Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres

The men's 400 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, between 4-7 August 2024. This was the 30th time that the men's 400 metres was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 48 athletes were able to qualify for the event by entry standard or ranking.

Men's 400 metres
at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad
VenueStade de France, Paris, France[1]
Dates
  • 4 August 2024 (heats)
  • 5 August 2024 (repechage round)
  • 6 August 2024 (semi-finals)
  • 7 August 2024 (final)
Winning time43.40
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Quincy Hall  United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Matthew Hudson-Smith  Great Britain
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Muzala Samukonga  Zambia
← 2020
2028 →

The 2024 men's final was the fastest 400-meter race in Olympic history, collectively: five of the eight men ran under 43.87 seconds, with these five times ranking among the top 15 fastest Olympic times.[2]

The winning margin was 0.04 seconds which is the narrowest winning margin in the men's 400 metres at the Olympics since the introduction of fully automatic timing.

Steven Gardiner was a reigning champion in Tokyo 2021, but he did not start in the fourth heat.

Summary

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The entire podium from Tokyo returned, Steven Gardiner, Anthony Zambrano and Kirani James. James was the 2012 Olympic champion and complete set of medals. Zambrano was largely absent during the season. Also returning was 5th place Michael Norman with a chip on his shoulder to settle. Norman won the 2022 World Championships but didn't get to 2023, won by Antonio Watson. The world leader for the season was 2022 bronze medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith.

World record holder Wayde van Niekerk has been on the comeback trail after a devastating injury in 2017 but instead elected to run 200 metres. Watson didn't appear, and Gardiner didn't start. Zambrano didn't qualify into the semis. James won his semi in 43.78, the fastest semi ever, but he was pushed by Commonwealth Games Champion Muzala Samukonga in 43.81. Quincy Hall ran an eased up 43.95 to win his semi.[3]

On the inside lanes of the final, Norman and James got off fastest. Onto the back stretch, on the far outside Jereem Richards accelerated to take the lead, splitting 20.46 at the 200, with James, Hudson-Smith and Samukonga. Going into the turn Hall edged ahead of Norman into fifth. Coming off the turn Hudson-Smith assumed the lead barely ahead of Richards and James.[4] Hall looked like he was struggling but had edged ahead of Samukonga. Down the home stretch with the three leaders holding the same positions trying to get to the finish. With his head shaking and arms pumping, Hall was moving faster than all of them, with Samukonga also sprinting home.[5] Just before the line, Hall picked off all three leaders to cross the line with gold. Samukonga got past James and Richards to pick off a bronze.[6]

After the finish, Hall did a snow angel on the dry track to celebrate. Hall ran the #4 time in history, Hudson-Smith #5, the fastest non-winning time in history and a new European record. Samukonga #13 and Richards #14 also both achieved national records.

Background

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The men's 400 metres has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the inaugural edition in 1896. The reigning Olympic champion is Steven Gardiner from the Bahamas.

Global records before the 2024 Summer Olympics
Record Athlete (nation) Time (s) Location Date
World record   Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03[7] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 14 August 2016
Olympic record
World leading   Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) 43.74[8] London, United Kingdom 20 July 2024
Area records before the 2024 Summer Olympics[9]
Area record Athlete (nation) Time (s)
Africa (records)   Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03 WR
Asia (records)   Yousef Masrahi (KSA) 43.93
Europe (records)   Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) 43.74
North, Central America
and Caribbean
(records)
  Michael Johnson (USA) 43.18
Oceania (records)   Darren Clark (AUS) 44.38
South America (records)   Anthony Zambrano (COL) 43.93

Qualification

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For the men's 400 metres event, the qualification period is between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.[10] 48 athletes are able to qualify for the event, with a maximum of three athletes per nation, by running the entry standard of 45.00 seconds or faster or by their World Athletics Ranking for this event.[10]

Results

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Heats

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The heats are scheduled to be held on 4 August, starting at 19:05 (UTC+2) in the evening.[1]
Qualification rule: First 3 in each heat (Q) advance to semi-finals, all others advance to Repechage round (except DNS, DNF, DQ).[11]

Heat 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Matthew Hudson-Smith   Great Britain 44.78 Q
2 3 Christopher Bailey   United States 44.89 Q
3 4 Håvard Bentdal Ingvaldsen   Norway 45.46 Q
4 7 Chidi Okezie   Nigeria 45.52
5 2 Kentaro Sato   Japan 45.60
6 8 Oleksandr Pohorilko   Ukraine 45.71
7 5 Deandre Watkin   Jamaica 45.97

[12]

Heat 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Michael Norman   United States 44.10 Q, SB
2 9 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 44.31 Q
3 2 Busang Kebinatshipi   Botswana 44.45 Q, PB
4 8 Ammar Ibrahim   Qatar 44.66 PB
5 5 Sean Bailey   Jamaica 44.68
6 4 Attila Molnár   Hungary 45.24
7 7 Anthony Zambrano   Colombia 45.49
8 3 Michael Joseph   Saint Lucia 45.69

[13]

Heat 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3 Muzala Samukonga   Zambia 44.56 Q
2 2 Bayapo Ndori   Botswana 44.87 Q
3 8 Luca Sito   Italy 44.99 Q
4 5 Jean Paul Bredau   Germany 45.07
5 7 Dylan Borlée   Belgium 45.36
6 9 Yuki Joseph Nakajima   Japan 45.37
7 6 Lythe Pillay   South Africa 45.60
8 4 Matěj Krsek   Czech Republic 45.71

[14]

Heat 4

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 7 Quincy Hall   United States 44.28 Q
2 5 Samuel Ogazi   Nigeria 44.50 Q, PB
3 6 Reece Holder   Australia 44.53 Q, PB
4 8 Jonathan Sacoor   Belgium 45.08
5 2 Alexander Ogando   Dominican Republic 45.11 SB
6 3 Elián Larregina   Argentina 47.80
4 Steven Gardiner   Bahamas DNS

[15]

Heat 5

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Kirani James   Grenada 44.78 Q
2 8 Christopher Morales Williams   Canada 44.96 Q
3 9 Aruna Darshana   Sri Lanka 44.99 Q, PB
4 4 Zakithi Nene   South Africa 45.01
5 7 Leungo Scotch   Botswana 45.28
6 3 Lionel Spitz   Switzerland 45.81
7 5 Lucas Carvalho   Brazil 45.85
8 2 Davide Re   Italy 46.74

[16]

Heat 6

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 5 Charlie Dobson   Great Britain 44.96 Q
2 7 Alexander Doom   Belgium 45.01 Q
3 3 Jevaughn Powell   Jamaica 45.12 Q
4 9 João Coelho   Portugal 45.35 SB
5 2 Cheikh Tidiane Diouf   Senegal 45.59
6 8 Fuga Sato   Japan 46.13
7 4 Gilles Biron   France 46.19
6 Zablon Ekwam   Kenya DNF

[17]

Repechage round

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The repechage round was scheduled to be held on 5 August, starting at 11:20 (UTC+2) in the morning.[1]
Qualification rule: First in each Repechage heat (Q) and next 2 fastest (q) advance to semi-finals.

Heat 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 4 Elián Larregina   Argentina 45.36 Q
2 8 Gilles Biron   France 45.87
3 3 Lucas Carvalho   Brazil 46.24
7 Davide Re   Italy DNS
2 Jonathan Sacoor   Belgium DNS
6 Fuga Sato   Japan DNS
5 Deandre Watkin   Jamaica DNS

[18]

Heat 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 5 Lythe Pillay   South Africa 45.40 Q
2 7 Matěj Krsek   Czech Republic 45.53 PB
3 3 Oleksandr Pohorilko   Ukraine 45.59
4 6 Michael Joseph   Saint Lucia 45.64
5 4 Chidi Okezie   Nigeria 45.92
2 Yuki Joseph Nakajima   Japan DNS
8 Alexander Ogando   Dominican Republic DNS

[19]

Heat 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 4 Zakithi Nene   South Africa 44.81 Q
2 6 Leungo Scotch   Botswana 45.33 q
3 3 Attila Molnár   Hungary 45.45
4 5 Lionel Spitz   Switzerland 45.51
8 Kentaro Sato   Japan DNS
7 Anthony Zambrano   Colombia DNS

[20]

Heat 4

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3 Ammar Ibrahim   Qatar 44.77 Q
2 8 Cheikh Tidiane Diouf   Senegal 45.03 q, =PB
3 3 Jean Paul Bredau   Germany 45.40
4 7 Dylan Borlée   Belgium 45.51
5 4 João Coelho   Portugal 45.64
5 Sean Bailey   Jamaica DNF

[21]

Semi-finals

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The semi-finals were scheduled to be held on 6 August, starting at 19:35 (UTC+2) in the evening.[1]
Qualification rule: First 2 in each heat (Q) and next 2 fastest (q) advance to final.

Semifinal 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 5 Quincy Hall   United States 43.95 Q
2 7 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 44.33 Q
3 4 Busang Kebinatshipi   Botswana 44.43
4 8 Charlie Dobson   Great Britain 44.48 PB
5 3 Ammar Ibrahim   Qatar 44.63 PB
6 2 Cheikh Tidiane Diouf   Senegal 44.94 NR
7 9 Håvard Bentdal Ingvaldsen   Norway 45.60
8 6 Alexander Doom   Belgium 1:55.10

[22]

Semifinal 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 8 Kirani James   Grenada 43.78 Q, SB
2 5 Muzala Samukonga   Zambia 43.81 Q, NR
3 6 Christopher Bailey   United States 44.31 q, PB
4 7 Bayapo Ndori   Botswana 44.43
5 9 Luca Sito   Italy 45.01
6 2 Elián Larregina   Argentina 45.02
7 3 Lythe Pillay   South Africa 45.24
4 Aruna Darshana   Sri Lanka DQ TR17.2.3

[23]

Semifinal 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 7 Matthew Hudson-Smith   Great Britain 44.07 Q
2 6 Michael Norman   United States 44.26 Q
3 5 Samuel Ogazi   Nigeria 44.41 q, PB
4 9 Jevaughn Powell   Jamaica 44.91
5 4 Reece Holder   Australia 44.94
6 3 Zakithi Nene   South Africa 45.06
7 2 Leungo Scotch   Botswana 45.16
8 8 Christopher Morales Williams   Canada 45.25

[24]

Final

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The final was scheduled to be held on 7 August, starting at 21:20 (UTC+2) in the evening.[1]

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
  8 Quincy Hall   United States 43.40 PB, WL
  6 Matthew Hudson-Smith   Great Britain 43.44 AR
  7 Muzala Samukonga   Zambia 43.74 NR
4 9 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 43.78 NR
5 5 Kirani James   Grenada 43.87
6 2 Christopher Bailey   United States 44.58
7 3 Samuel Ogazi   Nigeria 44.73
8 4 Michael Norman   United States 45.62

[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Paris 2024 - Olympic Schedule - Athletics Archived 2024-03-24 at the Wayback Machine", Olympics.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Men's 400m". Archived from the original on 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  3. ^ "Men's 400m - Semi-Final results" (PDF). Olympics. 6 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Matt Hudson-Smith denied Olympic gold on line by Hall in 400m thriller". Guardian. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  5. ^ "GB's Hudson-Smith takes silver in 400m thriller". BBC Sport. 7 August 2024. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Men's 400m - Final race analysis" (PDF). Olympics. 7 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  7. ^ "All time Top lists – Senior – 400 Metres men Archived 2024-08-15 at the Wayback Machine", World Athletics, 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Season Top Lists – Senior 2024 – 400 Metres men Archived 2024-06-05 at the Wayback Machine", World Athletics, 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Records – 400 Metres men". World Athletics. 3 July 2024. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  10. ^ a b Sean McAlister, "How to qualify for athletics at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained Archived 2022-12-22 at the Wayback Machine", Olympics.com, 20 December 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Men's 400m – Round 1 results". Olympics. 4 August 2024. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 1/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 2/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 3/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 4/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 5/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Men's 400m - Round 1 - Heat 5/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 4 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Men's 400m - Repechage - Heat 1/4 results" (PDF). Olympics. 5 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Men's 400m - Repechage - Heat 2/4 results" (PDF). Olympics. 5 August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Men's 400m - Repechage - Heat 3/4 results" (PDF). Olympics. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Men's 400m - Repechage - Heat 4/4 results" (PDF). Olympics. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Men's 400m - Semi-Final 1/3 results" (PDF). Olympics. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Men's 400m - Semi-Final 2/3 results" (PDF). Olympics. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Men's 400m - Semi-Final 3/3 results" (PDF). Olympics. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Men's 400m - Final results" (PDF). Olympics. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.