Editing 1900 Summer Olympics (section)

=== Athletics ===
[[File:Ray Ewry.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ray Ewry]], the winner of the standing high jump and standing long jump.]]
{{Main|Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics}}
The [[track and field]] events were held at the home of the [[RCF Paris|Racing Club de France]] at the Croix-Catelan stadium in [[Bois de Boulogne]]. No track was laid and races took place on an uneven field of grass littered with trees. Additional events were held for professionals and a series of handicap races also took place. These are not considered official Olympic events.

==== The sprints ====
In the seven events contested over 400 metres or less, the United States took 13 out of a possible 21 medals. Athletes from [[Columbia University]], [[Princeton University]] and the [[University of Pennsylvania]] all won gold medals. Indeed, two would-be dentists from the University of Pennsylvania were among the stars of the Games. [[Alvin Kraenzlein]] won 4 individual gold medals, a feat that has never repeated, while [[Walter Tewksbury]] took five medals including two golds. The hurdles in the 400&nbsp;m hurdle race were {{convert|30|ft|m|adj=on}}-long telegraph poles arranged on the track and the race, uniquely in Olympic competition, had a water jump on the final straight. Adolphe Klingelhoeffer, who had Brazilian citizenship in 1900, competed for France in three events.

==== Middle- and long-distance races ====
United States dominance in sprinting was matched in the longer track races by United Kingdom. Only [[George Orton]], who won Canada's first Olympic title in the shorter of the two [[Steeplechase (athletics)|steeplechases]], ruined a perfect record for the British. Orton won his title less than an hour after placing third in the 400-metre hurdles.

==== The Marathon ====
[[File:Marathon des JO de Paris 1900, arrivée de Michel Théato.jpg|thumb|left|Arrival of [[Michel Théato]] during the [[Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|marathon]], an event which he won, photographed by Jules Beau]]
The most contentious of all the events in these Games began and ended in the Bois de Boulogne. Intended to follow the track of the [[Thiers wall|old city wall]], the course was poorly marked out and runners often got lost and had to double back on themselves before continuing. On some parts of the course, runners had to contend with distractions from cars, bicycles, pedestrians and animals. [[Arthur L. Newton|Arthur Newton]] of the United States finished fifth but stated he had not been passed by any other runner during the race. Another American, [[Dick Grant|Richard Grant]], claimed he was run down by a cyclist as he made ground on the leaders. French honour seemed to have been satisfied when [[Michel Théato]] crossed the finish line and a military band struck up [[La Marseillaise]]. However, modern research has revealed that Théato was born in [[Luxembourg]] and maintained [[Luxembourgian]] citizenship throughout his life.

==== Field events ====
[[File:Rudolf Bauer 1900.jpg|thumb|right|Rudolf Bauer of Hungary won the discus]]
The [[Hungary|Hungarian]] [[discus throw]]er [[Rudolf Bauer (athlete)|Rudolf Bauer]] was the only non-American crowned as Olympic Champion. American domination was even greater in the field events than the track events, with outstanding performances coming from [[Ray Ewry]] and [[Irving Baxter]]. Ewry started his Olympic career with a sweep of the three standing jumps, while Baxter finished second to Ewry three times and won both the [[Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump|regular high jump]] and [[Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault|pole vault]]. [[Meyer Prinstein]] became the first Jewish Olympic gold medalist in the [[triple jump]].{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}