400 metres

The 400 metres, or 400-metre dash, is a sprinting 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 and was referred to as the 'quarter-mile'—instead of the 400 m (437.445 yards), though this distance is now obsolete.

Athletics 400 metres
The closing stages of a men's 400 m race
World records
Men	Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016)
Women	Marita Koch 47.60 (1985)
Olympic records
Men	Wayde van Niekerk 43.03 (2016)
Women	Marie-José Pérec 48.25 (1996)
World Championship records
Men	Michael Johnson 43.18 (1999)
Women	Jarmila Kratochvílová 47.99 (1983)

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.[1]

The current men's world record is held by Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, with a time of 43.03 seconds. van Niekerk is also the Olympic champion and record holder. Steven Gardiner is the reigning World Champion. The world indoor record holder is Michael Norman, in 44.52 seconds. The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Salwa Eid Naser is the reigning women's world champion, while Shaunae Miller-Uibo holds the women's Olympic title. 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.[2]

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 medallist came from the US 19 times.

Continental records

Updated 22 December 2020.[3][4]

Area	Men			Women
Area	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation
Africa (records)	43.03 WR	Wayde van Niekerk	South Africa	48.54	Christine Mboma	Namibia
Asia (records)	43.93	Yousef Ahmed Masrahi	Saudi Arabia	48.14	Salwa Eid Naser	Bahrain
Europe (records)	44.33	Thomas Schönlebe	East Germany	47.60 WR	Marita Koch	East Germany
North, Central America and Caribbean (records)	43.18	Michael Johnson	United States	48.37	Shaunae Miller-Uibo	Bahamas
Oceania (records)	44.38	Darren Clark	Australia	48.63	Cathy Freeman	Australia
South America (records)	44.15	Anthony Zambrano	Colombia	49.64	Ximena Restrepo	Colombia

All-time top 25

Men (outdoor)

Correct as of June 2021.[5][6]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	43.03	Wayde van Niekerk	South Africa	14 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[7]
2	43.18	Michael Johnson	United States	26 August 1999	Seville
3	43.29	Butch Reynolds	United States	17 August 1988	Zürich
4	43.45	Jeremy Wariner	United States	31 August 2007	Osaka
4	43.45	Michael Norman	United States	20 April 2019	Torrance	[8]
6	43.48	Steven Gardiner	Bahamas	4 October 2019	Doha	[9]
7	43.50	Quincy Watts	United States	5 August 1992	Barcelona
8	43.64	Fred Kerley	United States	27 July 2019	Des Moines	[10]
9	43.65	LaShawn Merritt	United States	26 August 2015	Beijing	[11]
10	43.72	Isaac Makwala	Botswana	5 July 2015	La Chaux-de-Fonds	[12]
11	43.74	Kirani James	Grenada	3 July 2014	Lausanne	[13]
12	43.81	Danny Everett	United States	26 June 1992	New Orleans
13	43.85	Randolph Ross	United States	11 June 2021	Eugene	[14]
14	43.86 A	Lee Evans	United States	18 October 1968	Mexico City
15	43.87	Steve Lewis	United States	28 September 1988	Seoul
16	43.93	Yousef Ahmed Masrahi	Saudi Arabia	23 August 2015	Beijing	[15]
16	43.93	Rusheen McDonald	Jamaica	23 August 2015	Beijing	[15]
18	43.94	Akeem Bloomfield	Jamaica	8 June 2018	Eugene	[16]
19	43.97 A	Larry James	United States	18 October 1968	Mexico City
20	44.01	Machel Cedenio	Trinidad and Tobago	14 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[17]
21	44.02	Baboloki Thebe	Botswana	6 July 2017	Lausanne	[18]
22	44.05	Angelo Taylor	United States	23 June 2007	Indianapolis
23	44.07	Abdalleleh Haroun	Qatar	21 July 2018	London	[19]
24	44.09	Alvin Harrison	United States	19 June 1996	Atlanta
24	44.09	Jerome Young	United States	21 June 1998	New Orleans

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 43.87:

Michael Johnson also ran 43.39 (1995), 43.44 (1996), 43.49 (1996), 43.65 (1993) 43.66 (1995), 43.66 (1996), 43.68 (1998), 43.68 (2000), 43.74 (1993), 43.75 (1997), 43.84 (2000) and 43.86 (1995).
Wayde van Niekerk also ran 43.48 (2015), 43.62 (2017) and 43.73 (2017).
Jeremy Wariner also ran 43.50 (2007), 43.62 (2006), 43.82 (2008) and 43.86 (2008).
Michael Norman also ran 43.61 (2018) and 43.79 (2019).
Fred Kerley also ran 43.70 (2017).
Quincy Watts also ran 43.71 (1992) and 43.83 (1992).
LaShawn Merritt also ran 43.74 (2013), 43.75 (2008) and 43.85 (2016).
Kirani James also ran 43.76 (2016) and 43.78 (2015).
Isaac Makwala also ran 43.84 (2017).
Steven Gardiner also ran 43.87 (2018).

Women (outdoor)

Correct as of July 2021.[20][21]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	47.60	Marita Koch	East Germany	6 October 1985	Canberra
2	47.99	Jarmila Kratochvílová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
3	48.14	Salwa Eid Naser	Bahrain	3 October 2019	Doha	[22]
4	48.25	Marie-José Pérec	France	29 July 1996	Atlanta
5	48.27	Olga Bryzgina	Soviet Union	6 October 1985	Canberra
6	48.37	Shaunae Miller-Uibo	Bahamas	3 October 2019	Doha	[22]
7	48.54	Christine Mboma	Namibia	30 June 2021	Bydgoszcz	[23]
8	48.59	Taťána Kocembová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
9	48.63	Cathy Freeman	Australia	29 July 1996	Atlanta
10	48.70	Sanya Richards	United States	16 September 2006	Athens
11	48.83	Valerie Brisco-Hooks	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles
12	48.89	Ana Guevara	Mexico	27 August 2003	Paris Saint-Denis
13	49.05	Chandra Cheeseborough	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles
14	49.07	Tonique Williams-Darling	Bahamas	12 September 2004	Berlin
15	49.10	Falilat Ogunkoya	Nigeria	29 July 1996	Atlanta
16	49.11	Olga Nazarova	Soviet Union	25 September 1988	Seoul
17	49.16	Antonina Krivoshapka	Russia	5 July 2012	Cheboksary
18	49.19	Mariya Pinigina	Soviet Union	10 August 1983	Helsinki
18	49.19	Aminatou Seyni	Niger	5 July 2019	Lausanne	[24]
20	49.24	Sabine Busch	East Germany	2 June 1984	Erfurt
21	49.26	Allyson Felix	United States	27 August 2015	Beijing	[25]
22	49.28	Pauline Davis	Bahamas	29 July 1996	Atlanta
23	49.29	Irena Szewińska	Poland	29 July 1976	Montreal
23	49.29	Charity Opara	Nigeria	14 July 1998	Rome
25	49.30	Petra Schersing	East Germany	3 June 1988	Jena
25	49.30	Lorraine Fenton	Jamaica	19 July 2002	Monaco

Notes

Yuliya Gushchina ran 49.28 on 5 July 2012 in Cheboksary, but her time was annulled after she tested positive for turinabol—a banned steroid—in a 2016 retest of a sample taken from the 2011 World Championships.[26]

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 49.08:

Marita Koch also ran 48.16 (1982 & 1984), 48.22 (1986), 48.26 (1984), 48.60 (1979), 48.77 (1982) and 48.88 (1980).
Jarmila Kratochvílová also ran 48.45 (1983), 48.61 (1981) and 48.85 (1982).
Olga Bryzgina also ran 48.60 (1985), 48.65 (1988) and 49.05 (1992).
Taťána Kocembová also ran 48.73 (1984).
Sanya Richards-Ross also ran 48.83 (2009), 48.94 (2009) and 49.00 (2009)
Marie Jose Perec also ran 48.83 (1992).
Shaunae Miller-Uibo also ran 48.97 (2018), 49.05 (2019) and 49.08 (2021).
Salwa Eid Naser also ran 49.08 (2018).

Men (indoor)

Correct as of March 2021.[27]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	44.52	Michael Norman	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
2	44.57	Kerron Clement	United States	12 March 2005	Fayetteville
3	44.63	Michael Johnson	United States	4 March 1995	Atlanta
4	44.71	Noah Williams	United States	13 March 2021	Fayetteville	[28]
5	44.80	Kirani James	Grenada	27 February 2011	Fayetteville
6	44.82	Tyrell Richard	United States	9 March 2019	Birmingham	[29]
7	44.85	Fred Kerley	United States	11 March 2017	College Station
8	44.86	Akeem Bloomfield	Jamaica	10 March 2018	College Station
9	44.88	Bralon Taplin	Grenada	3 February 2018	College Station
10	44.93	LaShawn Merritt	United States	11 February 2005	Fayetteville
11	44.99	Randolph Ross	United States	13 March 2021	Fayetteville	[28]
12	45.02	Danny Everett	United States	2 February 1992	Stuttgart
13	45.03	Torrin Lawrence	United States	12 February 2010	Fayetteville
		Deon Lendore	Trinidad and Tobago	1 March 2014	College Station
		Kahmari Montgomery	United States	9 March 2019	Birmingham	[29]
16	45.05	Thomas Schönlebe	East Germany	5 February 1988	Sindelfingen
		Alvin Harrison	United States	28 February 1998	Atlanta
		Karsten Warholm	Norway	2 March 2019	Glasgow	[30]
19	45.11	Nery Brenes	Costa Rica	10 March 2012	Istanbul
20	45.14	Jacory Patterson	United States	13 March 2021	Fayetteville	[28]
21	45.16	Mylik Kerley	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
21	45.16	Wilbert London	United States	9 March 2019	Birmingham
23	45.17	Lalonde Gordon	Trinidad and Tobago	8 February 2014	Boston
24	45.18	Calvin Harrison	United States	28 February 1998	Atlanta
25	45.21	Tony McQuay	United States	27 February 2011	Fayetteville

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 45.21:

Michael Johnson also ran 44.66 (1996), 44.97 (1995), 45.14 (1993) and 45.17 (1994).
Michael Norman also ran 45.00 (2018).
Fred Kerley also ran 45.02 (2017), 45.03 (2021) and 45.18 (2018).
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) and 45.21 (2014).
Kirani James also ran 45.19 (2012).
Bralon Taplin also ran 45.19 (2017) and 45.20 (2016).
Wilbert London also ran 45.19 (2019).
Randolph Ross also ran 45.21 (2021).

Women (indoor)

Correct as of February 2021.[31]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	49.59	Jarmila Kratochvílová	Czechoslovakia	7 March 1982	Milan
2	49.68	Natalya Nazarova	Russia	18 February 2004	Moscow
3	49.76	Taťána Kocembová	Czechoslovakia	2 February 1984	Vienna
4	50.01	Sabine Busch	East Germany	2 February 1984	Vienna
5	50.02	Nicola Sanders	Great Britain	3 March 2007	Birmingham
6	50.04	Olesya Krasnomovets	Russia	18 February 2006	Moscow
6	50.04	Olesya Krasnomovets	Russia	12 March 2006	Moscow
7	50.15	Olga Zaytseva	Russia	25 January 2006	Moscow
8	50.21	Vania Stambolova	Bulgaria	12 March 2006	Moscow
8	50.21	Shaunae Miller-Uibo	Bahamas	13 February 2021	Staten Island	[32]
10	50.23	Irina Privalova	Russia	12 March 1995	Barcelona
11	50.28	Petra Müller	East Germany	6 March 1988	Budapest
12	50.34	Christine Amertil	Bahamas	12 March 2006	Moscow
12	50.34	Kendall Ellis	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
14	50.36	Sydney McLaughlin	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
15	50.37	Natalya Antyukh	Russia	18 February 2006	Moscow
16	50.40	Dagmar Neubauer	East Germany	2 February 1984	Vienna
17	50.41	Svetlana Pospelova	Russia	5 March 2005	Madrid
18	50.42	Olga Kotlyarova	Russia	27 January 2001	Moscow
19	50.45	Grit Breuer	Germany	1 March 1998	Valencia
20	50.46 A	Phyllis Francis	United States	15 March 2014	Albuquerque
21	50.52	Athing Mu	United States	6 February 2021	College Station	[33]
22	50.53	Katharine Merry	Great Britain	18 February 2001	Birmingham
23	50.54	Francena McCorory	United States	12 March 2010	Fayetteville
24	50.55	Svetlana Usovich	Belarus	5 March 2005	Madrid
		Antonina Krivoshapka	Russia	14 February 2009	Moscow
		Courtney Okolo	United States	3 March 2018	Birmingham

Fastest relay splits

Men

Split	Athlete	Date	Place
42.9	Michael Johnson (USA)	22 August 1993	Stuttgart
42.93	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	2 September 2007	Osaka[34]
43.06	Michael Norman (USA)	27 May 2018	Sacramento[35]
43.1	Quincy Watts (USA)	8 August 1992	Barcelona
43.1	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	2 September 2007	Osaka
43.2	Ronald Freeman (USA)	20 October 1968	Mexico City
	Butch Reynolds (USA)	22 August 1993	Stuttgart
	Tony McQuay (USA)	20 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro[36]
43.3	Demetrius Pinder (BAH)	10 August 2012	London

Women

Split	Athlete	Date	Place
47.6	Jarmila Kratochvilova (CZE)	11 September 1982	Athens
47.7	Marita Koch (GDR)	3 June 1984	Erfurt
47.7	Allyson Felix (USA)	30 August 2015	Beijing
47.8	Taťána Kocembová (CZE)	18 August 1984	Prague
	Olga Bryzgina (URS)	1 October 1988	Seoul
	Olga Nazarova (URS)
48.0	Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)

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.

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

Men

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1896 Athens details	Thomas Burke United States	Herbert Jamison United States	Charles Gmelin Great Britain
1900 Paris details	Maxie Long United States	William Holland United States	Ernst Schultz Denmark
1904 St. Louis details	Harry Hillman United States	Frank Waller United States	Herman Groman United States
1908 London details	Wyndham Halswelle Great Britain	None awarded	None awarded
1912 Stockholm details	Charles Reidpath United States	Hanns Braun Germany	Edward Lindberg United States
1920 Antwerp details	Bevil Rudd South Africa	Guy Butler Great Britain	Nils Engdahl Sweden
1924 Paris details	Eric Liddell Great Britain	Horatio Fitch United States	Guy Butler Great Britain
1928 Amsterdam details	Ray Barbuti United States	James Ball Canada	Joachim Büchner Germany
1932 Los Angeles details	Bill Carr United States	Ben Eastman United States	Alex Wilson Canada
1936 Berlin details	Archie Williams United States	Godfrey Brown Great Britain	James LuValle United States
1948 London details	Arthur Wint Jamaica	Herb McKenley Jamaica	Mal Whitfield United States
1952 Helsinki details	George Rhoden Jamaica	Herb McKenley Jamaica	Ollie Matson United States
1956 Melbourne details	Charles Jenkins United States	Karl-Friedrich Haas United Team of Germany	Voitto Hellstén Finland
1956 Melbourne details	Charles Jenkins United States	Karl-Friedrich Haas United Team of Germany	Ardalion Ignatyev Soviet Union
1960 Rome details	Otis Davis United States	Carl Kaufmann United Team of Germany	Malcolm Spence South Africa
1964 Tokyo details	Mike Larrabee United States	Wendell Mottley Trinidad and Tobago	Andrzej Badeński Poland
1968 Mexico City details	Lee Evans United States	Larry James United States	Ron Freeman United States
1972 Munich details	Vincent Matthews United States	Wayne Collett United States	Julius Sang Kenya
1976 Montreal details	Alberto Juantorena Cuba	Fred Newhouse United States	Herman Frazier United States
1980 Moscow details	Viktor Markin Soviet Union	Rick Mitchell Australia	Frank Schaffer East Germany
1984 Los Angeles details	Alonzo Babers United States	Gabriel Tiacoh Ivory Coast	Antonio McKay United States
1988 Seoul details	Steve Lewis United States	Butch Reynolds United States	Danny Everett United States
1992 Barcelona details	Quincy Watts United States	Steve Lewis United States	Samson Kitur Kenya
1996 Atlanta details	Michael Johnson United States	Roger Black Great Britain	Davis Kamoga Uganda
2000 Sydney details	Michael Johnson United States	Alvin Harrison United States	Greg Haughton Jamaica
2004 Athens details	Jeremy Wariner United States	Otis Harris United States	Derrick Brew United States
2008 Beijing details	LaShawn Merritt United States	Jeremy Wariner United States	David Neville United States
2012 London details	Kirani James Grenada	Luguelín Santos Dominican Republic	Lalonde Gordon Trinidad and Tobago
2016 Rio details	Wayde van Niekerk South Africa	Kirani James Grenada	LaShawn Merritt United States

Women

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1964 Tokyo details	Betty Cuthbert Australia	Ann Packer Great Britain	Judy Amoore Australia
1968 Mexico City details	Colette Besson France	Lillian Board Great Britain	Natalya Pechonkina Soviet Union
1972 Munich details	Monika Zehrt East Germany	Rita Wilden West Germany	Kathy Hammond United States
1976 Montreal details	Irena Szewińska Poland	Christina Brehmer East Germany	Ellen Streidt East Germany
1980 Moscow details	Marita Koch East Germany	Jarmila Kratochvílová Czechoslovakia	Christina Lathan East Germany
1984 Los Angeles details	Valerie Brisco-Hooks United States	Chandra Cheeseborough United States	Kathy Smallwood-Cook Great Britain
1988 Seoul details	Olga Bryzgina Soviet Union	Petra Müller East Germany	Olga Nazarova Soviet Union
1992 Barcelona details	Marie-José Pérec France	Olga Bryzgina Unified Team	Ximena Restrepo Colombia
1996 Atlanta details	Marie-José Pérec France	Cathy Freeman Australia	Falilat Ogunkoya Nigeria
2000 Sydney details	Cathy Freeman Australia	Lorraine Graham Jamaica	Katharine Merry Great Britain
2004 Athens details	Tonique Williams-Darling Bahamas	Ana Guevara Mexico	Natalya Antyukh Russia
2008 Beijing details	Christine Ohuruogu Great Britain	Shericka Williams Jamaica	Sanya Richards United States
2012 London details	Sanya Richards-Ross United States	Christine Ohuruogu Great Britain	DeeDee Trotter United States
2016 Rio de Janeiro details	Shaunae Miller Bahamas	Allyson Felix United States	Shericka Jackson Jamaica

World Championships medalists

Men

Championships	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1983 Helsinki details	Bert Cameron (JAM)	Michael Franks (USA)	Sunder Nix (USA)
1987 Rome details	Thomas Schönlebe (GDR)	Innocent Egbunike (NGA)	Harry Reynolds (USA)
1991 Tokyo details	Antonio Pettigrew (USA)	Roger Black (GBR)	Danny Everett (USA)
1993 Stuttgart details	Michael Johnson (USA)	Butch Reynolds (USA)	Samson Kitur (KEN)
1995 Gothenburg details	Michael Johnson (USA)	Butch Reynolds (USA)	Greg Haughton (JAM)
1997 Athens details	Michael Johnson (USA)	Davis Kamoga (UGA)	Tyree Washington (USA)
1999 Seville details	Michael Johnson (USA)	Sanderlei Parrela (BRA)	Alejandro Cárdenas (MEX)
2001 Edmonton details	Avard Moncur (BAH)	Ingo Schultz (GER)	Greg Haughton (JAM)
2003 Saint-Denis details	Tyree Washington (USA)	Marc Raquil (FRA)	Michael Blackwood (JAM)
2005 Helsinki details	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Andrew Rock (USA)	Tyler Christopher (CAN)
2007 Osaka details	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Angelo Taylor (USA)
2009 Berlin details	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Renny Quow (TRI)
2011 Daegu details	Kirani James (GRN)	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Kevin Borlée (BEL)
2013 Moscow details	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Tony McQuay (USA)	Luguelín Santos (DOM)
2015 Beijing details	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Kirani James (GRN)
2017 London details	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)	Steven Gardiner (BAH)	Abdalelah Haroun (QAT)
2019 Doha details	Steven Gardiner (BAH)	Anthony Zambrano (COL)	Fred Kerley (USA)

Women

Championships	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1983 Helsinki details	Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH)	Taťána Kocembová (TCH)	Mariya Pinigina (URS)
1987 Rome details	Olga Bryzgina (URS)	Petra Muller (GDR)	Kirsten Emmelmann (GDR)
1991 Tokyo details	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Grit Breuer (GER)	Sandra Myers (ESP)
1993 Stuttgart details	Jearl Miles (USA)	Natasha Kaiser-Brown (USA)	Sandie Richards (JAM)
1995 Gothenburg details	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Pauline Davis (BAH)	Jearl Miles (USA)
1997 Athens details	Cathy Freeman (AUS)	Sandie Richards (JAM)	Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
1999 Seville details	Cathy Freeman (AUS)	Anja Rücker (GER)	Lorraine Graham-Fenton (JAM)
2001 Edmonton details	Amy Mbacké Thiam (SEN)	Lorraine Fenton (JAM)	Ana Guevara (MEX)
2003 Saint-Denis details	Ana Guevara (MEX)	Lorraine Fenton (JAM)	Amy Mbacké Thiam (SEN)
2005 Helsinki details	Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH)	Sanya Richards (USA)	Ana Guevara (MEX)
2007 Osaka details	Christine Ohuruogu (GBR)	Nicola Sanders (GBR)	Novlene Williams (JAM)
2009 Berlin details	Sanya Richards (USA)	Shericka Williams (JAM)	Antonina Krivoshapka (RUS)
2011 Daegu details	Amantle Montsho (BOT)	Allyson Felix (USA)	Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (RUS)
2013 Moscow details	Christine Ohuruogu (GBR)	Amantle Montsho (BOT)	Antonina Krivoshapka (RUS)
2015 Beijing details	Allyson Felix (USA)	Shaunae Miller (BAH)	Shericka Jackson (JAM)
2017 London details	Phyllis Francis (USA)	Salwa Eid Naser (BHR)	Allyson Felix (USA)
2019 Doha details	Salwa Eid Naser (BHR)	Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)	Shericka Jackson (JAM)

World Indoor Championships medalists

Men

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1985 Paris^[A]	Thomas Schönlebe (GDR)	Todd Bennett (GBR)	Mark Rowe (USA)
1987 Indianapolis details	Antonio McKay (USA)	Roberto Hernández (CUB)	Michael Franks (USA)
1989 Budapest details	Antonio McKay (USA)	Ian Morris (TTO)	Cayetano Cornet (ESP)
1991 Seville details	Devon Morris (JAM)	Samson Kitur (KEN)	Cayetano Cornet (ESP)
1993 Toronto details	Butch Reynolds (USA)	Sunday Bada (NGR)	Darren Clark (AUS)
1995 Barcelona details	Darnell Hall (USA)	Sunday Bada (NGR)	Mikhail Vdovin (RUS)
1997 Paris details	Sunday Bada (NGR)	Jamie Baulch (GBR)	Shunji Karube (JPN)
1999 Maebashi details	Jamie Baulch (GBR)	Milton Campbell (USA)	Alejandro Cárdenas (MEX)
2001 Lisbon details	Daniel Caines (GBR)	Milton Campbell (USA)	Danny McFarlane (JAM)
2003 Birmingham details	Tyree Washington (USA)	Daniel Caines (GBR)	Paul McKee (IRL) Jamie Baulch (GBR)
2004 Budapest details	Alleyne Francique (GRN)	Davian Clarke (JAM)	Gary Kikaya (COD)
2006 Moscow details	Alleyne Francique (GRN)	California Molefe (BOT)	Chris Brown (BAH)
2008 Valencia details	Tyler Christopher (CAN)	Johan Wissman (SWE)	Chris Brown (BAH)
2010 Doha details	Chris Brown (BAH)	William Collazo (CUB)	Jamaal Torrance (USA)
2012 Istanbul details	Nery Brenes (CRC)	Demetrius Pinder (BAH)	Chris Brown (BAH)
2014 Sopot details	Pavel Maslák (CZE)	Chris Brown (BAH)	Kyle Clemons (USA)
2016 Portland details	Pavel Maslák (CZE)	Abdalelah Haroun (QAT)	Deon Lendore (TTO)
2018 Birmingham details	Pavel Maslák (CZE)	Michael Cherry (USA)	Deon Lendore (TTO)

Women

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1985 Paris^[A]	Diane Dixon (USA)	Regine Berg (BEL)	Charmaine Crooks (CAN)
1987 Indianapolis details	Sabine Busch (GDR)	Lillie Leatherwood (USA)	Judit Forgács (HUN)
1989 Budapest details	Helga Arendt (FRG)	Diane Dixon (USA)	Jillian Richardson (TTO)
1991 Seville details	Diane Dixon (USA)	Sandra Myers (ESP)	Anita Protti (SUI)
1993 Toronto details	Sandie Richards (JAM)	Tatyana Alekseyeva (RUS)	Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
1995 Barcelona details	Irina Privalova (RUS)	Sandie Richards (JAM)	Daniela Georgieva (BUL)
1997 Paris details	Jearl Miles Clark (USA)	Sandie Richards (JAM)	Helena Fuchsová (CZE)
1999 Maebashi details	Grit Breuer (GER)	Falilat Ogunkoya (NGR)	Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
2001 Lisbon details	Sandie Richards (JAM)	Olga Kotlyarova (RUS)	Olesya Zykina (RUS)
2003 Birmingham details	Natalya Nazarova (RUS)	Christine Amertil (BAH)	Grit Breuer (GER)
2004 Budapest details	Natalya Nazarova (RUS)	Olesya Forsheva (RUS)	Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH)
2006 Moscow details	Olesya Forsheva (RUS)	Vania Stambolova (BUL)	Christine Amertil (BAH)
2008 Valencia details	Olesya Zykina (RUS)	Natalya Nazarova (RUS)	Shareese Woods (USA)
2010 Doha details	Debbie Dunn (USA)	Tatyana Firova (RUS)	Vania Stambolova (BUL)
2012 Istanbul details	Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)	Aleksandra Fedoriva (RUS)	Natasha Hastings (USA)
2014 Sopot details	Francena McCorory (USA)	Kaliese Spencer (JAM)	Shaunae Miller (BAH)
2016 Portland details	Kemi Adekoya (BHR)	Ashley Spencer (USA)	Quanera Hayes (USA)
2018 Birmingham details	Courtney Okolo (USA)	Shakima Wimbley (USA)	Eilidh Doyle (GBR)

^{^A} Known as the World Indoor Games

Season's bests

Men

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
1966	44.82y	Wendell Mottley (TTO)	Kingston
1967	44.74+h	Tommie Smith (USA)	San Jose
1968	43.86A	Lee Evans (USA)	Mexico City
1969	44.67y	Curtis Mills (USA)	Knoxville
1970	45.01	Charles Asati (KEN)	Edinburgh
1971	44.44yh	John Smith (USA)	Eugene
1972	44.34h	Wayne Collett (USA)	Eugene
1973	44.85y	Maurice Peoples (USA)	Baton Rouge
1974	44.94Ah	Alberto Juantorena (CUB)	Mexico City
1975	44.45A	Ronnie Ray (USA)	Mexico City
1976	44.26	Alberto Juantorena (CUB)	Montreal
1977	44.65	Alberto Juantorena (CUB)	La Habana
1978	44.27A	Alberto Juantorena (CUB)	Medellin
1979	44.92	Harald Schmid (FRG)	Stuttgart
1980	44.60	Viktor Markin (RUS)	Moscow
1981	44.58	Bert Cameron (JAM)	Baton Rouge
1982	44.68	Sunder Nix (USA)	Indianapolis
1983	44.50	Erwin Skamrahl (FRG)	München
1984	44.27	Alonzo Babers (USA)	Los Angeles
1985	44.47	Michael Franks (USA)	Canberra
1986	44.30	Gabriel Tiacoh (CIV)	Indianapolis
1987	44.10	Butch Reynolds (USA)	Columbus
1988	43.29	Butch Reynolds (USA)	Zürich
1989	44.27	Antonio Pettigrew (USA)	Houston
1990	44.06	Danny Everett (USA)	Seville
1991	44.17	Michael Johnson (USA)	Lausanne
1992	43.50	Quincy Watts (USA)	Barcelona
1993	43.65	Michael Johnson (USA)	Stuttgart
1994	43.90	Michael Johnson (USA)	Madrid
1995	43.39	Michael Johnson (USA)	Gothenburg
1996	43.44	Michael Johnson (USA)	Atlanta
1997	43.75	Michael Johnson (USA)	Waco
1998	43.68	Michael Johnson (USA)	Zürich
1999	43.18	Michael Johnson (USA)	Sevilla
2000	43.68	Michael Johnson (USA)	Sacramento
2001	44.28	Tyree Washington (USA)	Los Angeles
2002	44.45	Leonard Byrd (USA)	Belém
2003	44.33	Tyree Washington (USA)	Palo Alto
2004	44.00	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Athens
2005	43.93	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Helsinki
2006	43.62	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Rome
2007	43.45	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Osaka
2008	43.75	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Beijing
2009	44.06	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Berlin
2010	44.13	Jeremy Wariner (USA)	Zürich
2011	44.35	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Daegu
2012	43.94	Kirani James (GRN)	London
2013	43.74	LaShawn Merritt (USA)	Moscow
2014	43.74	Kirani James (GRN)	Lausanne
2015	43.48	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)	Beijing
2016	43.03	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)	Rio de Janeiro
2017	43.62	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)	Lausanne
2018	43.61	Michael Norman (USA)	Eugene
2019	43.45	Michael Norman (USA)	Torrance
2020	44.91	Justin Robinson (USA)	Marietta
2021	43.85	Randolph Ross (USA)	Eugene

Women

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
1966
1967
1968	52.03A	Colette Besson (FRA)	Mexico City
1969	51.72	Nicole Duclos (FRA)	Athens
1970	51.02	Marilyn Neufville (JAM)	Edinburgh
1971	52.14	Helga Seidler (GDR)	Helsinki
1972	51.08	Monika Zehrt (GDR)	Munich
1973	51.27	Mona-Lisa Pursiainen (FIN)	Helsinki
1974	50.14	Riitta Salin (FIN)	Rome
1975	50.50	Irena Szewinska (POL)	Nice
1976	49.28	Irena Szewinska (POL)	Montreal
1977	49.52	Irena Szewinska (POL)	Düsseldorf
1978	48.94	Marita Koch (GDR)	Prague
1979	48.60	Marita Koch (GDR)	Potsdam
1980	48.88	Marita Koch (GDR)	Moscow
1981	48.61	Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE)	Rome
1982	48.16	Marita Koch (GDR)	Athens
1983	47.99	Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE)	Helsinki
1984	48.16	Marita Koch (GDR)	Prague
1985	47.60	Marita Koch (GDR)	Canberra
1986	48.22	Marita Koch (GDR)	Stuttgart
1987	49.38	Olga Bryzgina (URS)	Rome
1988	48.65	Olga Bryzgina (URS)	Seoul
1989	50.01	Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)	Duisburg
1990	49.50	Grit Breuer (GER)	Split
1991	49.32	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Frankfurt
1992	48.83	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Frankfurt
1993	49.81	Ma Yuqin (CHN)	Beijing
1994	49.77	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Paris
1995	49.28	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Gothenburg
1996	48.25	Marie-José Pérec (FRA)	Atlanta
1997	49.39	Cathy Freeman (AUS)	Oslo
1998	49.29	Charity Opara (NGR)	Rome
1999	49.62	Falilat Ogunkoya (NGR)	Lagos
2000	49.11	Cathy Freeman (AUS)	Sydney
2001	49.59	Katharine Merry (GBR)	Athens
2002	49.16	Ana Guevara (MEX)	Zürich
2003	48.89	Ana Guevara (MEX)	Saint-Denis
2004	49.07	Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH)	Berlin
2005	48.92	Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)	Zürich
2006	48.70	Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)	Athens
2007	49.27	Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)	Berlin Stuttgart
2008	49.62	Christine Ohuruogu (GBR)	Beijing
2009	48.83	Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)	Brussels
2010	49.64	Debbie Dunn (USA)	Des Moines
2011	49.35	Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (RUS)	Cheboksary
2012	49.16	Antonina Krivoshapka (RUS)	Cheboksary
2013	49.33	Amantle Montsho (BOT)	Monaco
2014	49.48	Francena McCorory (USA)	Sacramento
2015	49.26	Allyson Felix (USA)	Beijing
2016	49.44	Shaunae Miller (BAH)	Rio de Janeiro
2017	49.46	Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)	Brussels
2018	48.97	Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)	Monaco
2019	48.14	Salwa Eid Naser (BHR)	Doha
2020	50.42	Beatrice Masilingi (NAM)	Pretoria
2021	48.54	Christine Mboma (NAM)	Bydgoszcz

Notes and references

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