400 metres

Athletics 400 metres
The closing stages of a men's 400 m race.
Men's records
World	Michael Johnson 43.18 (1999)
Olympic	Michael Johnson 43.49 (1996)
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 (1964 for women). On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly 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 the length of 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'.

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. Whilst 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.

In the men's event the United States dominate. The current men's world record is held by American Michael Johnson, with a time of 43.18 seconds. 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. Grenadan Kirani James is the reigning men's world and Olympic champion; Amantle Montsho is the reigning women's world champion, while Sanya Richards-Ross holds the women's Olympic title. The men's T43 (classification) Paralympic world record of 45.07 seconds is held by Oscar Pistorius.

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.

Fastest 400 m runners

All-time top 25 men

• Updated January 2013

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Location	Ref
1.	43.18	Michael Johnson		26 August 1999	Seville
2.	43.29	Harry 'Butch' Reynolds		17 August 1988	Zürich
3.	43.45	Jeremy Wariner		31 August 2007	Osaka
4.	43.50	Quincy Watts		5 August 1992	Barcelona
5.	43.75	LaShawn Merritt		21 August 2008	Beijing
6.	43.81	Danny Everett		26 June 1992	New Orleans
7.	43.86	Lee Evans		18 October 1968	Mexico City
8.	43.87	Steve Lewis		28 September 1988	Seoul
9.	43.94	Kirani James		6 August 2012	London
10.	43.97	Larry James		18 October 1968	Mexico City
11.	44.05	Angelo Taylor		23 June 2007	Indianapolis
12.	44.09	Alvin Harrison		19 June 1996	Atlanta
		Jerome Young		21 June 1998	New Orleans
14.	44.10	Gary Kikaya		9 September 2006	Stuttgart
15.	44.13	Derek Mills		4 June 1995	Eugene
16.	44.14	Roberto Hernandez		30 May 1990	Seville
17.	44.15	Anthuan Maybank		3 July 1996	Lausanne
18.	44.16	Otis Harris		23 August 2004	Athens
19.	44.17	Innocent Egbunike		19 August 1987	Zurich
20.	44.18	Samson Kitur		3 August 1992	Barcelona
21.	44.20	Charles Gitonga		23 June 1996	Nairobi
22.	44.21	Ian Morris		3 August 1992	Barcelona
23.	44.26	Alberto Juantorena		29 July 1976	Montreal
24.	44.27	Alonzo Babers		8 August 1984	Los Angeles
		Antonio Pettigrew		17 June 1989	Houston
		Darold Williamson		10 June 2005	Sacramento

Notable 4x400m relay splits

• Michael Johnson: 42.91sec (Stuttgart 1993)
• Jeremy Wariner: 42.93sec (Osaka 2007)

Women

• Updated January 2013

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Location
1.	47.60	Marita Koch		6 October 1985	Canberra
2.	47.99	Jarmila Kratochvílová		10 August 1983	Helsinki
3.	48.25	Marie-José Pérec		29 July 1996	Atlanta
4.	48.27	Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina		6 October 1985	Canberra
5.	48.59	Taťána Kocembová		10 August 1983	Helsinki
6.	48.63	Cathy Freeman		29 July 1996	Atlanta
7.	48.70	Sanya Richards-Ross		16 September 2006	Athens
8.	48.83	Valerie Brisco-Hooks		6 August 1984	Los Angeles
9.	48.89	Ana Guevara		27 August 2003	Paris Saint-Denis
10.	49.05	Chandra Cheeseborough		6 August 1984	Los Angeles
11.	49.07	Tonique Williams-Darling		12 September 2004	Berlin
12.	49.10	Falilat Ogunkoya		29 July 1996	Atlanta
13.	49.11	Olga Nazarova		25 September 1988	Seoul
14.	49.16	Antonina Krivoshapka		5 July 2012	Cheboksary
15.	49.19	Mariya Pinigina		10 August 1983	Helsinki
16.	49.24	Sabine Busch		June 1984	Erfurt
17.	49.28	Irena Szewinska		29 July 1976	Montreal
		Pauline Davis-Thompson		29 July 1996	Atlanta
		Yuliya Gushchina		5 July 2012	Cheboksary
20.	49.29	Charity Opara		14 July 1998	Rome
21.	49.30	Petra Muller		3 June 1988	Jena
		Lorraine Fenton		19 July 2002	Monaco
23.	49.32	Shericka Williams		18 August 2009	Berlin
24.	49.35	Anastasiya Kapachinskaya		22 July 2011	Cheboksary
25.	49.40	Jearl Miles-Clark		14 June 1997	Indianapolis

Notable 4x400 m relay splits

• Marita Koch: 47.70sec (Erfurt, 1984), 47.9 (Athens, 1982), 47.9 (Canberra, 1985), 48.21 (Stuttgart, 1986)
• Jarmila Kratochvilova: 47.75 (Helsinki, 1983), 47.8 (London, 1983)
• Olga Bryzgina: 47.80 (Seoul, 1988)
• Olga Nazarova: 47.82 (Seoul, 1988)
• Allyson Felix: 47.8 (London 2012), 48.01 (Osaka, 2007)
• Florence Griffith-Joyner: 48.08 (Seoul, 1988)

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.

See also

• World record progression 400 metres men

External links

• All-time Masters men's 400 m list
• All-time Masters women's 400 m list