400 METRES

'400 m' is a common track running event. It is the longest common sprint distance. On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track in the inside lane. Runners start in staggered positions and race in separate lanes for the entire course. A successful runner will need an efficient stride and superior speed, and a small amount of non-fast twitch muscles to be competitive. For elite runners, the 400 m becomes a prolonged high speed sprint.
The current men's world record is held by 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. The reigning Olympic champions are Jeremy Wariner and Tonique Williams-Darling.

Contents

Famous 400 m runners

Top Ten All-time athletes - 400 metres - men

Other well known men

Top Ten All-time athletes - 400 metres - women

Other well known women

Trivia

External links

Famous 400 m runners

Top Ten All-time athletes - 400 metres - men

(Updated August 31 2007.)

Rank	Res.	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1.	'43.18'	Michael Johnson		August 26 1999	Sevilla
2.	'43.29'	Harry (Butch) Reynolds		August 17 1988	Zürich
3.	'43.45'	Jeremy Wariner		August 31 2007	Osaka
4.	'43.50'	Quincy Watts		August 5 1992	Barcelona
5.	'43.81'	Danny Everett		June 26 1992	New Orleans
6.	'43.86'	Lee Evans		October 18 1968	Mexico City
7.	'43.87'	Steve Lewis		September 28 1988	Seoul
8.	'43.96'	LaShawn Merritt		August 31 2007	Osaka
9.	'43.97'	Larry James		October 18 1968	Mexico City
10.	'44.05'	Angelo Taylor		June 23 2007	Indianapolis

Other well known men

★ Roger Black

★ Innocent Egbunike — Commonwealth record holder, 44.17 s

★ Roberto Hernández

★ Alberto Juantorena

★ Eric Liddell

★ Thomas Schönlebe — European record holder, 44.33 s

★ Archie Williams

Top Ten All-time athletes - 400 metres - women

(Updated September 17 2006.)

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

Other well known women

★ Irena Szewinska

★ Lillian Board

★ Christine Ohuruogu - 2007 World Champion

Trivia

★ Michael Johnson has 23 of the top 50 and 5 of the top 10 men's 400 m performances (as of August 31 2007).

External links

★ All-time men's best 400 m

★ All-time women's best 400 m