Four years later in Paris Imbach competed in the 400 m, winning his heat in 51.8 and then his quarter-final in 48.0. The latter time was an Olympic record and an unofficial world record. In his semi-final, Imbach placed second to the eventual gold medalist, Eric Liddell, in 48.3. In the final Imbach went out hard, but tripped on the ropes used to separate the lanes, fell and failed to finish.