The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

competitions. It has been featured in the

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competi ...

programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor

running track An all-weather running track is a rubberized, artificial running surface for track and field athletics. It provides a consistent surface for competitors to test their athletic ability unencumbered by adverse weather conditions. Historically, v ...

, 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 Starting blocks are a device used in the sport of track and field by sprint athletes to brace their feet against at the start of a race so they do not slip as they stride forward at the sound of the starter's pistol. The blocks also enable the s ...

. 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 A starting pistol or starter pistol is a blank handgun that is fired to start track and field races, as well as competitive swimming races at some meets. Starter guns cannot fire real ammunition without first being extensively modified: Blank ...

. 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 Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as nat ...

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. The current men's

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

is held by

Wayde van Niekerk Wayde van Niekerk (South African English: , ; born 15 July 1992) is a South African track and field Sprint (running), sprinter who competes in the 200 metres, 200 and 400 metres. In the 400 metres, he is the current world record, world and ...

of South Africa, with a time of 43.03 seconds. Van Niekerk is also the Olympic record holder.

Steven Gardiner Steven Gardiner (born 12 September 1995) is a Bahamian track and field sprinter competing in the 400 metres and 200 metres. He is the current Olympic and world champion in the 400 m, and also won the silver medal at the 2017 World Champio ...

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. 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. An Olympic double of

200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...

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 Alberto Juantorena (born 3 December 1950) is a Cuban former runner. He is the only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles, which he achieved in 1976. He was ranked as world's best runner in the 400 m in 1974 and 1976–1978, a ...

of Cuba at the

1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 P ...

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.

Continental records

*Updated 22 December 2020.

All-time top 25

Men (outdoor)

*Correct as of June 2022.

Women (outdoor)

*Correct as of September 2022.

Annulled marks

* Christine Mboma ran 48.54 in Bydgoszcz on 30 June 2021, but her performance was removed from the World Athletics database because of Testosterone regulations in women's athletics. * Aminatou Seyni ran 49.19 in

Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...

on 5 July 2019, but her performance was removed from the World Athletics database because of Testosterone regulations in women's athletics. * Yuliya Gushchina ran 49.28 in

Cheboksary Cheboksary (; russian: Чебокса́ры, r=Cheboksáry, p=tɕɪbɐˈksarɨ; cv, Шупашкар, ''Şupaşkar'') is the capital city of Chuvashia, Russia and a port on the Volga River. Geography The city is located in the Volga Upland reg ...

on 5 July 2012, but her time was annulled after she tested positive for

turinabol Chlorodehydromethyltestosterone (CDMT; brand name Oral Turinabol), also known as 4-chloro-17β-hydroxy17α-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one, is an anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS). It is the 4-chloro-substituted derivative of metandienone (dehyd ...

—a banned steroid—in a 2016 retest of a sample taken from the 2011 World Championships.

Men (indoor)

*Correct as of March 2022.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 45.16: * Michael Johnson also ran 44.66 (1996), 44.97 (1995) and 45.14 (1993). *

Randolph Ross Randolph Ross (born January 1, 2001) is an American athlete specializing in the 400 metres, who competes collegiately for the North Carolina A&T Aggies. He is coached by his father Duane Ross, who was also an Olympian in the 110m hurdles. On Febr ...

also ran 44.83 (2022), 44.99 (2021). * Michael Norman also ran 45.00 (2018). * Fred Kerley also ran 45.02 (2017), 45.03 (2021). * Akeem Bloomfield also ran 45.02 (2018). * Kahmari Montgomery also ran 45.04 (2019). * Torrin Lawrence also ran 45.10 (2010). * Deon Lendore also ran 45.15 (2013).

Women (indoor)

*Correct as of February 2021.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 50.00: * Jarmila Kratochvílová also ran 49.64 (1981) and 49.69 (1983). * Taťána Kocembová also ran 49.97 (1984). * Natalya Nazarova also ran 49.98 (2006).

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 Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman (born 16 February 1973) is an Aboriginal Australian former sprinter, who specialised in the 400 metres event. Her personal best of 48.63 seconds currently ranks her as the ninth-fastest woman of all time, set ...

(AUS) - Olympic Champion in 2000, World Champion in 1997 and 1999. *3 wins:

Jeremy Wariner Jeremy Matthew Wariner (born January 31, 1984) is a retired American track athlete specializing in the 400 meters. He has won four Olympic medals (three gold, one silver) and six World Championships medals. He is the fourth fastest competitor in ...

(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:

(RSA) - Olympic Champion in 2016, World Champion in 2015 and 2017. *3 wins: Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) - Olympic Champion in 2016 and 2020, World Champion in 2022. The Olympic champion has frequently won a second gold medal in the

4 × 400 metres relay The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, th ...

. This has been accomplished 14 times by men; Charles Reidpath, Ray Barbuti, Bill Carr, George Rhoden, Charles Jenkins, Otis Davis,

Mike Larrabee Mike Larrabee (''Michael Denny Larrabee;'' December 2, 1933 – April 22, 2003) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Born in Hollywood, California and raised in Ventura, Larrabee was a young running ...

, Lee Evans, Viktor Markin,

Alonzo Babers Alonzo C. Babers (born October 31, 1961) is an American former athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in the 400 m and the 4 × 400 m relay. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Alonzo Babers was a military dependent who graduat ...

, Steve Lewis, Quincy Watts,

and LaShawn Merritt; and 4 times by women; Monika Zehrt, Valerie Brisco-Hooks,

Olga Bryzgina Olha Bryzhina ( uk, Ольга Бризгіна, maiden name Olga Arkad'evna Vladykina; russian: Ольга Аркадьевна Владыкина; born June 30, 1963 in Krasnokamsk, Perm Oblast) is a retired athlete who represented Soviet Uni ...

and

Sanya Richards-Ross Sanya Richards-Ross (née Richards; born February 26, 1985) is a retired Jamaican-American track and field athlete, who competed internationally for the United States in the 400-meter sprint. Her notable accolades in this event include being th ...

. 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 Antonio Pettigrew (November 3, 1967 – August 10, 2010) was an American sprinter who specialized in the 400 meters. Early life and career Pettigrew was born in Macon, Georgia. While attending St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Ca ...

admitted to doping.

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

World Indoor Championships medalists

Men

Women

* Known as the ''World Indoor Games''

Season's bests

Men

Women

Notes and references

External links

IAAF list of 400-metres records in XML
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Events in track and field Sprint (running) Summer Olympic disciplines in athletics