The 400 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the first edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 400 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896 but nearly seventy years passed before the introduction of the women's 400 m, which has been held continuously since the 1964 Games. It is the most prestigious 400 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has two qualifying rounds leading to a final race between eight athletes.
The Olympic record for the men's race was set in 2016, and the record for the women's race was set in 2024. Wayde van Niekerk holds the men's record of 43.03 seconds, breaking world and Olympic records that had been held by Michael Johnson since 1999 and 1996 respectively. Marileidy Paulino is the women's record holder at 48.17 seconds. The men's world record has been broken several times at the Olympics: in 1912, 1932, 1960, 1968, and 2016. Irena Szewińska is the only person to break the women's world record at the competition, doing so in 1976.
Only three athletes have won the event twice: Marie-José Pérec became the first to defend the title in 1996, then Michael Johnson followed with victories in 1996 and 2000, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo successfully defended her 2016 title at Tokyo 2020. No athlete has won more than three medals. Several medalists in the event have also had success in the 200 metres at the Olympics: Johnson, Perec, Szewińska and Valerie Brisco-Hooks have all won titles at both distances. Athletes chosen for the event almost always form part of their nation's team for the 4×400 metres relay at the Olympics.
The United States is the most successful nation in the event, with 21 gold medals and 44 medals in total. The next most successful nation is Great Britain. The 1908 men's 400 metres saw the only walkover in Olympic history, as the American finalists refused to compete in the final in protest of the officiating.London 1908 Olympic Games. Britannica. Retrieved on 2014-05-25.
Medal summary Men
Multiple medalists Rank Athlete Nation OlympicsGoldSilverBronze Total 1 1996–2000 2 0 0 2 2 2012–2021 1 1 1 3 3 1988–1992 1 1 0 2 3 2004–2008 1 1 0 2 5 2008–2016 1 0 1 2 6 1948–1952 0 2 0 2 7 1920–1924 0 1 1 2
Medals by country
Rank NationGoldSilverBronze Total 1 20 13 11 39 2 2 4 2 8 3 2 2 1 5 4 2 0 1 3 5 1 1 1 3 6 1 0 1 2 7= 1 0 0 1 7= 1 0 0 1 9 0 3 1 4 10= 0 1 1 2 10= 0 1 1 2 12= 0 1 0 1 12= 0 1 0 1 12= 0 1 0 1 12= 0 1 0 1 16 0 0 2 2 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 17= 0 0 1 1 The German total includes teams both competing as Germany and the United Team of Germany, but not East or West Germany.
Women
Multiple medalists Rank Athlete Nation OlympicsGoldSilverBronze Total 1= 1992–1996 2 0 0 2 1= 2016–2020 2 0 0 2 2= 1988–1992 1 1 0 2 2= 1996–2000 1 1 0 2 2= 2008–2012 1 1 0 2 2= 2020–2024 1 1 0 2 7 2008–2012 1 0 1 2 8= 1976–1980 0 1 1 2 8= 2016–2020 0 1 1 2
Medalists by country
Rank NationGoldSilverBronze Total 1= 3 0 0 3 1= 3 0 0 3 3 2 2 2 6 4 2 1 4 7 5 2 1 1 4 6 1 3 2 6 7 1 1 0 2 8 1 0 2 3 9 1 0 1 2 10 0 2 1 3 11= 0 1 0 1 11= 0 1 0 1 11= 0 1 0 1 11= 0 1 0 1 11= 0 1 0 1 16= 0 0 1 1 16= 0 0 1 1 16= 0 0 1 1
Olympic record progression Men
TimeAthleteNationGamesRoundDate 56.8 1896 Heat 1 54.2 1896 Final 50.4 1900 Heat 1 49.4 1900 Final 49.2 1904 Final 48.4 1904 Quarterfinal 2 48.2 1912 Final 48.0 1924 Quarterfinal 6 47.8 1924 Semifinal 1 47.6 1924 Final 47.2 1932 Semifinal 1 46.2 1932 Final 46.2 1948 Final 45.9 1952 Final 45.9 1960 Quarterfinal 4 45.5 1960 Semifinal 1 44.9 1960 Final 44.83 1968 Semifinal 2 43.86 1968 Final 43.71 1992 Semifinal 1 43.50 1992 Final 43.49 1996 Final 43.03 2016 Final
Women
TimeAthleteNationGamesRoundDate 54.4 1964 Heat 1 53.1 1964 Heat 3 52.7 1964 Semifinal 1 52.0 1964 Final 52.03 1968 Final 51.94 1972 Heat 1 51.71 1972 Quarterfinal 3 51.68 1972 Semifinal 1 51.47 1972 Semifinal 2 51.08 1972 Final 50.48 1976 Semifinal 1 49.28 1976 Final 48.88 1980 Final 28 July 48.83 1984 Final 6 August 48.65 1988 Final 26 September 48.25 1996 Final 29 July 48.17 2024 Final 9 August
Intercalated Games The 1906 Intercalated Games were held in Athens and at the time were officially recognised as part of the Olympic Games series, with the intention being to hold a games in Greece in two-year intervals between the internationally-held Olympics. However, this plan never came to fruition and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later decided not to recognise these games as part of the official Olympic series. Some sports historians continue to treat the results of these games as part of the Olympic canon.1906 Athina Summer Games. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
At this event a men's 400 m was held and Paul Pilgrim, a 1904 Olympic gold medalist in the 4-mile team race, won the competition. Wyndham Halswelle, later the 1908 Olympic champion in the 400 metres on walkover, was the runner-up while Australia's Nigel Barker was the bronze medalist.Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 400 metres. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
Non-canonical Olympic events In addition to the main 1900 Olympic men's 400 metres, a handicap competition was contested seven days after the final. Twenty men entered, with Hungary's Pál Koppán, Germany's Albert Werkmüller and Dave Hall of the United States being the only non-French entrants. Koppán was the victor with a handicap of 35 m, Werkmüller was second with a handicap of 35 m, and Frenchman André Lemonnier took third with a 26 m handicap.Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 400 metres, Handicap. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-06-28.Handicap Olympic Athletics Events. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.
Two professionals-only events were also held in 1900. The 400 metres world record holder Edgar Bredin won with a time of 53.2 seconds, ahead of Legrain of France (possibly Paul Legrain) and his compatriot Jules Bouchoux. A handicap professional race was also held but the results have not been located.Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 400 metres, Professionals. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-06-28.
A handicap 440-yard dash (402.3 m) competition was held at 1904 Summer Olympics after the 1904 Olympic men's 400 m race. An American, F. Darcy, won the race with a time of 50.8 (12-yard start). George Underwood, also of the United States, came second with no handicap and James Peck of Canada came third off a six-yard headstart.
These events are no longer considered part of the official Olympic history of the 400 metres or the athletics programme in general. Consequently, medals from these competitions have not been assigned to nations on the all-time medal tables.
Finishing times
The 2024 men's final was the fastest 400-meter race in Olympic history, collectively: five of the eight men ran under 43.87 seconds, with these five times ranking among the top 15 fastest Olympic times.
Top ten fastest Olympic times
+ Fastest men's times at the OlympicsRankTime (sec)AthleteNationGamesDate 1 43.03 (WR) Wayde Van Niekerk 2016 2016-08-14 2 43.40 Quincy Hall 2024 2024-08-07 3 43.44 Matthew Hudson-Smith 2024 2024-08-07 4 43.49 Michael Johnson 1996 1996-07-29 5 43.50 Quincy Watts 1992 1992-08-04 6 43.71 Quincy Watts 1992 SF 1992-08-04 7 43.74 Muzala Samukonga 2024 2024-08-07 8 43.75 LaShawn Merritt 2008 2008-08-21 9 43.76 Kirani James 2016 2016-08-14 10 43.78 Kirani James 2024SF 2024-08-06 Jereem Richards 2024 2024-08-07
+ Fastest women's times at the OlympicsRankTime (sec)AthleteNationGamesDate 1 48.17 Marileidy Paulino 2024 2024-08-09 2 48.25 Marie-José Pérec 1996 1996-07-29 3 48.36 Shaunae Miller-Uibo 2021 2021-08-06 4 48.53 Salwa Eid Naser 2024 2024-08-09 5 48.63 Cathy Freeman 1996 1996-07-29 6 48.65 Olga Bryzgina 1988 1988-09-26748.83 Valerie Brisco-Hooks 1984 1984-08-06 Marie-José Pérec 1992 1992-08-05 9 48.88 Marita Koch 1980 1980-07-28 10 48.98 Natalia Kaczmarek 2024 2024-08-09
Legend SF: Semifinals
References Participation and athlete data Athletics Men's 400 metres Medalists. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Athletics Women's 400 metres Medalists. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Olympic record progressions Mallon, Bill (2012). TRACK & FIELD ATHLETICS - OLYMPIC RECORD PROGRESSIONS. Track and Field News. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Specific
External links IAAF 400 metres homepage Official Olympics website Olympic athletics records from Track & Field News