Quick Facts Men's 400 metres at the Games of the II Olympiad, Venue ...

Men's 400 metres at the Games of the II Olympiad
W. L. Long (New York A. C.) winning in 49 s. 2/5
Venue	Bois de Boulogne
Dates	July 14 (semifinals) July 15 (final)
Competitors	15 from 6 nations
Winning time	54.2 OR
Medalists
Maxie Long  United States William Holland  United States Ernst Schultz  Denmark
← 1896 1904 →

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The men's 400 metres was a track & field athletics event at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was held on July 14, and July 15, 1900. The races were held on a track of 500 metres in circumference. 15 athletes from six nations competed.

This was the second time the event was held. None of the runners from 1896 returned. Maxie Long of the United States was favored, as 1898 and 1899 AAU champion and 1900 AAA champion. His countryman Dixon Boardman was a strong challenger, having beaten Long at the 1900 IC4A.^[1]

The United States and France made their second appearances in the event; Denmark, Hungary, Italy, and Norway made their debuts.

There were two rounds: heats and a final. The top 2 runners in each heat advanced to the final.

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1900 Summer Olympics.

World record	Edgar Bredin (GBR)	48.5(*)	London, United Kingdom	22 June 1895
Olympic record	Thomas Burke (USA)	54.2	Athens, Greece	7 April 1896

(*) unofficial 440 yards (= 402.34 m)

Maxie Long set a new Olympic record in the first round with 50.4 seconds. In the final he improved his own record when he ran 49.4 seconds.

All times are Central European Time (UTC+1)