400 metres

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^{[clarification needed]} 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.

Athletics 400 metres
The closing stages of a men's 400 m race
World records
Men	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03 (2016)
Women	Marita Koch (GDR) 47.60 (1985)
Short track world records
Men	Kerron Clement (USA) 44.57 (2005)
Women	Femke Bol (NED) 49.17 (2024)
Olympic records
Men	Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03 (2016)
Women	Marileidy Paulino (DOM) 48.17 (2024)
World Championship records
Men	Michael Johnson (USA) 43.18 (1999)
Women	Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) 47.99 (1983)
World junior (U20) records
Men	Steve Lewis (USA) 43.87 (1988)
Women	Grit Breuer (GER) 49.42 (1991)

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 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. 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.^[2]

Quincy Hall is the reigning men's Olympic champion. Antonio Watson is the current men's world champion. Christopher Morales Williams is the men's world indoor record holder with a time of 44.49 seconds.^[3]

The current women's world record is held by Marita Koch, with a time of 47.60 seconds. Marileidy Paulino is the current women's world champion and 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.^[4]

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).

Continental records

• Updated 9 August 2024.^[5][6]

Area	Men			Women
	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation
Africa (records)	43.03 WR	Wayde van Niekerk	South Africa	49.10	Falilat Ogunkoya	Nigeria
Asia (records)	43.93	Yousef Masrahi	Saudi Arabia	48.14	Salwa Eid Naser	Bahrain
Europe (records)	43.44	Matthew Hudson-Smith	Great Britain	47.60 WR	Marita Koch	East Germany
North, Central America and Caribbean (records)	43.18	Michael Johnson	United States	48.17	Marileidy Paulino	Dominican Republic
Oceania (records)	44.38	Darren Clark	Australia	48.63	Cathy Freeman	Australia
South America (records)	43.93	Anthony Zambrano	Colombia	49.64	Ximena Restrepo	Colombia

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 June 2025.^[7][8]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time (s)	Reaction (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	43.03	0.181	Wayde van Niekerk	South Africa	14 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[9]
2	2	43.18	0.150	Michael Johnson	United States	26 August 1999	Seville	[10]
3	3	43.29		Butch Reynolds	United States	17 August 1988	Zürich
	4	43.39		Johnson #2		9 August 1995	Gothenburg
4	5	43.40	0.168	Quincy Hall	United States	7 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[11]
	6	43.44		Johnson #3		19 June 1996	Atlanta
5	6	43.44	0.149	Matthew Hudson-Smith	Great Britain	7 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[11]
6	8	43.45	0.182	Jeremy Wariner	United States	31 August 2007	Osaka	[12]
				Michael Norman	United States	20 April 2019	Torrance	[13]
	10	43.48	0.156	van Niekerk #2		26 August 2015	Beijing	[14]
8	11	43.48	0.164	Steven Gardiner	Bahamas	4 October 2019	Doha	[15][16]
	12	43.49		Johnson #4		29 July 1996	Atlanta
9	13	43.50		Quincy Watts	United States	5 August 1992	Barcelona
	14	43.50		Wariner #2		7 August 2007	Stockholm
	15	43.56		Norman #2		25 June 2022	Eugene	[17]
	16	43.60	0.130	Norman #3		28 May 2022	Eugene	[18][19]
	17	43.61		Norman #4		8 June 2018	Eugene
	18	43.62		Wariner #3		14 July 2006	Rome
			0.164	van Niekerk #3		6 July 2017	Lausanne	[20]
10	20	43.64		Fred Kerley	United States	27 July 2019	Des Moines	[21]
	21	43.65		Johnson #5		17 August 1993	Stuttgart
11	21	43.65	0.195	LaShawn Merritt	United States	26 August 2015	Beijing	[22]
	23	43.66		Johnson #6		16 June 1995	Sacramento
				Johnson #7		3 July 1996	Lausanne
	25	43.68		Johnson #8		12 August 1998	Zürich
12		43.70		Champion Allison	United States	25 June 2022	Eugene	[17]
13		43.72		Isaac Makwala	Botswana	5 July 2015	La Chaux-de-Fonds	[23]
14		43.74		Kirani James	Grenada	3 July 2014	Lausanne	[24]
			0.185	Muzala Samukonga	Zambia	7 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[11]
16		43.76 A		Zakithi Nene	South Africa	31 May 2025	Nairobi	[25]
17		43.78	0.144	Jereem Richards	Trinidad and Tobago	7 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[11]
18		43.81		Danny Everett	United States	26 June 1992	New Orleans
19		43.85		Randolph Ross	United States	11 June 2021	Eugene	[26]
20		43.86 A		Lee Evans	United States	18 October 1968	Mexico City
21		43.87		Steve Lewis	United States	28 September 1988	Seoul
22		43.93		Yousef Masrahi	Saudi Arabia	23 August 2015	Beijing	[27]
				Rusheen McDonald	Jamaica	23 August 2015	Beijing	[27]
				Anthony Zambrano	Colombia	2 August 2021	Tokyo	[28]
25		43.94		Akeem Bloomfield	Jamaica	8 June 2018	Eugene	[29]

Women (outdoor)

See also: Women's 400 metres world record progression

• Correct as of April 2025.^[30][31]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	47.60	Marita Koch	East Germany	6 October 1985	Canberra
2	2	47.99	Jarmila Kratochvílová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
3	3	48.14	Salwa Eid Naser	Bahrain	3 October 2019	Doha	[32]
	4	48.16	Koch #2		8 September 1982	Athens
			Koch #3		16 August 1984	Prague
4	6	48.17	Marileidy Paulino	Dominican Republic	9 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[33]
	7	48.22	Koch #4		28 August 1986	Stuttgart
5	8	48.25	Marie-José Pérec	France	29 July 1996	Atlanta
	9	48.26	Koch #5		27 July 1984	Dresden
6	10	48.27	Olga Bryzgina	Soviet Union	6 October 1985	Canberra
7	11	48.36	Shaunae Miller-Uibo	Bahamas	6 August 2021	Tokyo
	12	48.37	Miller-Uibo #2		3 October 2019	Doha
	13	48.45	Kratochvílová #2		23 July 1983	Prague
	14	48.53	Naser #2		9 August 2024	Saint-Denis	[33]
8	15	48.57	Nickisha Pryce	Jamaica	20 July 2024	London	[34]
9	16	48.59	Taťána Kocembová	Czechoslovakia	10 August 1983	Helsinki
	17	48.60	Koch #6		4 August 1979	Turin
			Bryzgina #2		17 August 1985	Moscow
	19	48.61	Kratochvílová #3		6 September 1981	Rome
10	20	48.63	Cathy Freeman	Australia	29 July 1996	Atlanta
	21	48.65	Bryzgina #3		26 September 1988	Seoul
	22	48.66	Paulino #2		25 August 2024	Chorzów	[35]
	23	48.67	Naser #3		5 April 2025	Kingston	[36]
11	24	48.70	Sanya Richards-Ross	United States	16 September 2006	Athens
	25	48.73	Kocembová #2		16 August 1984	Prague
12		48.74	Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone	United States	8 July 2023	Eugene	[37]
13		48.83	Valerie Brisco-Hooks	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles
14		48.89	Ana Guevara	Mexico	27 August 2003	Saint-Denis
15		48.90	Natalia Kaczmarek	Poland	20 July 2024	London	[34]
16		49.05	Chandra Cheeseborough	United States	6 August 1984	Los Angeles
17		49.07	Tonique Williams-Darling	Bahamas	12 September 2004	Berlin
			Rhasidat Adeleke	Ireland	10 June 2024	Rome	[38]
19		49.10	Falilat Ogunkoya	Nigeria	29 July 1996	Atlanta
20		49.11	Olga Nazarova	Soviet Union	25 September 1988	Seoul
21		49.13	Britton Wilson	United States	13 May 2023	Baton Rouge	[39]
			Kaylyn Brown	United States	8 June 2024	Eugene	[40]
23		49.14	Gabrielle Thomas	United States	5 April 2025	Kingston	[41]
24		49.16	Antonina Krivoshapka	Russia	5 July 2012	Cheboksary
25		49.19	Mariya Pinigina	Soviet Union	10 August 1983	Helsinki

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.
• Aminatou Seyni ran 49.19 in Lausanne on 5 July 2019, but her performance was removed from the World Athletics database due to testosterone regulations in women's athletics.

Men (indoor)

• Correct as of September 2024.^[42]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	44.49	Christopher Morales Williams	Canada	24 February 2024	Fayetteville	[43]
2	2	44.52	Michael Norman	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
3	3	44.57	Kerron Clement	United States	12 March 2005	Fayetteville
4	4	44.62	Randolph Ross	United States	12 March 2022	Birmingham	[44]
5	5	44.63	Michael Johnson	United States	4 March 1995	Atlanta
	6	44.66	Johnson #2		2 March 1996	Atlanta
	7	44.67	Morales Williams #2		7 March 2024	Boston
6	8	44.71	Noah Williams	United States	13 March 2021	Fayetteville	[45]
7	9	44.75	Elija Godwin	United States	25 February 2023	Fayetteville	[46]
	10	44.75 A	Godwin #2		11 March 2023	Albuquerque	[47]
8	11	44.80	Kirani James	Grenada	27 February 2011	Fayetteville
9	12	44.82	Tyrell Richard	United States	9 March 2019	Birmingham	[48]
	13	44.83	Ross #2		11 February 2022	Clemson
10	14	44.85	Fred Kerley	United States	11 March 2017	College Station
11	15	44.86	Akeem Bloomfield	Jamaica	10 March 2018	College Station
12	16	44.88	Bralon Taplin	Grenada	3 February 2018	College Station
13	17	44.91	Auhmad Robinson	United States	9 March 2024	Boston	[49]
14	18	44.93	LaShawn Merritt	United States	11 February 2005	Fayetteville
		44.93 A	Ryan Willie	United States	11 March 2023	Albuquerque	[50]
	20	44.94	Kerley #2		25 February 2017	Nashville
	21	44.97	Johnson #3		10 February 1995	Reno
	22	44.99	Ross #3		13 March 2021	Fayetteville
	23	45.00	Norman #2		9 February 2018	Clemson
16	23	45.00	Jereem Richards	Trinidad and Tobago	19 March 2022	Belgrade	[51]
17	25	45.02	Danny Everett	United States	2 February 1992	Stuttgart
	25	45.02	Kerley #3		10 February 2017	Clemson
			Bloomfield #2		9 February 2018	Clemson
17	25	45.02	Khaleb McCrae	United States	3 February 2024	Albuquerque
19		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	[48]
22		45.04	Champion Allison	United States	26 February 2022	College Station	[52]
23		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	[53]
			Trevor Bassitt	United States	19 March 2022	Belgrade	[51]
			Jacory Patterson	United States	25 February 2023	Fayetteville

Women (indoor)

• Correct as of March 2025.^[54]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time (s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	49.17	Femke Bol	Netherlands	2 March 2024	Glasgow	[55]
	2	49.24	Bol #2		17 February 2024	Apeldoorn	[56]
2	2	49.24	Isabella Whittaker	United States	15 March 2025	Virginia Beach	[57]
	4	49.26	Bol #3		19 February 2023	Apeldoorn	[58]
3	5	49.48 A	Britton Wilson	United States	11 March 2023	Albuquerque	[47]
4	6	49.59	Jarmila Kratochvílová	Czechoslovakia	7 March 1982	Milan
	7	49.63	Bol #4		10 February 2024	Liévin	[59]
	8	49.64	Kratochvílová #2		28 January 1981	Vienna
5	9	49.68	Natalya Nazarova	Russia	18 February 2004	Moscow
	10	49.69	Kratochvílová #3		6 March 1983	Budapest
			Bol #5		1 February 2024	Metz	[60]
6	12	49.76	Taťána Kocembová	Czechoslovakia	2 February 1984	Vienna
7	13	49.78	Aaliyah Butler	United States	1 March 2025	College Station	[61]
	14	49.85	Bol #6		4 March 2023	Istanbul	[62]
	15	49.90	Whittaker #2		1 March 2025	College Station	[61]
	16	49.96	Bol #7		11 February 2023	Metz	[63]
	17	49.97	Kocembová #2		4 March 1984	Gothenburg
			Butler #2		15 March 2025	Virginia Beach	[57]
	19	49.98	Nazarova #2		18 February 2006	Moscow
	20	50.00	Kratochvílová #4		10 February 1983	Vienna
8	21	50.01	Sabine Busch	East Germany	2 February 1984	Vienna
9	22	50.02	Nicola Sanders	Great Britain	3 March 2007	Birmingham
10	23	50.04	Olesya Krasnomovets	Russia	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	Netherlands	18 February 2024	Apeldoorn	[64]
12		50.15	Olga Zaytseva	Russia	25 January 2006	Moscow
			Talitha Diggs	United States	25 February 2023	Fayetteville	[65]
14		50.21	Vania Stambolova	Bulgaria	12 March 2006	Moscow
			Shaunae Miller-Uibo	Bahamas	13 February 2021	New York City	[66]
16		50.23	Irina Privalova	Russia	12 March 1995	Barcelona
17		50.24	Alexis Holmes	United States	2 March 2024	Glasgow	[55]
18		50.28	Petra Müller	East Germany	6 March 1988	Budapest
19		50.33	Rhasidat Adeleke	Ireland	25 February 2023	Lubbock	[65]
20		50.34	Christine Amertil	Bahamas	12 March 2006	Moscow
			Kendall Ellis	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
22		50.36	Sydney McLaughlin	United States	10 March 2018	College Station
23		50.37	Natalya Antyukh	Russia	18 February 2006	Moscow
24		50.40	Dagmar Neubauer	East Germany	2 February 1984	Vienna
25		50.41	Svetlana Pospelova	Russia	5 March 2005	Madrid

Fastest relay splits

Men Split Athlete Date Place 42.91  Michael Johnson (USA) 22 August 1993 Stuttgart 42.93  Jeremy Wariner (USA) 2 September 2007 Osaka[67] 43.04  Letsile Tebogo (BOT) 10 August 2024 Paris[68] 43.06  Michael Norman (USA) 27 May 2018 Sacramento[69] 43.09  Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) 10 August 2024 Paris[68] 43.1  Quincy Watts (USA) 8 August 1992 Barcelona  Jeremy Wariner (USA) 2 September 2007 Osaka 43.18  Rai Benjamin (USA) 10 August 2024 Paris[68] 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[70] 43.26  Vernon Norwood (USA) 10 August 2024 Paris[68]

Women Split Athlete Date Place Ref. 47.6  Jarmila Kratochvilova (CZE) 11 September 1982 Athens 47.7  Marita Koch (GDR) 3 June 1984 Erfurt  Allyson Felix (USA) 30 August 2015 Beijing 47.71  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 10 August 2024 Paris [71] 47.8  Taťána Kocembová (CZE) 18 August 1984 Prague  Olga Bryzgina (URS) 1 October 1988 Seoul  Olga Nazarova (URS) 47.91  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 24 July 2022 Eugene 48.00  Femke Bol (NED) 3 August 2024 Paris [72] 48.0  Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) 1 October 1988 Seoul

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

Men

edit

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 Hellsten  Finland
			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 de Janeiro details	Wayde van Niekerk  South Africa	Kirani James  Grenada	LaShawn Merritt  United States
2020 Tokyo details	Steven Gardiner  Bahamas	Anthony Zambrano  Colombia	Kirani James  Grenada
2024 Paris details	Quincy Hall  United States	Matthew Hudson Smith  Great Britain	Muzala Samukonga  Zambia

Women

edit

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
2020 Tokyo details	Shaunae Miller-Uibo  Bahamas	Marileidy Paulino  Dominican Republic	Allyson Felix  United States
2024 Paris details	Marileidy Paulino  Dominican Republic	Salwa Eid Naser  Bahrain	Natalia Kaczmarek  Poland

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)	Kévin 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)
2022 Eugene details	Michael Norman (USA)	Kirani James (GRN)	Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR)
2023 Budapest details	Antonio Watson (JAM)	Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR)	Quincy Hall (USA)

Medalists by country

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States (USA)	11	9	6	27
2	South Africa (RSA)	2	0	0	2
3	East Germany (GDR)	1	0	0	1
4	Bahamas (BAH)	2	1	0	3
5	Jamaica (JAM)	2	0	3	5
6	Grenada (GRN)	1	1	1	3
7	Great Britain (GBR)	0	2	1	3
8	Brazil (BRA)	0	1	0	1
	Colombia (COL)	0	1	0	1
	France (FRA)	0	1	0	1
	Germany (GER)	0	1	0	1
	Nigeria (NGR)	0	1	0	1
	Uganda (UGA)	0	1	0	1
14	Belgium (BEL)	0	0	1	1
	Canada (CAN)	0	0	1	1
	Dominican Republic (DOM)	0	0	1	1
	Kenya (KEN)	0	0	1	1
	Mexico (MEX)	0	0	1	1
	Qatar (QAT)	0	0	1	1
	Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)	0	0	1	1

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)	Francena McCorory (USA)§
2013 Moscow details	Christine Ohuruogu (GBR)	Amantle Montsho (BOT)	Stephanie McPherson (JAM)§
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)
2022 Eugene details	Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)	Marileidy Paulino (DOM)	Sada Williams (BAR)
2023 Budapest details	Marileidy Paulino (DOM)	Natalia Kaczmarek (POL)	Sada Williams (BAR)

§ : awarded following doping disqualification.

Medalists by country

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States (USA)	4	3	4	11
2	Great Britain (GBR)	2	1	0	3
3	Australia (AUS)	2	0	0	2
	France (FRA)	2	0	0	2
5	Bahamas (BAH)	1	3	0	4
6	Dominican Republic (DOM)	1	1	0	2
	Botswana (BOT)	1	1	0	2
	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	1	1	0	2
	Bahrain (BHR)	1	1	0	2
10	Mexico (MEX)	1	0	2	3
11	Senegal (SEN)	1	0	1	2
	Soviet Union (URS)	1	0	1	2
13	Jamaica (JAM)	0	4	6	10
14	Germany (GER)	0	2	0	2
15	East Germany (GDR)	0	1	1	2
16	Poland (POL)	0	1	0	1
17	Barbados (BAR)	0	0	2	2
	Russia (RUS)	0	0	2	2
13	Spain (ESP)	0	0	1	1

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)
2022 Belgrade details	Jereem Richards (TTO)	Trevor Bassitt (USA)	Carl Bengtström (SWE)
2024 Glasgow details	Alexander Doom (BEL)	Karsten Warholm (NOR)	Rusheen McDonald (JAM)
2025 Nanning details	Christopher Bailey (USA)	Brian Faust (USA)	Jacory Patterson (USA)

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)	Vania Stambolova (BUL)	Amantle Montsho (BOT)
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)
2022 Belgrade details	Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)	Femke Bol (NED)	Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM)
2024 Glasgow details	Femke Bol (NED)	Lieke Klaver (NED)	Alexis Holmes (USA)
2025 Nanning details	Amber Anning (GBR)	Alexis Holmes (USA)	Henriette Jæger (NOR)

• ^A Known as the World Indoor Games

Season's bests

Men Year Time Athlete Place 1966 44.82 y  Wendell Mottley (TTO) Kingston 1967 44.74 + h  Tommie Smith (USA) San Jose 1968 43.86 A  Lee Evans (USA) Mexico City 1969 44.67 y  Curtis Mills (USA) Knoxville 1970 45.01  Charles Asati (KEN) Edinburgh 1971 44.44 y h  John Smith (USA) Eugene 1972 44.34 h  Wayne Collett (USA) Eugene 1973 44.85 y  Maurice Peoples (USA) Baton Rouge 1974 44.94 h A  Alberto Juantorena (CUB) Mexico City 1975 44.45 A  Ronnie Ray (USA) Mexico City 1976 44.26  Alberto Juantorena (CUB) Montreal 1977 44.65  Alberto Juantorena (CUB) La Habana 1978 44.27 A  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  Steven Gardiner (BAH) Tokyo 2022 43.56  Michael Norman (USA) Eugene 2023 43.74  Steven Gardiner (BAH) Székesfehérvár 2024 43.40  Quincy Hall (USA) Saint-Denis

Women Year Time Athlete Place 1966 1967 1968 52.03 A  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 A  Beatrice Masilingi (NAM) Pretoria 2021 48.36  Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) Tokyo 2022 48.99  Marileidy Paulino (DOM) Zürich 2023 48.74  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) Eugene 2024 48.17  Marileidy Paulino (DOM) Saint-Denis