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, and Turkey were represented in the event for the first time.