| Host City: Paris, France |
Format: Top two in each heat advanced to the final. |
| Date Started: July 14, 1900 |
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| Date Finished: July 15, 1900 |
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| (Competitors: 5; Countries: 4; Finalists: 3) |
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Venue(s): Catalan Cross, Boulogne Forest, Paris
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| Overview by IAAF |
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| Tewksbury won the first heat in 61.0, and Tauzin the other (no time was announced, though the New York Times refers to Orton beating Tauzin, while other sources refer to Tauzin’s loss in the final being his first ever defeat). Four of the five starters qualified for the final, but William Lewis did not compete in the final, held on a Sunday. The “hurdles” were a series of 30-foot long telegraph poles, except for the final hurdle – a water jump. Tewksbury went into the lead from the gun, and was never headed, and Orton closed on Tauzin at the finish, a creditable effort as he won the 2500m steeplechase that day! |
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| Summary by Sports-reference.com |
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| There were 10 entries, all of whom competed in some event in Paris, but strangely, only five started. Thus the heats served the ridiculous purpose of reducing the field from five to a final field of four. In addition, one qualifier, William Lewis, did not contest the final, probably as it was held on Sunday. |
| It was difficult to pick a favorite as the event was not contested by the AAU or AAA until 1914. The French, however, were certain that they had the favorite in Henri Tauzin, who had won five French titles in the event, held the continental record of 58.8, and was supposedly unbeaten. |
| The hurdles for this event were actually 30 feet long telephone poles laid across the track, except for the final "hurdle," which was actually a water jump! In the final, Walter Tewksbury went away to an early lead, and was never headed. He won easily, posting American records in the heats (probably the initial U.S. record) and the final. |
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Results |
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| The times set in the two heats are uncertain. In the final Walter Tewksbury set the new Olympic record with 57.6 seconds. |
| 400 m Hurdles |
Men |
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Final |
15 July |
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| Lewis withdrew as the final was held on a Sunday. For the three who did start, it was the first race of the event that posed any sort of challenge, with hurdles fashioned out of 30-foot long telegraph poles and a 16-foot water jump on the final straight; Tewksbury still did not have much difficulty, leading from the start to win by about five yards, with Orton a further four yards back. |
| Rank |
Mark |
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Athlete |
Country |
NOC |
Age |
Records |
Notes |
| 1 |
57.6 |
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Walter Tewksbury |
United States |
USA |
24 |
OR |
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| 2 |
5 yds bh |
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Henri Tauzin |
France |
FRA |
21 |
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| 3 |
4 yds bh2 |
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George Orton |
Canada |
CAN |
27 |
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| 400 m Hurdles |
Men |
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Round One Heat One |
14 July |
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| Tewksbury won from Lewis by ten yards. This meant that Nedvěd, placing third, was the only athlete eliminated in the round. |
| Rank |
Mark |
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Athlete |
Country |
NOC |
Age |
Records |
Notes |
| 1 |
1.01.0 |
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Q |
Walter Tewksbury |
United States |
USA |
24 |
OR |
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| 2 |
at 9 m. |
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Q |
William Lewis |
United States |
USA |
24 |
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| 3 |
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Karel Nedvěd |
Bohemia |
BOH |
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| 400 m Hurdles |
Men |
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Round One Heat Two |
14 July |
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| With only two athletes in the heat and both to qualify, neither hurdler ran anywhere near full speed. Tauzin beat Orton by three inches. |
| Rank |
Mark |
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Athlete |
Country |
NOC |
Age |
Records |
Notes |
| 1 |
1.00.2 |
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Q |
Henri Tauzin |
France |
FRA |
21 |
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by inches |
| 2 |
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Q |
George Orton |
Canada |
CAN |
27 |
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