400 metres explained

The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint 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 (1,760 yards) and was referred to as the "quarter-mile"—instead of the 400 m (437.445 yards), though this distance is now obsolete.

The current men's world record and Olympic record is held by Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa; his time of 43.03 seconds is the fastest 400 m ever run, in either an open 400 m or a relay split (excluding reaction time). While Michael Johnson holds the fastest 400 m relay split with a time of 42.94, relay splits are typically faster because athletes have a running start and do not need to react to the gun if they are not the leadoff leg. Considering van Niekerk's reaction time of 0.181 seconds in his run of 43.03, van Niekerk covered the 400-metre distance itself in 42.85 seconds, therefore being 0.09 s faster than Johnson's relay split.^[1]

Quincy Hall is the reigning men's Olympic champion. Collen Kebinatshipi is the current men's world champion. Kerron Clement is the men's world indoor record holder with a time of 44.57 seconds.^[2] The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the current women's world champion, holding the championship record of 47.78 seconds. Marileidy Paulino is the women’s Olympic champion, and holds the Olympic record in a time of 48.17 seconds. Femke Bol holds the women's world indoor record at 49.17 (2024). The men's T43 Paralympic world record of 45.07 seconds is held by Oscar Pistorius.^[3]

An Olympic double of 200 metres 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 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. 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 (as of 2019).

Sprint

Like other sprint disciplines, the 400 m involves the use of starting blocks. 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. 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 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.^[4]

Continental records

• Updated 18 September 2025.^{[5] [6]}

Area	Men			Women
	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation
	43.03	Wayde van Niekerk		49.10	Falilat Ogunkoya
	43.93	Yousef Masrahi		48.14	Salwa Eid Naser
	43.44	Matthew Hudson-Smith		47.60	Marita Koch
	43.18	Michael Johnson		47.78	Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
	44.38	Darren Clark		48.63	Cathy Freeman
	43.93	Anthony Zambrano		49.64	Ximena Restrepo

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 400 m times and the top 25 athletes:
- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 400 m times
- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 400 m times, by repeat athletes
- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 400 m times

Men (outdoor)

See also: Men's 400 metres world record progression.

• Correct as of September 2025.^{[7] [8]}

		Time (s)	Reaction (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	43.03	0.181			14 August 2016		[9]
2	2	43.18	0.150			26 August 1999		[10]
3	3	43.29				17 August 1988
	4	43.39		Johnson #2		9 August 1995	Gothenburg
4	5	43.40	0.168	Quincy Hall		7 August 2024	Saint-Denis
	6	43.44	align=center		Johnson #3		19 June 1996
5	6	43.44	0.149	Matthew Hudson-Smith		7 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[11]
6	8	43.45	0.182			31 August 2007		[12]
				Michael Norman		20 April 2019		[13]
	10	43.48	0.156	van Niekerk #2		26 August 2015		[14]
8	11	43.48	0.164			4 October 2019		[15] [16]
	12	43.49		Johnson #4		29 July 1996
9	13	43.50				5 August 1992
	14	43.50		Wariner #2		7 August 2007
10	15	43.53	0.134	Collen Kebinatshipi		18 September 2025	Tokyo	[17]
	16	43.56		Norman #2		25 June 2022	Eugene	[18]
	17	43.60	0.130	Norman #3		28 May 2022	Eugene	[19] [20]
	18	43.61		Norman #4		8 June 2018	Eugene
	19	43.61	0.145	Kebinatshipi #2		16 September 2025	Tokyo	[21]
	20	43.62		Wariner #3		14 July 2006
			0.164	van Niekerk #3		6 July 2017		[22]
11	22	43.64				27 July 2019		[23]
	23	43.65		Johnson #5		17 August 1993
12	24	43.65	0.195			26 August 2015		[24]
	25	43.66		Johnson #6		16 June 1995
			Johnson #7	3 July 1996
13		43.70		Champion Allison		25 June 2022	Eugene
14		43.72				5 July 2015		[25]
			0.145	Jereem Richards		18 September 2025		[26]
16		43.74				3 July 2014		[27]
			0.185	Muzala Samukonga		7 August 2024	Saint-Denis
18		43.76		Zakithi Nene		31 May 2025		[28]
19		43.81		Danny Everett		26 June 1992	New Orleans
20		43.85		Randolph Ross		11 June 2021	Eugene	[29]
0.158		Jacory Patterson		28 August 2025	Zurich	[30]
22		43.86		Lee Evans		18 October 1968	Mexico City
23		43.87				28 September 1988
24		43.91		Khaleb McRae		22 June 2025		[31]
25		43.93				23 August 2015		[32]
						23 August 2015
						2 August 2021		[33]

Women (outdoor)

See also: Women's 400 metres world record progression.

• Correct as of September 2025.^{[34] [35]}

		Time (s)	Reaction (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	47.60				6 October 1985
2	2	47.78	0.171	Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone		18 September 2025	Tokyo	[36]
3	3	47.98	0.183	Marileidy Paulino		18 September 2025	Tokyo
4	4	47.99		Jarmila Kratochvílová		10 August 1983	Helsinki
5	5	48.14	0.186			3 October 2019		[37]
	6	48.16		Koch #2		8 September 1982
				Koch #3		16 August 1984
	8	48.17		Paulino #2		9 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[38]
	9	48.19	0.189	Naser #2		18 September 2025	Tokyo
	10	48.22		Koch #4		28 August 1986	Stuttgart
6	11	48.25		Marie-José Pérec		29 July 1996	Atlanta
	12	48.26		Koch #5		27 July 1984	Dresden
7	13	48.27		Olga Bryzgina		6 October 1985	Canberra
	14	48.29		McLaughlin-Levrone #2		16 September 2025	Tokyo	[39]
8	15	48.36		Shaunae Miller-Uibo		6 August 2021	Tokyo
	16	48.37	0.145	Miller-Uibo #2		3 October 2019
	17	48.45		Kratochvílová #2		23 July 1983	Prague
	18	48.53		Naser #3		9 August 2024	Saint-Denis
9	19	48.57		Nickisha Pryce		20 July 2024	London	[40]
10	20	48.59		Taťána Kocembová		10 August 1983	Helsinki
	21	48.60		Koch #6		4 August 1979
				Bryzgina #2		17 August 1985
	23	48.61		Kratochvílová #3		6 September 1981
11	24	48.63				29 July 1996
	25	48.65		Bryzgina #3		26 September 1988
12		48.70				16 September 2006
13		48.83		Valerie Brisco-Hooks		6 August 1984	Los Angeles
14		48.89				27 August 2003
15		48.90		Natalia Kaczmarek		20 July 2024	London
16		49.05				6 August 1984
17		49.07				12 September 2004
				Rhasidat Adeleke		10 June 2024	Rome	[41]
19		49.09	0.200			11 July 2025		[42]
20		49.10				29 July 1996
21		49.11				25 September 1988
22		49.13		Britton Wilson		13 May 2023	Baton Rouge	[43]
				Kaylyn Brown		8 June 2024	Eugene	[44]
24		49.14				5 April 2025		[45]
25		49.16				5 July 2012	Cheboksary

Annulled marks

• Christine Mboma ran 48.54 in Bydgoszcz on 30 June 2021, but her performance was removed from the World Athletics database due to testosterone regulations in women's athletics.

Men (indoor)

• Correct as of February 2026.^[46]

		Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	44.49	Christopher Morales Williams		24 February 2024	Fayetteville	[47]
2	2	44.52	Michael Norman		10 March 2018	College Station
			Khaleb McRae		13 February 2026	Fayetteville	[48]
4	4	44.57	Kerron Clement		12 March 2005	Fayetteville
5	5	44.62	Randolph Ross		12 March 2022	Birmingham	[49]
			Jonathan Simms		10 January 2026	Clemson	[50]
7	7	44.63	Michael Johnson		4 March 1995	Atlanta
	8	44.66	Johnson #2		2 March 1996	Atlanta
	9	44.67	Morales Williams #2		7 March 2024	Boston
8	10	44.70	Christopher Bailey		14 February 2025	Fayetteville	[51]
9	11	44.71	Noah Williams		13 March 2021	Fayetteville	[52]
10	12	44.74	Ezekiel Nathaniel		1 March 2025	Lubbock	[53]
11	13	44.75	Elija Godwin		25 February 2023	Fayetteville	[54]
	12	44.75	Godwin #2		11 March 2023	Albuquerque	[55]
12	15	44.80	Kirani James		27 February 2011	Fayetteville
	16	44.80	Morales Williams #3		13 February 2026	Clemson	[56]
13	17	44.82	Tyrell Richard		9 March 2019	Birmingham	[57]
	18	44.83	Ross #2		11 February 2022	Clemson
14	19	44.85	Fred Kerley		11 March 2017	College Station
		44.85	Samuel Ogazi		7 February 2026	Albuquerque	[58]
16	21	44.86	Akeem Bloomfield		10 March 2018	College Station
	22	44.87	Morales Williams #4		31 January 2026	Fayetteville	[59]
17	23	44.88	Bralon Taplin		3 February 2018	College Station
18	24	44.91	Auhmad Robinson		9 March 2024	Boston	[60]
	25	44.92	Nathaniel #2		14 February 2025	Lubbock	[61]
19		44.93	LaShawn Merritt		11 February 2005	Fayetteville
		44.93	Ryan Willie		11 March 2023	Albuquerque	[62]
21		44.95	Jayden Davis		1 March 2025	Lubbock	[63]
22		45.00	Jereem Richards		19 March 2022	Belgrade	[64]
23		45.01	Attila Molnár		3 February 2026	Ostrava	[65]
24		45.02	Danny Everett		2 February 1992	Stuttgart
25		45.03	Torrin Lawrence		12 February 2010	Fayetteville
			Deon Lendore		1 March 2014	College Station
			Kahmari Montgomery		9 March 2019	Birmingham

Women (indoor)

• Correct as of March 2025.^[66]

		Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	49.17	Femke Bol		2 March 2024	Glasgow	[67]
	2	49.24	Bol #2		17 February 2024	Apeldoorn	[68]
2	2	49.24	Isabella Whittaker		15 March 2025	Virginia Beach	[69]
	4	49.26	Bol #3		19 February 2023	Apeldoorn	[70]
3	5	49.48	Britton Wilson		11 March 2023	Albuquerque
4	6	49.59	Jarmila Kratochvílová		7 March 1982	Milan
	7	49.63	Bol #4		10 February 2024	Liévin	[71]
	8	49.64	Kratochvílová #2		28 January 1981	Vienna
5	9	49.68	Natalya Nazarova		18 February 2004	Moscow
	10	49.69	Kratochvílová #3		6 March 1983	Budapest
			Bol #5		1 February 2024	Metz	[72]
6	12	49.76	Taťána Kocembová		2 February 1984	Vienna
7	13	49.78	Aaliyah Butler		1 March 2025	College Station	[73]
	14	49.85	Bol #6		4 March 2023	Istanbul	[74]
	15	49.90	Whittaker #2		1 March 2025	College Station
	16	49.96	Bol #7		11 February 2023	Metz	[75]
	17	49.97	Kocembová #2		4 March 1984	Gothenburg
			Butler #2		15 March 2025	Virginia Beach
	19	49.98	Nazarova #2		18 February 2006	Moscow
	20	50.00	Kratochvílová #4		10 February 1983	Vienna
8	21	50.01	Sabine Busch		2 February 1984	Vienna
9	22	50.02	Nicola Sanders		3 March 2007	Birmingham
10	23	50.04	Olesya Krasnomovets		18 February 2006	Moscow
	24	50.04	Krasnomovets #2		12 March 2006	Moscow
	25	50.07	Kratochvílová #5		22 February 1981	Grenoble
11		50.10	Lieke Klaver		18 February 2024	Apeldoorn	[76]
12		50.15	Olga Zaytseva		25 January 2006	Moscow
			Talitha Diggs		25 February 2023	Fayetteville	[77]
14		50.21	Vania Stambolova		12 March 2006	Moscow
			Shaunae Miller-Uibo		13 February 2021	New York City	[78]
16		50.23	Irina Privalova		12 March 1995	Barcelona
17		50.24	Alexis Holmes		2 March 2024	Glasgow
18		50.28	Petra Müller		6 March 1988	Budapest
19		50.33	Rhasidat Adeleke		25 February 2023	Lubbock
20		50.34	Christine Amertil		12 March 2006	Moscow
			Kendall Ellis		10 March 2018	College Station
22		50.36	Sydney McLaughlin		10 March 2018	College Station
23		50.37	Natalya Antyukh		18 February 2006	Moscow
24		50.40	Dagmar Neubauer		2 February 1984	Vienna
25		50.41	Svetlana Pospelova		5 March 2005	Madrid

Fastest relay splits

Men

Split	Athlete	Leg	Date	Event	Place
42.94		L4	22 August 1993	World Championships	Stuttgart	[79]	-	42.93		2007	Osaka	[80] The url has expired and World Athletics' 2022 Statistics Handbook gives Wariner a split time of 43.10 in that race-->
43.04		L4	10 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis	[81]
43.06		L4	27 May 2018	NCAA West Prelims	Sacramento	[82]
43.09		L4	10 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis
43.10		L4	2 September 2007	World Championships	Osaka	[83]
43.1		L2	8 August 1992	Summer Olympics	Barcelona	[84]	-As of 21 Sept 2025, the official results for the 2025 world championships 4x400 m men's heat 1, show a split time of 43.11 for Christopher Bailey's who started for the US team. This would be a comfortable world record for a starter (Danny Everett in Seoul in 1988 is next with 43.79). Demarius Smith, who ran after him, has a split time of 48.17, which is exceptionally slow, even allowing for a ~1 sec delay caused by Zambian interference at the next exchange. Moreover, footage shows that the baton handovers of the American and South African teams at the first exchange were simultaneous and not 1.2 seconds apart as the recorded split time of 44.30 seconds for the South African starter (Gardeo Isaac) suggests. In other words, Bailey's split time is unlikely to be accurate and should not be included. Also, due to the interference, the American team's time was officially replaced by their better results from heat 3.	43.11		L1	20 September 2025	World Championships	Tokyo	[85] -->
43.18		L4	23 August 2008	Summer Olympics	Beijing
		L4	7 June 2024	NCAA Championships	Eugene	[86]
		L4	10 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis
43.20		L4	7 June 2024	NCAA Championships	Eugene
43.2		L2	20 October 1968	Summer Olympics	Mexico City
		L2	8 April 2006		Austin
		L2	20 August 2016	Summer Olympics	Rio de Janeiro	[87]
43.23		L3	22 August 1993	World Championships	Stuttgart
43.24		L4	10 June 2022	NCAA Championships	Eugene	[88]
43.26		L2	10 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis
		L3	21 September 2025	World Championships	Tokyo	[89]
43.3		L2	10 August 2012	Summer Olympics	London

Annulled marks

• The American athlete Antonio Pettigrew recorded a split time of 43.1 at the 1997 World Championships men's 4 x 400 m finals in Athens, but his time was annulled in 2008, after Pettigrew admitted to multiple doping violations between 1997 and 2003.^[90]

Women

Split	Athlete	Leg	Date	Event	Place
47.6		L4	11 September 1982	European Championships	Athens	[91]
47.70		L4	3 June 1984	National Championships	Erfurt
47.71		L2	10 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis	[92]
47.72		L3	30 August 2015	World Championships	Beijing	[93]
47.75		L4	14 August 1983	World Championships	Helsinki	[94]
47.8		L4	1 October 1988	Summer Olympics	Seoul
47.82		L2	1 October 1988	Summer Olympics	Seoul
		L4	21 September 2025	World Championships	Tokyo	[95]
47.84		L4	18 August 1984	Friendship Games	Prague
47.9		L4	5 July 1981	European Cup Semifinal	Frankfurt
		L4	2 August 1981	European Cup B Final	Pescara
		L4	11 September 1982	European Championships	Athens
		L4	21 August 1983	European Cup Final	London
		L4	4 October 1985	IAAF World Cup	Canberra	[96]
47.91		L4	24 July 2022	World Championships	Eugene	[97]
48.00		L4	3 August 2024	Summer Olympics	Saint-Denis	[98]
48.01		L2	2 September 2007	World Championships	Osaka	[99]
48.08		L4	1 October 1988	Summer Olympics	Seoul
48.1		L4	12 May 2019	IAAF World Relays	Yokohama	[100]

• Relay splits are typically faster because athletes have a running start and do not need to react to the gun if they are not the leadoff leg.
• World Athletics reports a split time of 42.94, which is based on "photo-finish pictures taken at the start and finish of Johnson’s leg supplied by Seiko. Using different methods, the DLV Biomechanics Report from Stuttgart 1993 variously showed timings of 42.91 and 42.92.^[79]
• Run in a mixed 4 x 400 metres relay race.

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 (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.
• 3 wins: Wayde van Niekerk (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. 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. 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 admitted to doping.

Olympic medalists

Women

World Championships medalists

Women

World Indoor Championships medalists

Men

1985 Paris
1987 Indianapolis
1989 Budapest
1991 Seville
1993 Toronto
1995 Barcelona
1997 Paris
1999 Maebashi
2001 Lisbon
2003 Birmingham
2004 Budapest
2006 Moscow
2008 Valencia
2010 Doha
2012 Istanbul
2014 Sopot
2016 Portland
2018 Birmingham
2022 Belgrade
2024 Glasgow
2025 Nanjing

Women

1985 Paris
1987 Indianapolis
1989 Budapest
1991 Seville
1993 Toronto
1995 Barcelona
1997 Paris
1999 Maebashi
2001 Lisbon
2003 Birmingham
2004 Budapest
2006 Moscow
2008 Valencia
2010 Doha
2012 Istanbul
2014 Sopot
2016 Portland
2018 Birmingham
2022 Belgrade
2024 Glasgow
2025 Nanjing

• Known as the World Indoor Games

Season's bests

Men

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
1966	44.82		Kingston
1967	44.74		San Jose
1968	43.86		Mexico City
1969	44.67		Knoxville
1970	45.01		Edinburgh
1971	44.44		Eugene
1972	44.34		Eugene
1973	44.85		Baton Rouge
1974	44.94		Mexico City
1975	44.45		Mexico City
1976	44.26		Montreal
1977	44.65		La Habana
1978	44.27		Medellín
1979	44.92		Stuttgart
1980	44.60		Moscow
1981	44.58		Baton Rouge
1982	44.68		Indianapolis
1983	44.50		München
1984	44.27		Los Angeles
1985	44.47		Canberra
1986	44.30		Indianapolis
1987	44.10		Columbus
1988	43.29		Zurich
1989	44.27		Houston
1990	44.06		Seville
1991	44.17		Lausanne
1992	43.50		Barcelona
1993	43.65		Stuttgart
1994	43.90		Madrid
1995	43.39		Gothenburg
1996	43.44		Atlanta
1997	43.75		Waco
1998	43.68		Zürich
1999	43.18		Sevilla
2000	43.68		Sacramento
2001	44.28		Los Angeles
2002	44.45		Belém
2003	44.33		Palo Alto
2004	44.00		Athens
2005	43.93		Helsinki
2006	43.62		Rome
2007	43.45		Osaka
2008	43.75		Beijing
2009	44.06		Berlin
2010	44.13		Zürich
2011	44.35		Daegu
2012	43.94		London
2013	43.74		Moscow
2014	43.74		Lausanne
2015	43.48		Beijing
2016	43.03		Rio de Janeiro
2017	43.62		Lausanne
2018	43.61		Eugene
2019	43.45		Torrance
2020	44.91		Marietta
2021	43.85		Eugene
		Tokyo
2022	43.56		Eugene
2023	43.74		Székesfehérvár
2024	43.40		Saint-Denis
2025	43.53		Tokyo

Women

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
1966
1967
1968	52.03		Mexico City
1969	51.72		Athens
1970	51.02		Edinburgh
1971	52.14		Helsinki
1972	51.08		Munich
1973	51.27		Helsinki
1974	50.14		Rome
1975	50.50		Nice
1976	49.28		Montreal
1977	49.52		Düsseldorf
1978	48.94		Prague
1979	48.60		Potsdam
1980	48.88		Moscow
1981	48.61		Rome
1982	48.16		Athens
1983	47.99		Helsinki
1984	48.16		Prague
1985	47.60		Canberra
1986	48.22		Stuttgart
1987	49.38		Rome
1988	48.65		Seoul
1989	50.01		Duisburg
1990	49.50		Split
1991	49.32		Frankfurt
1992	48.83		Frankfurt
1993	49.81		Beijing
1994	49.77		Paris
1995	49.28		Gothenburg
1996	48.25		Atlanta
1997	49.39		Oslo
1998	49.29		Rome
1999	49.62		Lagos
2000	49.11		Sydney
2001	49.59		Athens
2002	49.16		Zürich
2003	48.89		Saint-Denis
2004	49.07		Berlin
2005	48.92		Zürich
2006	48.70		Athens
2007	49.27		Berlin
Stuttgart
2008	49.62		Beijing
2009	48.83		Brussels
2010	49.64		Des Moines
2011	49.35		Cheboksary
2012	49.16		Cheboksary
2013	49.33		Monaco
2014	49.48		Sacramento
2015	49.26		Beijing
2016	49.44		Rio de Janeiro
2017	49.46		Brussels
2018	48.97		Monaco
2019	48.14		Doha
2020	50.42		Pretoria
2021	48.36		Tokyo
2022	48.99		Zürich
2023	48.74		Eugene
2024	48.17		Saint-Denis
2025	47.78		Tokyo

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Škraba . Žiga P. . 2016-08-15 . 43.03 – The Fastest 400m in History . 2024-08-04 . Žiga P. Škraba . en.
2. Web site: Canadian teenager Christopher Morales Williams denied 400m indoor world record due to starting block issue. George. Ramsay. 26 February 2024. CNN.
3. Web site: Who is Oscar Pistorius ??? « Flightunit : News, Tips, Music, video, games & more . 2 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120817032800/http://www.flightunit.com/uncategorized/who-oscar-pistorius-is/ . 17 August 2012 . dead.
4. http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/csa/vol11/shepard.htm Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences
5. Web site: Men's outdoor 400 Metres Records . worldathletics.org . . 18 September 2025.
6. Web site: Women's outdoor 400 Metres Records . worldathletics.org . . 18 September 2025.
7. Web site: Senior Outdoor 400 Metres Men . . 18 September 2025.
8. Web site: All-time men's best 400m. alltime-athletics.com. 8 January 2017. 31 January 2017.
9. Web site: Men's 400m Results . Rio 2016 official website . 14 August 2016 . 15 August 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160920130147/https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATM004101_Results_2016_08_14_ff3d0a74_10b4_4382_91f3_8783d2c9311c.pdf . 20 September 2016 .
10. Web site: 400 Metres Result 7th IAAF World Championships in Athletics . worldathletics.org . 1 June 2023 . en.
11. Web site: Men's 400m - Final results . Olympics . 8 August 2024 . 7 August 2024.
12. Web site: 400 Metres Result 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics . worldathletics.org . 1 June 2023 . en.
13. Web site: 61st ANNUAL MT. SAC RELAYS . rtspt.com . RecordTiming . 20 April 2019 . 20 April 2019.
14. Web site: 400 Metres Result 15th IAAF World Championships . worldathletics.org . 1 June 2023 . en.
15. Web site: 400m Results. IAAF. 4 October 2019. 6 October 2019.
16. Web site: 400 Metres Result IAAF World Athletics Championships, DOHA 2019 . worldathletics.org . 1 June 2023 . en.
17. Web site: Men's 400m Final Results. World Athletics. 18 September 2025. 18 September 2025.
18. News: McLaughlin breaks world 400m hurdles record with 51.41 at US Championships. World Athletics. Karen Rosen. 26 June 2022. 28 June 2022.
19. News: Norman reigns in fierce 400m clash with record run in Eugene. World Athletics. Cathal Dennehy. 29 May 2022. 15 June 2022.
20. Web site: Wanda Diamond League Hayward Field - Eugene, OR (USA) 27th - 28th May 2022 Results 400m Men . 1 June 2023.
21. Web site: Men's 400m Semi-Final Results Summary. World Athletics. 16 September 2025. 16 September 2025.
22. Web site: IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE Lausanne (SUI) 6 July 2017 Results 400m Men . 1 June 2023.
23. News: Kendricks tops 6.06m in Des Moines. IAAF. Roy Jordan. 28 July 2019. 29 July 2019.
24. Web site: 400m Results. IAAF. 26 August 2015. 26 August 2015.
25. Web site: 400m Results . www.sep-olympic.ch . 5 July 2015 . 5 July 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150714102404/http://www.sep-olympic.ch/resisprintdoc/400m3.pdf . 14 July 2015 .
26. Web site: Men's 400m Final Results. World Athletics. 18 September 2025. 18 September 2025.
27. Web site: 400m . 2014-07-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140708001133/http://www.diamondleague-lausanne.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/400m/ . 8 July 2014 .
28. Web site: Nene smashes 44-second barrier in Nairobi. World Athletics. Justin Lagat. 31 May 2025. 12 June 2025.
29. News: Burrell breaks world U20 400m hurdles record in Eugene. World Athletics. Jess Whittington. 12 June 2021. 29 June 2021.
30. Web site: 400m Results. azureedge.net. 28 August 2025. 29 August 2025.
31. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 3 July 2025.
32. Web site: 400m Men - Heats Results. IAAF. 23 August 2015. 23 August 2015.
33. Web site: Men's 400m Semifinal Results Summary. olympics.com. 2 August 2021. 17 August 2021. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009132117/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/ATH/OG2020-_ATH_C74A_ATHM400M--------------SFNL--------.pdf. dead.
34. Web site: Toplists – All time Top lists – Senior Outdoor 400 Metres Women . . 17 April 2021.
35. Web site: All-time women's best 400m. alltime-athletics.com. 26 November 2016. 31 January 2017.
36. Web site: Women's 400m Final Results. World Athletics. 18 September 2025. 18 September 2025.
37. Web site: 400m Results. IAAF. 3 October 2019. 4 October 2019.
38. Web site: Paulino powers to Olympic record to win 400m gold in Paris News Paris 24 Olympic Games . 2024-08-09 . worldathletics.org . en.
39. Web site: Women's 400m Semi-Final Results Summary. World Athletics. 16 September 2025. 16 September 2025.
40. Web site: 400m Result. swisstiming.com. 20 July 2024. 20 July 2024.
41. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 11 June 2024.
42. Web site: 400m Results. azureedge.net. 11 July 2025. 17 July 2025.
43. Web site: Wilson clocks 49.13 for 400m, Hibbert breaks world U20 triple jump record with 17.87m REPORT World Athletics . 2023-05-14 . worldathletics.org.
44. Web site: Pryce, Long and Jones impress in sprints at NCAA Championships REPORT World Athletics . 2024-06-09 . worldathletics.org.
45. Web site: First four Grand Slam Track champions crowned in Kingston. World Athletics. Noel Francis. 6 April 2025. 16 April 2025.
46. Web site: Toplists - All time Top lists - Senior Indoor 400 Metres Men . . 13 March 2021.
47. Web site: Men 400m Result . 24 February 2024 . flashresults.com.
48. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
49. Web site: 12 March 2022 . 400m Result . 14 March 2022 . Flash Results.
50. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
51. Web site: 400m Final 10 Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
52. Web site: 13 March 2021 . Results: Men 400 M (Finals) . 13 March 2021 . Flash Results.
53. Web site: 400m Final 2 Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
54. Web site: 25 February 2023 . 400m Result . 4 March 2023 . flashresults.com.
55. Web site: Alfred, Garland and Wilson threaten world records at NCAA Indoor Championships REPORT World Athletics . 2023-03-12 . www.worldathletics.org.
56. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
57. Web site: 9 March 2019 . 400m Results . 10 March 2019 . flashresults.com.
58. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
59. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
60. Web site: Men 400 M . 2024-03-09 . flashresults.ncaa.com.
61. Web site: 400m Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
62. Web site: 11 March 2023 . 400m Result . 18 March 2023 . Flash Results.
63. Web site: 400m Final 2 Results. World Athletics. 24 February 2026.
64. Web site: 19 March 2022 . 400m Results . 19 March 2022 . World Athletics.
65. Web site: 3 February 2026 . History repeats as Crestan and Molnar headline record spree in Ostrava . 3 February 2026 . World Athletics.
66. Web site: Senior Indoor 400 Metres Women . iaaf.org . . 21 December 2018.
67. Web site: 2 March 2024 . 400m Final Result . 2 March 2024 . World Athletics.
68. Web site: 18 February 2024 . Bol breaks world indoor 400m record with 49.24 in Apeldoorn . 18 February 2024 . World Athletics.
69. Web site: Emerole . Anderson . 16 March 2025 . Whittaker goes No.2 all time to win NCAA indoor 400m title . 16 March 2025 . World Athletics.
70. Web site: 19 February 2023 . Bol breaks world indoor 400m record with 49.26 in Apeldoorn . 19 February 2023 . World Athletics.
71. Web site: Mills . Steven . 10 February 2024 . 49.63 for Bol and 22.37m for Fabbri light up Lievin . 10 February 2024 . European Athletics.
72. Web site: Mills . Steven . 3 February 2024 . Bol launches season with a 22.64/49.69 double in Metz . 3 February 2024 . European Athletics.
73. Web site: 1 March 2025 . 2025 Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship Results . 2 March 2025 . World Athletics.
74. Web site: Dennehy . Cathal . 4 March 2023 . Bol and Warholm claim European indoor 400m crowns in Istanbul . 4 March 2023 . World Athletics.
75. Web site: 11 February 2023 . Bol clocks 49.96 and 22.87 in Metz, Bromell breezes to 6.42 in Clemson . 11 February 2023 . World Athletics.
76. Web site: 18 February 2024 . FLASH: Bol breaks world indoor 400m record with 49.24 in Apeldoorn . 18 February 2024 . World Athletics.
77. Web site: 25 February 2023 . Weekend Recap: All-Time Marks Canvas Conference Championships Weekend . 25 February 2023 . . en.
78. News: Taylor Dutch . 14 February 2021 . Three American Records and 10 National Records Fall at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix . 23 February 2021 . runnersworld.com.
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80. Web site: 4x400 Metres Relay Icons. 10 June 2018. Jeremy Wariner: The two-time world 400m champion was a key member of the USA 4x400m squad in the 2000s, picking up two Olympic relay golds and three world titles. He also boasts the second-fastest relay split in history with his 42.93 from the 2007 World Championships..
81. Web site: Men's 4 x 400m Relay Results. olympics.com. 10 August 2024. 17 August 2024.
82. Web site: Men's 4×400m Relay Results. ncaa.com. 27 May 2018. 28 May 2018.
83. Book: 11 July 2022. World Athletics Championships Oregon22 Statistics Handbook. Butler. Mark. World Athletics. Association of Track and Field Statisticians. 259. 21 September 2025.
84. Peter Larsson & Francois Lorange, All-time Men's best 4x400m relay
85. "World Athletics Championships Tokyo'25 - Men's 4X400m Relay - Heat 1 (revised)", World Athletics, 21 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
86. https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2024/012-2-01.htm NCAA Outdoor Championships, Eugene 2024 - Results: Men 4x400 M Relay (Final)
87. Web site: Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final Results . 23 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160920195835/https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATM404101_Results_2016_08_20_3f946dd6_c984_4e33_bf39_31afec5beb68.pdf . 20 September 2016 . dead.
88. https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2022/012-2-01.htm NCAA Outdoor Championships, Eugene 2024 - Results: Men 4x400 M Relay (Final)
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98. "Athletics – 4 x 400m Relay Mixed – Final – Results – Revised", Olympics.com, 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
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100. https://web.archive.org/web/20191101100027/https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6359/AT-4X4-W-f--1--.RS5.pdf?v=1919286468 Race analysis 4x400 Metres Women - Final