| Athletics 400 metres | |
|---|---|
 The closing stages of a men's 400 m race | |
| World records | |
| Men |  Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016) |
| Women |  Marita Koch 47.60 (1985) |
| Olympic records | |
| Men | Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016) |
| Women |  Marie-José Pérec 48.25 (1996) |
| Championship records | |
| Men |  Michael Johnson 43.18 (1999) |
| Women |  Jarmila Kratochvílová 47.99 (1983) |
The 400 metres, or 400-metre dash, is a sprinting 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 champion. Steven Gardiner is the reigning World Champion. The world indoor record holder is Michael Norman, in 44.52 seconds. The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Salwa Eid Naser is the reigning women's world champion, while Shaunae Miller holds the women's Olympic title. Jarmila Kratochvílová holds the world indoor record at 49.59 dating back to 1982. 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 medallist came from the US 19 times.
Continental records
Updated 21 December 2018.[3][4]
| Area | Men | Women | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | ||
| Africa (records) | 43.03 WR | Wayde van Niekerk | South Africa |
49.10 | Falilat Ogunkoya |  Nigeria
| |
| Asia (records) | 43.93 | Yousef Ahmed Masrahi |  Saudi Arabia |
48.14 | Salwa Eid Naser |  Bahrain
| |
| Europe (records) | 44.33 | Thomas Schönlebe | East Germany |
47.60 WR | Marita Koch | East Germany
| |
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) |
43.18 | Michael Johnson | United States |
48.37 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo |  Bahamas
| |
| Oceania (records) | 44.38 | Darren Clark |  Australia |
48.63 | Cathy Freeman | Australia
| |
| South America (records) | 44.29 | Sanderlei Parrela |  Brazil |
49.64 | Ximena Restrepo |  Colombia
| |
All-time top 25 sprinters
- A = affected by altitude
Men
- Correct as of October 2019.[5]
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43.03 | Wayde van Niekerk | South Africa |
14 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | [6] |
| 2 | 43.18 | Michael Johnson | United States |
26 August 1999 | Seville | |
| 3 | 43.29 | Harry 'Butch' Reynolds | United States |
17 August 1988 | Zürich | |
| 4 | 43.45 | Jeremy Wariner | United States |
31 August 2007 | Osaka | |
| Michael Norman | United States |
20 April 2019 | Torrance | [7] | ||
| 6 | 43.48 | Steven Gardiner | Bahamas
|
4 October 2019 | Doha | [8] |
| 7 | 43.50 | Quincy Watts | United States |
5 August 1992 | Barcelona | |
| 8 | 43.64 | Fred Kerley | United States
|
27 July 2019 | Des Moines | [9] |
| 9 | 43.65 | LaShawn Merritt | United States |
26 August 2015 | Beijing | [10] |
| 10 | 43.72 | Isaac Makwala |  Botswana |
5 July 2015 | La Chaux-de-Fonds | [11] |
| 11 | 43.74 | Kirani James |  Grenada |
3 July 2014 | Lausanne | [12] |
| 12 | 43.81 | Danny Everett | United States |
26 June 1992 | New Orleans | |
| 13 | 43.86 A | Lee Evans | United States |
18 October 1968 | Mexico City | |
| 14 | 43.87 | Steve Lewis | United States |
28 September 1988 | Seoul | |
| 15 | 43.93 | Yousef Ahmed Masrahi | Saudi Arabia |
23 August 2015 | Beijing | [13] |
| Rusheen McDonald |  Jamaica
| |||||
| 17 | 43.94 | Akeem Bloomfield | Jamaica |
8 June 2018 | Eugene | [14] |
| 18 | 43.97 A | Larry James | United States |
18 October 1968 | Mexico City | |
| 19 | 44.01 | Machel Cedenio |  Trinidad and Tobago |
14 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | [15] |
| 20 | 44.02 | Baboloki Thebe | Botswana |
6 July 2017 | Lausanne | [16] |
| 21 | 44.05 | Angelo Taylor | United States |
23 June 2007 | Indianapolis | |
| 22 | 44.07 | Abdalleleh Haroun |  Qatar |
21 July 2018 | London | [17] |
| 23 | 44.09 | Alvin Harrison | United States |
19 June 1996 | Atlanta | |
| Jerome Young | United States |
21 June 1998 | New Orleans | |||
| 25 | 44.10 | Gary Kikaya |  Democratic Republic of the Congo |
9 September 2006 | Stuttgart |
Notes
Below is a list of all other times equal or superior to 43.87:
- Michael Johnson also ran 43.39 (1995), 43.44 (1996), 43.49 (1996), 43.65 (1993) 43.66 (1995), 43.66 (1996), 43.68 (1998), 43.68 (2000), 43.74 (1993), 43.75 (1997), 43.84 (2000), 43.86 (1995).
- Wayde van Niekerk also ran 43.48 (2015), 43.62 (2017), 43.73 (2017).
- Jeremy Wariner also ran 43.50 (2007), 43.62 (2006), 43.82 (2008), 43.86 (2008).
- Michael Norman also ran 43.61 (2018), 43.79 (2019).
- Fred Kerley also ran 43.70 (2017).
- Quincy Watts also ran 43.71 (1992), 43.83 (1992).
- LaShawn Merritt also ran 43.74 (2013), 43.75 (2008), 43.85 (2016).
- Kirani James also ran 43.76 (2016), 43.78 (2015).
- Isaac Makwala also ran 43.84 (2017).
- Steven Gardiner also ran 43.87 (2018).
Women
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47.60 | Marita Koch | East Germany |
6 October 1985 | Canberra | |
| 2 | 47.99 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia |
10 August 1983 | Helsinki | |
| 3 | 48.14 | Salwa Eid Naser |  Bahrain
|
3 October 2019 | Doha | [20] |
| 4 | 48.25 | Marie-José Pérec | France |
29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 5 | 48.27 | Olga Vladykina |  Soviet Union |
6 October 1985 | Canberra | |
| 6 | 48.37 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo | Bahamas |
3 October 2019 | Doha | [20] |
| 7 | 48.59 | Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia |
10 August 1983 | Helsinki | |
| 8 | 48.63 | Cathy Freeman | Australia |
29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 9 | 48.70 | Sanya Richards | United States |
16 September 2006 | Athens | |
| 10 | 48.83 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States |
6 August 1984 | Los Angeles | |
| 11 | 48.89 | Ana Guevara |  Mexico |
27 August 2003 | Paris Saint-Denis | |
| 12 | 49.05 | Chandra Cheeseborough | United States |
6 August 1984 | Los Angeles | |
| 13 | 49.07 | Tonique Williams-Darling | Bahamas |
12 September 2004 | Berlin | |
| 14 | 49.10 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria |
29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 15 | 49.11 | Olga Nazarova | Soviet Union |
25 September 1988 | Seoul | |
| 16 | 49.16 | Antonina Krivoshapka |  Russia |
5 July 2012 | Cheboksary | |
| 17 | 49.19 | Mariya Pinigina | Soviet Union
|
10 August 1983 | Helsinki | |
| Aminatou Seyni |  Niger
|
5 July 2019 | Lausanne | [21] | ||
| 19 | 49.24 | Sabine Busch | East Germany |
2 June 1984 | Erfurt | |
| 20 | 49.26 | Allyson Felix | United States |
27 August 2015 | Beijing | [22] |
| 21 | 49.28 | Pauline Davis | Bahamas |
29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| Yuliya Gushchina | Russia |
5 July 2012 | Cheboksary | |||
| 23 | 49.29 | Irena Szewinska |  Poland |
29 July 1976 | Montreal | |
| Charity Opara | Nigeria |
14 July 1998 | Rome | |||
| 25 | 49.30 | Petra Müller | East Germany |
3 June 1988 | Jena | |
| Lorraine Fenton | Jamaica |
19 July 2002 | Monaco |
Notes
Below is a list of all other times superior to 49.08:
- Marita Koch also ran 48.16 (1982), 48.16 (1984), 48.22 (1986), 48.26 (1984), 48.60 (1979), 48.77 (1982).
- Jarmila Kratochvílová also ran 48.45 (1983), 48.61 (1981).
- Olga Vladykina / Bryzgina also ran 48.60 (1985), 48.65 (1988).
- Taťána Kocembová also ran 48.73 (1984).
- Sanya Richards-Ross also ran 48.83 (2009), 48.94 (2009), 49.00 (2009)
- Shaunae Miller-Uibo also ran 48.97 (2018).
- Salwa Eid Naser also ran 49.08 (2018).
Indoor Top 15
Men indoor
Updated 9 March 2019.[23]
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44.52 | Michael Norman | United States
|
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
| 2 | 44.57 | Kerron Clement | United States
|
12 March 2005 | Fayetteville | |
| 3 | 44.63 | Michael Johnson | United States
|
4 March 1995 | Atlanta | |
| 4 | 44.80 | Kirani James | Grenada
|
27 February 2011 | Fayetteville | |
| 5 | 44.82 | Tyrell Richard | United States
|
9 March 2019 | Birmingham | [24] |
| 6 | 44.85 | Fred Kerley | United States
|
11 March 2017 | College Station | |
| 7 | 44.86 | Akeem Bloomfield | Jamaica
|
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
| 8 | 44.88 | Bralon Taplin | Grenada
|
3 February 2018 | College Station | |
| 9 | 44.93 | LaShawn Merritt | United States
|
11 February 2005 | Fayetteville | |
| 10 | 45.02 | Danny Everett | United States
|
2 February 1992 | Stuttgart | |
| 11 | 45.03 | Torrin Lawrence | United States
|
12 February 2010 | Fayetteville | |
| Deon Lendore | Trinidad and Tobago
|
1 March 2014 | College Station | |||
| Kahmari Montgomery | United States
|
9 March 2019 | Birmingham | [24] | ||
| 14 | 45.05 | Thomas Schönlebe | East Germany
|
5 February 1988 | Sindelfingen | |
| Alvin Harrison | United States
|
28 February 1998 | Atlanta | |||
| Karsten Warholm |  Norway
|
2 March 2019 | Glasgow | [25] |
Women indoor
Updated 21 December 2018.[26]
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49.59 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia
|
7 March 1982 | Milan | |
| 2 | 49.68 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia
|
18 February 2004 | Moscow | |
| 3 | 49.76 | Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia
|
2 February 1984 | Vienna | |
| 4 | 50.01 | Sabine Busch | East Germany
|
2 February 1984 | Vienna | |
| 5 | 50.02 | Nicola Sanders |  Great Britain
|
3 March 2007 | Birmingham | |
| 6 | 50.04 | Olesya Krasnomovets | Russia
|
18 February 2006 | Moscow | |
| 12 March 2006 | Moscow | |||||
| 7 | 50.15 | Olga Zaytseva | Russia
|
25 January 2006 | Moscow | |
| 8 | 50.21 | Vania Stambolova |  Bulgaria
|
12 March 2006 | Moscow | |
| 9 | 50.23 | Irina Privalova | Russia
|
12 March 1995 | Barcelona | |
| 10 | 50.28 | Petra Müller | East Germany
|
6 March 1988 | Budapest | |
| 11 | 50.34 | Christine Amertil | Bahamas
|
12 March 2006 | Moscow | |
| Kendall Ellis | United States
|
10 March 2018 | College Station | |||
| 13 | 50.36 | Sydney McLaughlin | United States
|
10 March 2018 | College Station | |
| 14 | 50.37 | Natalya Antyukh | Russia
|
18 February 2006 | Moscow | |
| 15 | 50.40 | Dagmar Neubauer | East Germany
|
2 February 1984 | Vienna |
Fastest relay splits
Men
|
Women
|
Most successful athletes
3 or more 400-metre victories at the Olympic Games and World Championships:
- 6 wins: Michael Johnson (USA) - Olympic Champion in 1996 and 2000, World Champion in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999.
- 4 wins: Marie-Jose Perec (FRA) - Olympic Champion in 1992 and 1996, World Champion in 1991 and 1995.
- 3 wins: Cathy Freeman (AUS) - Olympic Champion in 2000, World Champion in 1997 and 1999
- 3 wins: Jeremy Wariner (USA) - Olympic Champion in 2004, World Champion in 2005 and 2007.
- 3 wins: Christine Ohuruogu (GBR) - Olympic Champion in 2008, World Champion in 2007 and 2013.
- 3 wins: LaShawn Merritt (USA) - Olympic Champion in 2008, World Champion in 2009 and 2013.
- 3 wins: Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) - Olympic Champion in 2016, World Champion in 2015 and 2017.
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.
Olympic medalists
Men
Women
World Championships medalists
Men
Women
World Indoor Championships medalists
Men
Women
- A Known as the World Indoor Games
Season's bests
Notes and references
- ^ Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, "Aerobic versus anaerobic training for success in various athletic events" by Shepard, R. J., 1978
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Men's outdoor 400 Metres". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "Women's outdoor 400 Metres". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "All-time men's best 400m". alltime-athletics.com. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ "Men's 400m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "61st ANNUAL MT. SAC RELAYS". rtspt.com. RecordTiming. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
- ^ "400m Results" (PDF). IAAF. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
- ^ Roy Jordan (28 July 2019). "Kendricks tops 6.06m in Des Moines". IAAF. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ "400m Results". IAAF. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
- ^ "400m Results" (PDF). www.sep-olympic.ch. 5 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "400m Men - Heats Results". IAAF. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ Roy Jordan (9 June 2018). "Benjamin and Norman break collegiate records at NCAA Championships". IAAF. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Men's 400m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "400m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "400m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "Senior Outdoor 400 Metres Women". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "All-time women's best 400m". alltime-athletics.com. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ a b "400m Results" (PDF). IAAF. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "1500m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "400m Results". IAAF. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ^ "Records & Lists - All Time Top Lists - Senior Indoor 400 Metres Men". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ^ a b "400m Results". flashresults.com. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ "400m Final Results" (PDF). EAA. 2 March 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ "Senior Indoor 400 Metres Women". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "4x400 Metres Relay Icons". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
Jeremy Wariner: The two-time world 400m champion was a key member of the USA 4x400m squad in the 2000s, picking up two Olympic relay golds and three world titles. He also boasts the second-fastest relay split in history with his 42.93 from the 2007 World Championships.
- ^ "Men's 4×400m Relay Results". ncaa.com. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to 400 metres. |
- IAAF list of 400-metres records in XML
- All-time Masters men's 400 m list
- All-time Masters women's 400 m list