At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 29 athletics events were contested.

It was the first time the 50 kilometres race walk appeared in the athletic program at the Games.

This was the second time women's events in athletics were included in the Olympic Games program and the first time that women competed in the javelin throw and 80m hurdles at the Olympics.

[1] The athletics events took place at Los Angeles Olympic Stadium, now the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Of the 29 events competed new Olympic records were set in all but three: men's long jump, high jump and hammer throw.