400 metres

The closing stages of a men's 400 m race.

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)—also referred to as the 'quarter-mile'—instead of the 400 m, 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.

The United States men have historically dominated this event. 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. Kirani James and Amantle Montsho are the reigning men's and women's world champions respectively, while LaShawn Merritt and Christine Ohuruogu hold the men's and women's Olympic titles respectively. The men's Paralympic world record of 45.07 seconds is held by Oscar Pistorius. Michael Johnson has run the fastest 4×400 metres relay split—a 42.93 in the 1993 World Championships. see the video

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

Men

• Updated April 2010

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Location
1.	43.18	Michael Johnson	United States	26 August 1999	Seville
2.	43.29	Harry 'Butch' Reynolds	United States	17 August 1988	Zürich
3.	43.45	Jeremy Wariner	United States	31 August 2007	Osaka
4.	43.50	Quincy Watts	United States	5 August 1992	Barcelona
5.	43.75	LaShawn Merritt	United States	21 August 2008	Beijing
6.	43.81	Danny Everett	United States	26 June 1992	New Orleans
7.	43.86	Lee Evans	United States	18 October 1968	Mexico City
8.	43.87	Steve Lewis	United States	28 September 1988	Seoul
9.	43.97	Larry James	United States	18 October 1968	Mexico City
10.	44.05	Angelo Taylor	United States	23 June 2007	Indianapolis

Women

• Updated April 2010

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Location
1.	47.60	Marita Koch	East Germany	6 October 1985	Canberra
2.	47.99	Jarmila Kratochvílová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
3.	48.25	Marie-José Pérec	France	29 July 1996	Atlanta
4.	48.27	Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina	Soviet Union	6 October 1985	Canberra
5.	48.59	Taťána Kocembová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
6.	48.63	Cathy Freeman	Australia	29 July 1996	Atlanta
7.	48.70	Sanya Richards	United States	16 September 2006	Athens
8.	48.83	Valerie Brisco-Hooks	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles
9.	48.89	Ana Guevara	Mexico	27 August 2003	Paris Saint-Denis
10.	49.05	Chandra Cheeseborough	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles

• Allyson Felix ran a 48 second split during a 4x400m relay in the 2007 Athletics World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

See also

• World record progression 400 metres men

External links

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