The United States swept the medals, and Duke Kahanamoku broke his own Olympic record in the semifinals and bettered his time again in the final to successfully defend his championship from 1912.

Kahanamoku was the first man to successfully defend an Olympic 100 metres freestyle title (excluding Charles Daniels's win in the 1906 Intercalated Games) and third man to win multiple medals of any color in the event (including Daniels's silver and Zoltán Halmay's gold in the 1904 yards-based event).

The favorites were Kahanamoku and fellow American Norman Ross, the 1919 Inter-Allied Games winner.

The United States made its fifth appearance, having competed at each edition of the event to date.

Hungary missed the event for the first time, with the nation not invited to the Games after World War I.