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 countries, athletes previously competed in the 440-yard dash (402.336 m)—which is a quarter of a mile and was referred to as the "quarter-mile"—instead of the 400 m (437.445 yards), though this distance is now obsolete.
Jarmila Kratochvílová is a Czechoslovak former track and field athlete. She won the 400 metres and 800 metres at the 1983 World Championships, setting a world record in the 400 m.
Lisanne de Witte is a Dutch track and field athlete who competes in sprinting. She specialises in the 400 metres, where she held the Dutch record with her personal best time of 50.77 seconds from 2018 to 2021.
Femke Bol is a Dutch track and field athlete who competes in hurdling and sprinting. She specialises in the 400 metres hurdles, where she is the 2023 World Champion, and in the 400 metres, where she is the 2024 World Indoor Champion and the short track world record holder. In the 4 × 400 metres relay, she is the 2023 World Champion and the 2024 World Indoor Champion with the Dutch women's team and the 2024 Olympic Champion with the Dutch mixed team.
Lieke Klaver is a Dutch track and field athlete who competes in sprinting. She specializes in the 200 metres and in the 400 metres. In the 4 × 400 metres relay, she is the 2023 World Champion and the 2024 World Indoor Champion with the Dutch women's team and the 2024 Olympic Champion with the Dutch mixed team.
The women's 400 metres at the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships took place in three rounds at the Arena Toruń in Toruń, Poland, on 5 and 6 March 2021.
The women's 400 metres at the 2022 European Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany, from 15 to 17 August 2022.
The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2022 European Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany, from 17 to 19 August 2022.
The mixed 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in two rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, on 2 and 3 August 2024. This was the second time that the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 16 teams qualified for the event through the 2024 World Athletics Relays or the World Athletics top list.
The women's 400 metres at the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships took place in three rounds at the Ataköy Athletics Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, on 3 and 4 March 2023. This was the 37th time the women's 400 metres was contested at the European Athletics Indoor Championships. Athletes could qualify by achieving the entry standard or by their World Athletics Ranking for the event.
The women's 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships took place in one round in the Ataköy Athletics Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, on 5 March 2023. This was the twelfth time the women's 4 × 400 metres relay was contested at the European Athletics Indoor Championships. Six national teams qualified based on their outdoor results from 2022 or the team's cumulative individual 400 metres indoor results from 2023.
The 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships will be held from 6 to 9 March 2025 at the Omnisport Apeldoorn arena in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The four-day competition will feature thirteen men's and thirteen women's athletics events over three morning and four afternoon sessions.
The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2023 World Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, from 21 to 24 August 2023. Athletes could qualify by archieving the entry standard.
Cathelijn Peeters is a Dutch track and field athlete who competes in hurdling and sprinting and previously competed in the combined events and hammer throw. Peeters specializes in the 400 metres hurdles and in the 400 metres. In the 4 × 400 metres relay, she is the 2023 World Champion and the 2024 World Indoor Champion with the Dutch women's team and the 2024 Olympic Champion with the Dutch mixed team.
The 2021 Dutch Indoor Athletics Championships was the 50th edition of the national championship in indoor track and field for the Netherlands, organised by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation. It was held on 20–21 February at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn. A total of 24 events were contested over the two-day competition.
The 2023 Dutch Indoor Athletics Championships was the 52nd edition of the national championship in indoor track and field for the Netherlands, organised by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation. It was held on 18–19 February at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn. A total of 24 events were contested over the two-day competition.
The women's 400 metres at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships took place in three rounds at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, United Kingdom, on 1 and 2 March 2024. This was the nineteenth time that the women's 400 metres was contested at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. Twenty-four athletes from nineteen different nations competed in the event.
The women's 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships took place in two rounds at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, United Kingdom, on 3 March 2024. This was the seventeenth time the women's 4 × 400 metres relay was contested at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. There was no entry standard for the qualification. Nine national teams competed in the event.
The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2024 European Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, from 9 to 11 June 2024. This was the sixteenth time that the women's 400 metres hurdles was contested at the European Athletics Championships. A total of 37 athletes qualified for the event by entry standard, ranking, or wild card. The startlists contained 35 athletes from 21 nations.
The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, from 4 to 8 August 2024. This was the eleventh time that the women's 400 metres hurdles was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 40 athletes were able to qualify for the event by entry standard or ranking.
