# Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles

The men's 110 metres hurdles was a track and field athletics event held as part of the Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third time the event was held. 6 hurdlers from 2 nations participated. The competition was held on September 3, 1904. The event was won by Frederick Schule of the United States, the third of five consecutive victories for the nation in the first five Olympic Games. It was also the second of four consecutive podium sweeps for the Americans in the event.

## Background

This was the third appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. None of the hurdlers from 1900 returned. Edwin Clapp was the 1903 and 1904 IC4A champion and the American favorite; he entered but did not start. Thaddeus Shideler had matched Alvin Kraenzlein's 120 yards hurdles world record. Frederick Schule was the 1903 AAU champion, while Frank Castleman was the 1904 winner.
Australia made its first appearance in the event. The United States made its third appearance, the only nation to compete in the 110 metres hurdles in each of the first three Games.

## Competition format

There were two rounds: semifinals and a final. There were two semifinals, one with 2 runners and one with 4 runners after withdrawals. The top two runners in each of the semifinal heats advanced to the 4-man final.

## Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1904 Summer Olympics.
| World Record | 15.0(*) | Thaddeus Shideler | St. Louis (USA) | June 11, 1904 |
| Olympic Record | 15.4 | Alvin Kraenzlein | Paris (FRA) | July 14, 1900 |
(*) unofficial 120 yards (= 109.73 m)

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Round |
| Saturday, 3 September 1904 | | Semifinals Final |

## Results
### Semifinals

The top two finishers in each semifinal heat advanced to the final.

#### Semifinal 1

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Frederick Schule | United States | 16.2 | Q |
| 2 | Lesley Ashburner | United States | Unknown | Q |
| 3 | Ward McLanahan | United States | Unknown | |
| 4 | Corrie Gardner | Australia | 16.4 | |

#### Semifinal 2

McPherson withdrew after learning that the hurdles were one foot lower than normal.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Frank Castleman | United States | 16.2 | Q |
| 2 | Thaddeus Shideler | United States | Unknown | Q |
| — | Leslie McPherson | Australia | DNS | |
| — | Edwin Clapp | United States | DNS | |

### Final

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time |
| | Frederick Schule | United States | 16.0 |
| | Thaddeus Shideler | United States | 16.3 |
| | Lesley Ashburner | United States | 16.4 |
| 4 | Frank Castleman | United States | Unknown |

## Results summary

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Semifinals | Final |
| | Frederick Schule | United States | 16.2 | 16.0 |
| | Thaddeus Shideler | United States | Unknown | 16.3 |
| | Lesley Ashburner | United States | Unknown | 16.4 |
| 4 | Frank Castleman | United States | 16.2 | Unknown |
| AC | Ward McLanahan | United States | Unknown | Did not advance |
| AC | Corrie Gardner | Australia | 16.4 | Did not advance |
| — | Leslie McPherson | Australia | DNS | Did not advance |
| — | Edwin Clapp | United States | DNS | Did not advance |
| — | C. R. Vincent | United States | DNS | Did not advance |
| — | Louis Mertz | United States | DNS | Did not advance |
| — | Lester Bailey | United States | DNS | Did not advance |
| — | Sam Jones | United States | DNS | Did not advance |