400 metres
| Athletics 400 metres | |
|---|---|
|
The closing stages of a men's 400 m race | |
| Men's records | |
| World |
 Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016) |
| Olympic |
Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016) |
| Women's records | |
| World |
 Marita Koch 47.60 (1985) |
| Olympic |
 Marie-José Pérec 48.25 (1996) |
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common 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. An athlete who competes in the 400 m may still be referred to as 'quarter-miler'; the distance or event might still be called the "quarter."
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, with a time of 43.03 seconds; van Niekerk is also the reigning world and Olympic champion. The world indoor record holder is Kerron Clement, in 44.57 seconds. The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Allyson Felix is the reigning women's world champion, while Shaunae Miller holds the women's Olympic title. The men's T43 (classification) 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 Michael Johnson from the United States and Marie-José Pérec of France both 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.
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.
From 31 appearances in the Olympic Games, the men's gold medallist came from the USA 19 times.
Continental records
| 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 | 49.81 | Ma Yuqin |  China | |
| 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 | 48.70 | Sanya Richards | United States | |
| 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 men
- As of August 2016
Notes
Below is a list of all other times equal or superior to 43.80.
- 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)
- Wayde van Niekerk also ran 43.48 (2015)
- Jeremy Wariner also ran 43.50 (2007), 43.62 (2006)
- Quincy Watts also ran 43.71 (1992)
- LaShawn Merritt also ran 43.74 (2013), 43.75 (2008)
- Kirani James also ran 43.76 (2016)
A = time was set at altitude.
All-time top 25 Women
- As of July 2016
Notes
Below is a list of all other times superior to 48.80.
- Marita Koch also ran 48.16 (1982), 48.16 (1984), 48.22 (1986), 48.26 (1984), 48.60 (1987), 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)
Fastest relay splits
Men
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Women
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Most successful athletes
Multiple (3 or more) 400 metres 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.
Olympic medalists
Men
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Women
World Championships medalists
Men
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Women
Season's bests
As of August 14, 2016
Notes and references
- ↑ Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, "Aerobic versus anaerobic training for success in various athletic events" by Shepard, R. J., 1978
- ↑ http://www.flightunit.com/uncategorized/who-oscar-pistorius-is/
- ↑ "Men's 400m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ↑ "400m Results". IAAF. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
- ↑ "400m Results" (PDF). www.sep-olympic.ch. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ↑ http://www.diamondleague-lausanne.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/400m/
- ↑ "400m Men - Heats Results". IAAF. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ↑ "400m Men - Heats Results". IAAF. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ↑ "Men's 400m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ↑ "400m Results". IAAF. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
- ↑ "400m Results". IAAF. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ↑ https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATM404101_Results_2016_08_20_3f946dd6_c984_4e33_bf39_31afec5beb68.pdf
External links
- IAAF list of 400-metres records in XML
- All-time Masters men's 400 m list
- All-time Masters women's 400 m list