400m

The 400 metres, often abbreviated as 400 m, is a track and field sprint event. It is measured as one full lap around a standard outdoor running track, which typically has a circumference of 400 metres. Races begin in marked lanes with athletes using starting blocks and remaining in their assigned lanes for the entire distance.

The event has a long Olympic lineage. The men’s 400 metres has been contested since the first modern Olympics in 1896, while the women’s event was added in 1964. It is a core part of major international competitions such as the World Athletics Championships and continental championships, and it is often used as a benchmark for speed endurance.

World records in the outdoor 400 metres include notable marks. The men’s world record is 43.03 seconds, set by Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, a record that surpassed the previous mark of 43.18 seconds set by Michael Johnson in 1999. The women’s world record stands at 47.01 seconds, set by Marita Koch in 1985. Indoor performances are run on 200-metre tracks and typically feature different pacing and tactics due to the tighter turns and shorter lap length.

Related events include the 4×400 metre relay, in which a team of four runners each completes 400 metres, and the 400 metres hurdles, which adds ten hurdles to the standard distance. The 400 metres is characterized by a blend of sprint speed and muscular endurance, requiring precise pacing, efficient technique on the bends, and a strong finishing kick.