Twenty-eight athletes from fifteen nations competed in the first round during the morning session on 7 March. Mette Baas of Finland set a Finnish record of 52.25 seconds. Amber Anning of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Nikoleta Jíchová of the Czech Republic, and Tetiana Melnyk of Ukraine were disqualified for lane infringement. Twelve athletes from nine nations competed in the semi-finals during the evening session on 7 March.
Six athletes from six different nations competed in the final during the evening session on 8 March. The race was won by Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands in 50.38 seconds, followed by Henriette Jæger of Norway in 50.45 seconds and Paula Sevilla of Spain in 50.99 seconds equalling the Spanish record.
Femke Bol of the Netherlands was the world and European record holder with a time of 49.17s set in 2024.[4] Bol is also the 2021 and 2023 champion in this event.[2][5] She did not defend these titles in 2025 as she did not compete in individual events during the 2025 indoor season, only in relays.[6] The championship record of 49.59s was set by Jarmila Kratochvílová of Czechoslovakia in 1982.[2]
On 1 March 2025, Aaliyah Butler of the United States set her world leading performance of 49.78s.[7] On 16 February 2025, Henriette Jæger of Norway set her European leading performance of 50.44s, preceded by the next-fastest Europeans Amber Anning of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 50.57s on 14 February 2025 and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands in 50.76s on 13 February 2025.[7]
Records before the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships
For the women's 400 metres, the qualification period was from 25 February 2024 until 23 February 2025.[8] Athletes could qualify by achieving the entry standards of 52.10s indoors or 50.70s outdoor or by virtue of their World Athletics Ranking for the event.[8] There was a target number of thirty athletes with a maximum of four athletes per nation that could be entered, of whom three athletes per nation could eventually participate.[8] On 27 February 2025, a final entry list with thirty-four athletes was published.[9]
Rounds
Round 1
Round 1 was held on 7 March, starting at 11:55 (UTC+1) in the morning.[10][11] Twenty-eight athletes from fifteen nations competed in five heats (preliminary rounds).[11] The first two athletes in each heat (Q) and the next two fastest athletes overall (q) qualified for the semi-finals.[11] In the first heat, Mette Baas of Finland set a national record (NR) of 52.25s and Amber Anning of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was disqualified (DQ) for violating the technical rule for lane infringement (TR17.2.3), which occurs when a runner steps over the line of the assigned lane once or steps on the line of the assigned lane multiple times.[11][12] In the third and fourth heat, Tetiana Melnyk of Ukraine and Nikoleta Jíchová of the Czech Republic were also disqualified for lane infringement.[11]
The semi-finals were held on 7 March, the same day as round 1, starting at 19:58 (UTC+1) in the evening.[10] Twelve athletes from nine nations competed in two heats.[13] The first three athletes in each heat (Q) qualified for the semi-finals.[13]Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands, Paula Sevilla of Spain, Henriette Jæger of Norway, and Lurdes Gloria Manuel of the Czech Republic were faster than in the first round, whilst the other eight athletes were all slower.[11][13]
The final was held on 8 March, starting at 21:50 (UTC+1) in the evening.[10] Six athletes of six different nations competed in this race.[14]Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was in the lead after 200 metres, running this first lap in 23.4s, and she stayed ahead of the other competitors in the last 200 metres.[15] Klaver won the race in a European leading time (EL) of 50.38s, claiming her first individual title at an international championship.[14][16]Henriette Jæger of Norway finished in second place in 50.45s and Paula Sevilla of Spain in third place in 50.99s, which equalled the Spanish national record (= NR).[14] All athletes were faster in the final than they were in the semi-finals.[13][14]
In an interview after the race, Klaver said: "I found it so exciting. It's just healthy tension, but of a higher level. I'm so proud, I just did it. This is peaking at the right time, this is what I train for."[17] Regarding her absent compatriot Femke Bol, she said: "I did think about her during the race. Like: pretend Femke is running in front of you. Then I have to keep going."[16]
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