Athletics 400 metres | |
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![]() The closing stages of a men's 400 m race. | |
World records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
Olympic records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
World Championship records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor running track, it is one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and race in separate lanes for the entire course. In many countries, athletes previously competed in the 440-yard dash (402.336 m)—which is a quarter of a mile and was referred to as the 'quarter-mile'—instead of the 400 m (437.445 yards), though this distance is now obsolete.
Like other sprint disciplines, the 400 m involves the use of starting blocks. The runners take up position in the blocks on the 'ready' command, adopt a more efficient starting posture which isometrically preloads their muscles on the 'set' command, and stride forwards from the blocks upon hearing the starter's pistol. The blocks allow the runners to begin more powerfully and thereby contribute to their overall sprint speed capability. Maximum sprint speed capability is a significant contributing factor to success in the event, but athletes also require substantial speed endurance and the ability to cope well with high amounts of lactic acid to sustain a fast speed over a whole lap. While considered to be predominantly an anaerobic event, there is some aerobic involvement and the degree of aerobic training required for 400-metre athletes is open to debate.[1]
The current men's world record is held by Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, with a time of 43.03 seconds. Van Niekerk is also the Olympic record holder. Steven Gardiner is the reigning Olympic Champion. Michael Norman is the current world champion and the world indoor record holder with a time of 44.52 seconds. The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Shaunae Miller-Uibo is the reigning women's Olympic champion and world champion. Femke Bol holds the world indoor record at 49.26 (2023). The men's T43 Paralympic world record of 45.07 seconds is held by Oscar Pistorius.[2]
An Olympic double of 200 metres and 400 m was first achieved by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, and later by Marie-José Pérec of France and Michael Johnson from the United States on the same evening in 1996. Alberto Juantorena of Cuba at the 1976 Summer Olympics became the first and so far the only athlete to win both the 400 m and 800 m Olympic titles. Pérec became the first to defend the Olympic title in 1996, Johnson became the first and only man to do so in 2000. From 31 appearances in the Olympic Games, the men's gold medalist came from the US 19 times.
Area | Men | Women | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | ||
Africa (records) | 43.03 WR | Wayde van Niekerk | ![]() |
49.10 | Falilat Ogunkoya | ![]() | |
Asia (records) | 43.93 | Yousef Masrahi | ![]() |
48.14 | Salwa Eid Naser | ![]() | |
Europe (records) | 44.26 | Matthew Hudson-Smith | ![]() |
47.60 WR | Marita Koch | ![]() | |
North, Central America and Caribbean (records) |
43.18 | Michael Johnson | ![]() |
48.36 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo | ![]() | |
Oceania (records) | 44.38 | Darren Clark | ![]() |
48.63 | Cathy Freeman | ![]() | |
South America (records) | 43.93 | Anthony Zambrano | ![]() |
49.64 | Ximena Restrepo | ![]() |
Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Reaction (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 43.03 | 0.181 | Wayde van Niekerk | ![]() |
14 AUG 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | [7] |
2 | 2 | 43.18 | 0.150 | Michael Johnson | ![]() |
26 AUG 1999 | Seville | [8] |
3 | 3 | 43.29 | Butch Reynolds | ![]() |
17 AUG 1988 | Zürich | ||
4 | 43.39 | Johnson #2 | 09 AUG 1995 | Gothenburg | ||||
5 | 43.44 | Johnson #3 | 19 JUN 1996 | Atlanta | ||||
4 | 6 | 43.45 | 0.182 | Jeremy Wariner | ![]() |
31 AUG 2007 | Osaka | [9] |
Michael Norman | ![]() |
20 APR 2019 | Torrance | [10] | ||||
8 | 43.48 | 0.156 | van Niekerk #2 | 26 AUG 2015 | Beijing | [11] | ||
6 | 8 | 43.48 | 0.164 | Steven Gardiner | ![]() |
04 OCT 2019 | Doha | [12][13] |
10 | 43.49 | Johnson #4 | 29 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | ||||
7 | 11 | 43.50 | Quincy Watts | ![]() |
05 AUG 1992 | Barcelona | ||
11 | 43.50 | Wariner #2 | 07 AUG 2007 | Stockholm | ||||
13 | 43.56 | Norman #2 | 25 JUN 2022 | Eugene | [14] | |||
14 | 43.60 | 0.130 | Norman #3 | 28 MAY 2022 | Eugene | [15][16] | ||
15 | 43.61 | Norman #4 | 08 JUN 2018 | Eugene | ||||
16 | 43.62 | Wariner #3 | 14 JUL 2006 | Rome | ||||
0.164 | van Niekerk #3 | 06 JUL 2017 | Lausanne | [17] | ||||
8 | 18 | 43.64 | Fred Kerley | ![]() |
27 JUL 2019 | Des Moines | [18] | |
19 | 43.65 | Johnson #5 | 17 AUG 1993 | Stuttgart | ||||
9 | 19 | 43.65 | 0.195 | LaShawn Merritt | ![]() |
26 AUG 2015 | Beijing | [19] |
21 | 43.66 | Johnson #6 | 16 JUN 1995 | Sacramento | ||||
Johnson #7 | 03 JUL 1996 | Lausanne | ||||||
23 | 43.68 | Johnson #8 | 12 AUG 1998 | Zürich | ||||
Johnson #9 | 16 JUL 2000 | Sacramento | ||||||
25 | 43.70 | Kerley #2 | 26 MAY 2017 | Austin | ||||
10 | 25 | 43.70 | Champion Allison | ![]() |
25 JUN 2022 | Eugene | [20] | |
11 | 43.72 | Isaac Makwala | ![]() |
05 JUL 2015 | La Chaux-de-Fonds | [21] | ||
12 | 43.74 | Kirani James | ![]() |
03 JUL 2014 | Lausanne | [22] | ||
13 | 43.81 | Danny Everett | ![]() |
26 JUN 1992 | New Orleans | |||
14 | 43.85 | Randolph Ross | ![]() |
11 JUN 2021 | Eugene | [23] | ||
15 | 43.86 A | Lee Evans | ![]() |
18 OCT 1968 | Mexico City | |||
16 | 43.87 | Steve Lewis | ![]() |
28 SEP 1988 | Seoul | |||
17 | 43.91 A | Muzala Samukonga | ![]() |
29 APR 2023 | Gaborone | [24] | ||
18 | 43.93 | Yousef Masrahi | ![]() |
23 AUG 2015 | Beijing | [25] | ||
Rusheen McDonald | ![]() |
23 AUG 2015 | Beijing | [25] | ||||
Anthony Zambrano | ![]() |
02 AUG 2021 | Tokyo | [26] | ||||
21 | 43.94 | Akeem Bloomfield | ![]() |
08 JUN 2018 | Eugene | [27] | ||
22 | 43.97 A | Larry James | ![]() |
18 OCT 1968 | Mexico City | |||
23 | 44.01 | Machel Cedenio | ![]() |
14 AUG 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | [7] | ||
24 | 44.02 | Baboloki Thebe | ![]() |
06 JUL 2017 | Lausanne | [28] | ||
25 | 44.03 | Michael Cherry | ![]() |
03 SEP 2021 | Brussels | [29] |
Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 47.60 | Marita Koch | ![]() |
06 OCT 1985 | Canberra | |
2 | 2 | 47.99 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | ![]() |
10 AUG 1983 | Helsinki | |
3 | 3 | 48.14 | Salwa Eid Naser | ![]() |
03 OCT 2019 | Doha | [32] |
4 | 48.16 | Koch #2 | 08 SEP 1982 | Athens | |||
Koch #3 | 16 AUG 1984 | Prague | |||||
6 | 48.22 | Koch #4 | 28 AUG 1986 | Stuttgart | |||
4 | 7 | 48.25 | Marie-José Pérec | ![]() |
29 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | |
8 | 48.26 | Koch #5 | 27 JUL 1984 | Dresden | |||
5 | 9 | 48.27 | Olga Bryzgina | ![]() |
06 OCT 1985 | Canberra | |
6 | 10 | 48.36 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo | ![]() |
06 AUG 2021 | Tokyo | |
11 | 48.37 | Miller-Uibo #2 | 03 OCT 2019 | Doha | |||
12 | 48.45 | Kratochvílová #2 | 23 JUL 1983 | Prague | |||
7 | 13 | 48.59 | Taťána Kocembová | ![]() |
10 AUG 1983 | Helsinki | |
14 | 48.60 | Koch #6 | 04 AUG 1979 | Turin | |||
Bryzgina #2 | 17 AUG 1985 | Moscow | |||||
16 | 48.61 | Kratochvílová #3 | 06 SEP 1981 | Rome | |||
8 | 17 | 48.63 | Cathy Freeman | ![]() |
29 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | |
18 | 48.65 | Bryzgina #3 | 26 SEP 1988 | Seoul | |||
9 | 19 | 48.70 | Sanya Richards-Ross | ![]() |
16 SEP 2006 | Athens | |
20 | 48.73 | Kocembová #2 | 16 AUG 1984 | Prague | |||
10 | 21 | 48.74 | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone | ![]() |
08 JUL 2023 | Eugene | [33] |
22 | 48.77 | Koch #7 | 09 JUL 1982 | Karl-Marx-Stadt | |||
23 | 48.82 | Kratochvílová #4 | 23 JUN 1983 | Prague | |||
11 | 24 | 48.83 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | ![]() |
06 AUG 1984 | Los Angeles | |
24 | 48.83 | Pérec #2 | 05 AUG 1992 | Barcelona | |||
Richards-Ross #2 | 04 SEP 2009 | Brussels | |||||
12 | 48.89 | Ana Guevara | ![]() |
27 AUG 2003 | Saint-Denis | ||
13 | 48.98 | Marileidy Paulino | ![]() |
27 MAY 2023 | Los Angeles | [34] | |
14 | 49.05 | Chandra Cheeseborough | ![]() |
06 AUG 1984 | Los Angeles | ||
15 | 49.07 | Tonique Williams-Darling | ![]() |
12 SEP 2004 | Berlin | ||
16 | 49.10 | Falilat Ogunkoya | ![]() |
29 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | ||
17 | 49.11 | Olga Nazarova | ![]() |
25 SEP 1988 | Seoul | ||
18 | 49.13 | Britton Wilson | ![]() |
13 MAY 2023 | Baton Rouge | [35] | |
19 | 49.16 | Antonina Krivoshapka | ![]() |
05 JUL 2012 | Cheboksary | ||
20 | 49.19 | Mariya Pinigina | ![]() |
10 AUG 1983 | Helsinki | ||
21 | 49.20 | Rhasidat Adeleke | ![]() |
10 JUN 2023 | Austin | [36] | |
22 | 49.22 | Christine Mboma | ![]() |
17 APR 2021 | Windhoek | ||
23 | 49.24 | Sabine Busch | ![]() |
02 JUN 1984 | Erfurt | ||
24 | 49.26 | Allyson Felix | ![]() |
27 AUG 2015 | Beijing | [37] | |
25 | 49.28 | Pauline Davis | ![]() |
29 JUL 1996 | Atlanta |
Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 44.52 | Michael Norman | ![]() |
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
2 | 44.57 | Kerron Clement | ![]() |
12 March 2005 | Fayetteville | |
3 | 44.62 | Randolph Ross | ![]() |
12 March 2022 | Birmingham | [40] |
4 | 44.63 | Michael Johnson | ![]() |
4 March 1995 | Atlanta | |
5 | 44.71 | Noah Williams | ![]() |
13 March 2021 | Fayetteville | [41] |
6 | 44.75 | Elija Godwin | ![]() |
25 February 2023 | Fayetteville | [42] |
44.75 A | 11 March 2023 | Albuquerque | [43] | |||
7 | 44.80 | Kirani James | ![]() |
27 February 2011 | Fayetteville | |
8 | 44.82 | Tyrell Richard | ![]() |
9 March 2019 | Birmingham | [44] |
9 | 44.85 | Fred Kerley | ![]() |
11 March 2017 | College Station | |
10 | 44.86 | Akeem Bloomfield | ![]() |
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
11 | 44.88 | Bralon Taplin | ![]() |
3 February 2018 | College Station | |
12 | 44.93 | LaShawn Merritt | ![]() |
11 February 2005 | Fayetteville | |
44.93 A | Ryan Willie | ![]() |
11 March 2023 | Albuquerque | [45] | |
14 | 45.00 | Jereem Richards | ![]() |
19 March 2022 | Belgrade | [46] |
15 | 45.02 | Danny Everett | ![]() |
2 February 1992 | Stuttgart | |
16 | 45.03 | Torrin Lawrence | ![]() |
12 February 2010 | Fayetteville | |
Deon Lendore | ![]() |
1 March 2014 | College Station | |||
Kahmari Montgomery | ![]() |
9 March 2019 | Birmingham | [44] | ||
19 | 45.04 | Champion Allison | ![]() |
26 February 2022 | College Station | [47] |
20 | 45.05 | Thomas Schönlebe | ![]() |
5 February 1988 | Sindelfingen | |
Alvin Harrison | ![]() |
28 February 1998 | Atlanta | |||
Karsten Warholm | ![]() |
2 March 2019 | Glasgow | [48] | ||
Trevor Bassitt | ![]() |
19 March 2022 | Belgrade | [49] | ||
Jacory Patterson | ![]() |
25 February 2023 | Fayetteville | [50] | ||
25 | 45.08 A | Matthew Moorer | ![]() |
11 March 2023 | Albuquerque | [51] |
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 45.08:
Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 49.26 | Femke Bol | ![]() |
19 February 2023 | Apeldoorn | [53] |
2 | 49.48 A | Britton Wilson | ![]() |
11 March 2023 | Albuquerque | [43] |
3 | 49.59 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | ![]() |
7 March 1982 | Milan | |
4 | 49.68 | Natalya Nazarova | ![]() |
18 February 2004 | Moscow | |
5 | 49.76 | Taťána Kocembová | ![]() |
2 February 1984 | Vienna | |
6 | 50.01 | Sabine Busch | ![]() |
2 February 1984 | Vienna | |
7 | 50.02 | Nicola Sanders | ![]() |
3 March 2007 | Birmingham | |
8 | 50.04 | Olesya Krasnomovets | ![]() |
18 February 2006 | Moscow | |
9 | 50.15 | Olga Zaytseva | ![]() |
25 January 2006 | Moscow | |
Talitha Diggs | ![]() |
25 February 2023 | Fayetteville | [54] | ||
11 | 50.21 | Vania Stambolova | ![]() |
12 March 2006 | Moscow | |
Shaunae Miller-Uibo | ![]() |
13 February 2021 | New York City | [55] | ||
13 | 50.23 | Irina Privalova | ![]() |
12 March 1995 | Barcelona | |
14 | 50.28 | Petra Müller | ![]() |
6 March 1988 | Budapest | |
15 | 50.33 | Rhasidat Adeleke | ![]() |
25 February 2023 | Lubbock | [56] |
16 | 50.34 | Christine Amertil | ![]() |
12 March 2006 | Moscow | |
Kendall Ellis | ![]() |
10 March 2018 | College Station | |||
Lieke Klaver | ![]() |
19 February 2023 | Apeldoorn | [57] | ||
19 | 50.36 | Sydney McLaughlin | ![]() |
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
20 | 50.37 | Natalya Antyukh | ![]() |
18 February 2006 | Moscow | |
21 | 50.40 | Dagmar Neubauer | ![]() |
2 February 1984 | Vienna | |
22 | 50.41 | Svetlana Pospelova | ![]() |
5 March 2005 | Madrid | |
23 | 50.42 | Olga Kotlyarova | ![]() |
27 January 2001 | Moscow | |
24 | 50.45 | Grit Breuer | ![]() |
1 March 1998 | Valencia | |
25 | 50.46 A | Phyllis Francis | ![]() |
15 March 2014 | Albuquerque |
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 50.46:
Men[edit]
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Women[edit]
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3 or more 400-metre victories at the Olympic Games and World Championships:
The Olympic champion has frequently won a second gold medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay. This has been accomplished 14 times by men; Charles Reidpath, Ray Barbuti, Bill Carr, George Rhoden, Charles Jenkins, Otis Davis, Mike Larrabee, Lee Evans, Viktor Markin, Alonzo Babers, Steve Lewis, Quincy Watts, Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt; and 4 times by women; Monika Zehrt, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Olga Bryzgina and Sanya Richards-Ross. All but Rhoden, Markin, Zehrt and Bryzgina ran on American relay teams. Injured after his double in 1996, Johnson also accomplished the feat in 2000 only to have it disqualified when his teammate Antonio Pettigrew admitted to doping.
§ : awarded following doping disqualification.