The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of each country had the right to apply for participation in competitions no more than three athletes who completed the standard A (20.59 s) during the qualifying period from January 1, 2003 to August 9, 2004 . Also, the NOC could declare no more than one athlete from among those who fulfilled the B standard (20.75 s) in the same period. Qualification standards have been established by the IAAF .
The data are given at the beginning of the Olympic Games.
| World record | Michael Johnson ( USA ) | 19.32 seconds [1] | Atlanta ( USA ) | August 1, 1996 |
| Olympic record | Michael Johnson ( USA ) | 19.32 seconds | Atlanta ( USA ) | August 1, 1996 |
According to the results of the competitions, both records were not improved.
Round One
The first three athletes from each race, regardless of the time shown, automatically enter the next round of competition. Also in the next round get another 8 participants who showed the best time among all other athletes.
The time of the results is indicated in seconds. The following abbreviations are also used:
- Q - qualified for a place in the race
- q - time qualified
| - SB - the best result of the season
- PB - the best result in career
| - WR - world record
- NR - national record
|
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Stefan Bookland ( MRI ) | 20.29 | Q | | 2 | Francis Obicwela ( POR ) | 20.40 | Q | | 3 | Juan Pedro Toledo ( MEX ) | 20.40 | Q, = NR | | four. | Young Yozu ( CHN ) | 20.59 | Q, = SB | | five. | Johan Wiessman ( SWE ) | 20.60 | q | | 6 | Paul Briezsel ( IRL ) | 21.00 | | | 7 | Nabie Foday Fofana ( GUI ) | 21.45 | | | eight. | Hamed al Bysshe ( KSA ) | DNS [2] | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Sean Crawford ( USA ) | 20.55 | Q | | 2 | Christopher Williams ( JAM ) | 20,57 | Q | | 3 | Marcin Urbash ( POL ) | 20.71 | Q, SB | | four. | Darren Campbell ( GBR ) | 20.72 | Q | | five. | Jasum Sidi Ndura ( GAM ) | 20.78 | q | | 6 | Lei Julius ( RSA ) | 20.80 | | | 7 | Geronimo Goeloye ( AHO ) | 21.09 | | | eight. | Basilio Emidio de Morais ( BRA ) | 21.14 | |
|
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Frankie Frederiks ( NAM ) | 20,54 | Q | | 2 | Malik Loahla ( ALG ) | 20.67 | Q | | 3 | David Channel ( ESP ) | 20.72 | Q | | four. | Brian Jingai ( ZIM ) | 20.72 | Q | | five. | Heber Vieira ( URU ) | 20.94 | = SB | | 6 | Oleg Sergeev ( RUS ) | 20.95 | | | 7 | Mphelave Dlamini ( SWZ ) | 21.82 | | | Chris Lambert ( GBR ) | DNF [3] | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Marcin Zhedrusinski ( POL ) | 20.63 | Q, SB | | 2 | Tobias Unger ( GER ) | 20.65 | Q | | 3 | Joseph Batangdon ( CMR ) | 20.92 | Q | | four. | Geza Power ( HUN ) | 21.02 | Q | | five. | Usain Bolt ( JAM ) | 21.05 | | | 6 | Christian Nsiah ( GHA ) | 21.06 | | | 7 | Hamoud Abdullah Al Dalhami ( OMA ) | 21.82 | | | eight. | Rio Matsuda ( JPN ) | 24.59 | |
|
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Dominic Demeritte ( BAH ) | 20.62 | Q | | 2 | Christian Malcolm ( GBR ) | 20.62 | Q | | 3 | Panagiotis Sarris ( GRE ) | 20.67 | Q | | four. | Asafa Powell ( JAM ) | 20.77 | Q | | five. | Jiri Log in ( CZE ) | 20.79 | | | 6 | Dion Krabbe ( IVB ) | 20.85 | | | 7 | Nazmizan Muhammad ( MAS ) | 21.24 | | | eight. | Adam Miller ( AUS ) | 21.31 | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Bernard Williams ( USA ) | 20.29 | Q | | 2 | Anastasios Gusis ( GRE ) | 20.44 | Q, PB | | 3 | Andrew Howe ( ITA ) | 20.55 | Q | | four. | Matic Osovnicar ( SLO ) | 20,57 | Q | | five. | Til Helmke ( GER ) | 20.72 | q | | 6 | Oumar Loom ( SEN ) | 20.97 | | | 7 | Anninos Markulides ( CYP ) | 23.94 | |
|
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Sebastian Ernst ( GER ) | 20.47 | Q, PB | | 2 | Justin Gatlin ( USA ) | 20.51 | Q | | 3 | Marco Torrieri ( ITA ) | 20.68 | Q | | four. | Claudio Roberto Souza ( BRA ) | 20.70 | Q | | five. | Brendan Christian ( ANT ) | 20.71 | q | | 6 | Shinsi Takahir ( JPN ) | 21.05 | | | 7 | Dadas Ibrahimov ( AZE ) | 21.60 | | | eight. | Russell Roman ( PLW ) | 24.89 | |
|
Round Two
The first three athletes from each race, regardless of the time shown, automatically enter the semifinal of the competition. Also four more participants who showed the best time among all the others get to the next round.
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Sean Crawford ( USA ) | 19.95 | Q | | 2 | Frankie Frederiks ( NAM ) | 20.20 | Q, SB | | 3 | Tobias Unger ( GER ) | 20.30 | Q, PB | | four. | Christopher Williams ( JAM ) | 20.34 | q | | five. | Johan Wiessman ( SWE ) | 20.74 | | | 6 | Geza Power ( HUN ) | 20.90 | | | 7 | David Channel ( ESP ) | 21.18 | | | Joseph Batangdon ( CMR ) | DNS [2] | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Bernard Williams ( USA ) | 20.40 | Q | | 2 | Anastasios Gusis ( GRE ) | 20.46 | Q | | 3 | Marcin Zhedrusinski ( POL ) | 20.55 | Q, SB | | four. | Til Helmke ( GER ) | 20.76 | | | five. | Brian Jingai ( ZIM ) | 20.87 | | | 6 | Marco Torrieri ( ITA ) | 20.89 | | | 7 | Malik Loahla ( ALG ) | 20.93 | | | eight. | Young Yozu ( CHN ) | 21.03 | |
|
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Justin Gatlin ( USA ) | 20.03 | Q | | 2 | Asafa Powell ( JAM ) | 20.23 | Q | | 3 | Sebastian Ernst ( GER ) | 20.36 | Q, PB | | four. | Matic Osovnicar ( SLO ) | 20.47 | q, NR | | five. | Christian Malcolm ( GBR ) | 20.56 | q | | 6 | Dominic Demeritte ( BAH ) | 20.61 | | | 7 | Brendan Christian ( ANT ) | 20.63 | | | Marcin Urbash ( POL ) | DNF [3] | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Francis Obicwela ( POR ) | 20.33 | Q | | 2 | Stefan Bookland ( MRI ) | 20.36 | Q | | 3 | Juan Pedro Toledo ( MEX ) | 20.43 | Q | | four. | Darren Campbell ( GBR ) | 20.59 | q, = SB | | five. | Claudio Roberto Souza ( BRA ) | 20.64 | SB | | 6 | Jasum Sidi Ndura ( GAM ) | 20.73 | | | 7 | Panagiotis Sarris ( GRE ) | 20.92 | | | eight. | Andrew Howe ( ITA ) | 21.17 | |
|
Semifinal
The first four athletes from each race, regardless of the time shown, automatically enter the final competition.
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Sean Crawford ( USA ) | 20.05 | Q | | 2 | Bernard Williams ( USA ) | 20.18 | Q | | 3 | Frankie Frederiks ( NAM ) | 20.43 | Q | | four. | Tobias Unger ( GER ) | 20,54 | Q | | five. | Anastasios Gusis ( GRE ) | 20.68 | | | 6 | Christopher Williams ( JAM ) | 20.80 | | | 7 | Marcin Zhedrusinski ( POL ) | 20.81 | | | eight. | Darren Campbell ( GBR ) | 20.89 | |
| | A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Justin Gatlin ( USA ) | 20.35 | Q | | 2 | Francis Obicwela ( POR ) | 20.36 | Q | | 3 | Stefan Bookland ( MRI ) | 20.37 | Q | | four. | Asafa Powell ( JAM ) | 20.56 | Q | | five. | Sebastian Ernst ( GER ) | 20.63 | | | 6 | Juan Pedro Toledo ( MEX ) | 20.64 | | | 7 | Christian Malcolm ( GBR ) | 20.77 | | | eight. | Matic Osovnicar ( SLO ) | 20.89 | |
|
Final
| A place | Sportsman | Result | Notes |
|---|
| one. | Sean Crawford ( USA ) | 19.79 | PB |
| 2 | Bernard Williams ( USA ) | 20.01 | PB |
| 3 | Justin Gatlin ( USA ) | 20.03 | |
| four. | Frankie Frederiks ( NAM ) | 20.14 | SB |
| five. | Francis Obicwela ( POR ) | 20.14 | |
| 6 | Stefan Bookland ( MRI ) | 20.24 | |
| 7 | Tobias Unger ( GER ) | 20.64 | |
| Asafa Powell ( JAM ) | DNS [2] | |
