The 1904 Olympic athletics program expanded to 25 events, introducing multi-event competitions and a purpose-built cinder track in St. Louis.
Key Facts
- Total events contested
- 25
- Gold medals awarded
- 25
- Total medals awarded
- 74
- Track length
- 1/3 mile (536.448 m)
- Events vs. 1900 Games
- Two more than 1900
- Track surface
- Cinder, Washington University campus
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the 1900 Paris Olympics, organizers sought to expand the athletics program for the 1904 St. Louis Games. New event types, including multi-event competitions such as the all-around and triathlon, were added, while some existing events were modified in distance and a dedicated track facility was constructed on the Washington University campus.
Twenty-five athletics events were held at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, awarding 74 medals in total. The program introduced the all-around and triathlon multi-events, added a 56-pound weight throw, adjusted steeplechase distances, and dropped the long steeplechase. Competition took place on a purpose-built one-third-mile cinder track with a long straightaway.
The expanded 1904 athletics program set a precedent for including multi-event competitions at the Olympics and demonstrated the growing organizational ambition of the Games. The construction of a dedicated athletics track on a university campus also established a model for future Olympic venue planning in host cities.
Result
at Washington University, St. Louis