Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles
Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles
The men's 110 metres hurdles at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City took place on October 16–17 at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. Thirty-three athletes from 24 nations competed.
Medalists
- Gold: Willie Davenport (United States) – 13.3 seconds (hand time; 13.33 seconds automatic)
- Silver: Ervin Hall (United States) – 13.4 (13.42 automatic)
- Bronze: Eddy Ottoz (Italy) – 13.46 (national record for Italy)
Overview
- Willlie Davenport of the United States won the race, continuing American success in this event (the United States earned its eighth straight gold in the Olympic 110m hurdles and 14th overall in the event). Eddy Ottoz’s bronze was Italy’s first medal in this event.
- Records: Before the Games, the world record was 13.2 seconds (Martin Lauer, FRG) and the Olympic record was 13.5 seconds (Lee Calhoun, USA). In the 1968 competition, Eddy Ottoz equalized the Olympic record in the heats, Ervin Hall set a new Olympic record in the semifinals with 13.3 seconds, and Willie Davenport matched that mark to win the final.
- Ottoz’s final time was a national record for Italy.
Competition format
- The event used three rounds: heats (Round 1), semifinals, and a final.
- The three fastest finishers in each heat, plus the fastest overall remaining athlete, advanced to the semifinals. The four fastest runners from each semifinal moved to the final.
Schedule
- Round 1: Wednesday, October 16, at 10:00 (Central Standard Time)
- Semifinals and Final: Thursday, October 17, at 15:00 and 17:00 (Central Standard Time)
Notes
- The event marked the 16th appearance of the 110 metres hurdles at the Olympics and continued the United States’ long tradition of success in the discipline.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 21:14 (CET).