100 metres, Men

For the first time ever, there was a favorite who was not an American. Soviet Valery Borzov had shown promise when he won the 1968 European Junior double over 100/200. The next year he won the European 100, and in 1971 he won the sprint double at the European Championships. Borzov also posted a succession of top times and defeated several American sprinters in international dual meets. The top American coming since Mexico City was the 1968 200 metre silver medalist, John Carlos, but turned to pro football, and was ineligible due to amateur rules. He tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles and then played in Canada with the Montreal Alouettes. The US Olympic Trials put forward three good sprinters in Eddie Hart, Rey Robinson, and Robert Taylor. In the final of that event Hart and Robinson equaled the world record of 9.9.

In München all the favorites got thru the first round. The quarter-finals were later that day and the Americans went back to the Olympic Village to rest up. While there, they noticed something unusual while watching some of the events on television. It appeared that the 100 metre quarter-finals were beginning at the stadium – and they were not there! They rushed to the stadium, hoping to make it in time for their heats, but both Hart and Robinson were too late. Taylor was in the third heat and barely made it in time, qualifying for the semi-finals, just behind Borzov. The US Olympic Committee appealed the disqualification of Hart and Robinson, but to no avail – they were out. It turned out that US track coach Stan Wright was going by an outdated schedule that showed the quarter-finals starting at 6 PM (1800), instead of their actual 4 PM (1600) start time. With the two main Americans out, the road was clear for Borzov, although it is likely he would have won the gold medal even if they had run. He won fairly easily in the final with Taylor second, followed by 1968 silver medalist Lennox Miller. Three days later, Borzov ran in the 200 metre final, which was actually his best distance, and completed the sprint double, the first non-American to do that since Percy Williams (CAN) in 1928.