[2] El Salvador, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Tanzania were represented in the event for the first time.

The United States was the only nation to have appeared at each of the first sixteen Olympic men's 100 metres events.

The event retained the same basic four round format from 1920–1964: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final.

The 16 semifinalists competed in two heats of 8, with the top four in each semifinal advancing to the eight-man final.

In the final, while Greene reacted to the gun noticeably slower, Pender did not disappoint, taking a quick lead.

Greene, Lennox Miller and Jim Hines were the next chase group, the three outer lanes already left behind.

Hines was just getting into gear, exploding past Miller and putting a gap on the field to take the race by two metres.