Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres
| Men's 200 metres at the Games of the XVI Olympiad
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| Venue | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | ||||||||||||
| Date | 26 November 1956 & 27 November 1956 | ||||||||||||
| Competitors | 42 from 23 nations | ||||||||||||
| Medalists | |||||||||||||
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Bobby Morrow |
 United States
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Andy Stanfield |
United States
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Thane Baker |
United States
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These are the official results of the Men's 200 metres event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. There were a total number of 66 competitors from 32 countries. The first and second rounds were held on Monday 26 November and the semi finals and final on Tuesday 27 November.
Even though it had been a part of the Olympics, the IAAF had only certified world records for the 200 meters around the bend since 1951. Both claimants to the record Andy Stanfield and Thane Baker were in this final. Stanfield took a slight lead from the gun, making up the stagger on Jose Telles da Conceicao to his outside just past half way through the turn. Inside of him, 100 meter champion Bobby Morrow slowly accelerated and caught Stanfield. Coming off the turn, Morrow had almost a meter advantage. Two meters back, Baker was in a battle with Michael Agostini. Down the final straight, Morrow opened up another meter to take the win. Baker separated from Agostini and made a late run at Stanfield, coming up a couple of feet short. Morrow's hand time of 20.6 equalled the world record. An early fully automatic timing system gave him a time of 20.75, though automatic times would not become recognized as records for 21 more years. It was a second successive American sweep of the event. Stanfield and Baker had led the 1952 sweep. USA swept the 200 meters in 1904, 1932, 1952, 1984 and 2004.
Twelve heats were held, the two fastest of which would qualify for the Second Round.
Four heats were held, the three fastest of which would qualify for the Semifinals.
Two semifinals were held, the three fastest of which would qualify for the final.
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